A couple of comments - new Alphas, lenses

[David Kilpatrick]

Although I must wait to do proper tests, I should comment here that both the A65 and A77 have GPS, not just the A77 as originally stated in many places. Also, both cameras restore Program Shift, which many will welcome.

I now have the 24mm f/2 CZ to test. I'll explain why later, but I have decided to use it on the A55 for a trip, not the A900. I ran some comparisons of the 16mm pancake on NEX-5 blown up to 25 megapixels via ACR, against the 24mm f/2 on A900. While the A900/CZ combo was better in the centre, and in contrast terms, at apertures around f/8 there have been some test images where I preferred the NEX/16mm to the A900/24mm. The corners of the f/2 lens were noticeably less sharp than the NEX lens (different, sudden death instead of gradual decline).

So I'm going to use the 24mm CZ on APS-C and try some video too.

What my comparisons tell me is that reactions to the NEX 16mm - adverse reactions - have been seriously misplaced.

David

[alphaomega]

Interesting comments on the 16mm pancake v. 24mm CZ. When I got my NEX-5 kit the 16mm was awful. Totally unsharp in right half. Returned to Sony and repaired. http://www.photoclubalpha.com/forum/vie ... =49&t=4840 Since then I have had nothing but good things to say about this little lens. Interestingly enough a lot of other users had the same problem (per DPReview comments) so Sony must have had a real problem with the intital batches. I have also used the lens with the W/A converter front and heavily used the distortion filter. These have all passed Alamy QC. Only problem with this combination is aggravated CA demanding great care to correct in LR. Also very happy with the performance of my 18-55 kit lens. Seems to me that it is being critizised simply because it is listed as a "kit lens". So if the SEL55200 is up to this standard there will be full coverage with good E lenses from 18mm to 300 mm 35mm equivalent (plus the fish eye converter).

Putting the 24mm CZ on A55 kind of avoids the unsharp corners and gives FF users a wrong impression of the lens. No doubt the review will also include usage on the A900 for completeness.

[InTheSky]

Same there for me, the kit lens has bring me very detail and sharp picture that I didn't expect to bring. Since that, I'm more taking picture with it.

And for the 16mm 2.8, I will also say the combine with the 16mm view (35mm) adapter you can get very good picture too, but as David say CA is there and more amplify. In fact in video in Sony vegas for some video takend with the 16mm + Wide angle adapter, I has to reduce a lot of CA in water reflection, instead of that my blue water was kind of purple ...

Regards,

Frank