Photoclubalpha

According to dpreview Sony have issued a firmware update for the A230, A330 and A380 http://www.dpreview.com/news/0911/09110 ... r_v110_mac

windowshttp://support.sony-europe.com/dime/dow ... r_v110_win
Philip

This apparently the only change:

When the [Metering mode] is set to the [Center weighted] or [Spot] metering modes, the exposure will be locked when the focus is confirmed. (When shooting in AF mode).
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That strikes me as a rather limited firmware upgrade!

David

Limited is an understatement, worse...the addition of exposure lock for CW and spot with AF confirm could cause as many problems as it solves. There is really no substitute for an AEL button.

But with a very limited body design and cut down buttons, Sony's scope for solving issues via firmware is limited (for example AF point selection etc)

bfitzgerald wrote:Limited is an understatement, worse...the addition of exposure lock for CW and spot with AF confirm could cause as many problems as it solves. There is really no substitute for an AEL button.

But with a very limited body design and cut down buttons, Sony's scope for solving issues via firmware is limited (for example AF point selection etc)

I agree with you Barry. There is no substitute of AEL. I use it a lot, I'd rather cheer if Sony could introduce AF point linked spot metering in A700, 850 and 900.

But looking at the camera segment, I don't know if this FW makes any difference to most moms and pops.

Ayan

Multi spot would be very useful, I can also see a place for in camera filters (experimentation etc) and re-touching/raw development, some nice things we could have, but as the moment, we're simply trying to stop Sony ripping stuff out, and making things timewarp back..let alone bring new improvements to the table.

It's also a bit sad, to see the ist FW update for ages, and this is it..
nothing else addressed, nothing for A200-350 users (despite many many requests), nothing even for FF users either.

Not the best way to crowd please, I hope Sony are unplugging their ears, there are a boatload of slightly upset off Alpha users out there!

I thou

adakshi wrote:I agree with you Barry. There is no substitute of AEL. I use it a lot, I'd rather cheer if Sony could introduce AF point linked spot metering in A700, 850 and 900.

I thought the a700 (at least) already had this. Is the metering not weighted by the area around the selected AF point?

Also, BF, what's with "ist" rather than "first" or "1st?"

I thought the a700 (at least) already had this. Is the metering not weighted by the area around the selected AF point?

[/quote]

Kevin, if you use multi-segment metering, then it probably gives extra weightage to the AF point linked metering cell .. but for spot metering it strictly uses the circular area in the center of the frame (as indicated in the viewfinder) to calculate the light value.

Think of it if it could just meter the cell linked with AF, slow sync would have been much easier. Right now I need to determine the AF point I am going to use, select it, select the area I want to meter, press AEL and hold it(I don't like toggle as I forget to change), then recompose again and lock AF. If in the mean time, subject moves, I need to select another AF point and my thumb is in AEL, index on shutter, how do I change AF point? It would be a lot easier if we had a dedicated slow sync mode and spot meter linked with AF, just select slow sync, select AF point, fire.

Well, D300 has that, it's not new.

Ayan