LL has A850 article up

[bakubo]

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/revie ... -850.shtml

I thought it was interesting that even though the A850 has a slightly smaller vf MR made this comment:

"The A900, and therefore the A850, have many strengths. Among these are in-body stabilization, which means that every lens is stabilized. The cameras also have the industry's largest and brightest viewfinder (and I see no difference between the A900 and A850, though there might be some measurable in the lab)."

[Dusty]

I believe the 850 is a 98% viewfinder? That means a mere 2% for someone to notice.

Dusty

[bakubo]

I believe the 850 is a 98% viewfinder? That means a mere 2% for someone to notice.

David on several occasions has talked about the specialness of the A900 vf and it isn't just the 100% view. I'm sure he will let us know how the A850 vf compares to the A900 later, but MR thinks it is essentially the same.

[Dr. Harout]

...David on several occasions has talked about the specialness of the A900 vf and it isn't just the 100% view. I'm sure he will let us know how the A850 vf compares to the A900 later...

That interests me too.

[bakubo]

The A850, like the A900, is very impressive and at an even lower price. If I did mostly the kind of shooting I did on my 2 month road trip this past spring then I would probably have bought an A900 already or even better go for this A850 for less money since I care nothing about FPS. For backpack travel though the A850 plus larger lenses are really a no-go though. I would like to reduce the weight and size of the A700 even for travel. The desirable traits in a camera and lenses is so different if you travel a lot (not travel by auto, bus tour, etc.) than if you do the kind of photography most people here do.

I admit I am tempted by the A850. I have a few FF lenses that might work okay with it so that new lenses could be postponed. I have the Minolta 28-135mm that, I think, I have heard works okay on FF. I also have the beercan which is probably acceptable, but not great. David says my old 35-70mm f4 isn't so good though. Too bad since it is so small and light and would be useful as a general purpose, lightweight lens. I also have the 50mm f1.7 which is probably acceptable (stopped down a bit anyway). My old Sigma 24mm f2.8 might work okay, might not. Haven't heard anything. Also, the old Sigma 90mm f2.8 macro. I always thought it was pretty good even though I almost never use it. Not an ideal line-up of FF lenses, but probably usable until I felt like spending more money.

The A550 (or A500) might even work out better than the A700 for travel. Smaller and lighter. The A700 feels much better in the hand and I like the ergonomics a lot, but for my kind of travel I am willing to sacrifice that a bit. My A700 AF works pretty well even though it doesn't have the focus adjustment feature. If the A550 is as good then that would be okay. Since my Canon 30D I have learned to love the ability to separate AF from the shutter release and I have my A700 set that way too. Don't know if the A550 can do that. The A100 can't. I have read that the OVF is not so good for left-eyed shooters though so that might be an issue.

Anyway, just musing a bit.

[bakubo]

Unusual for MR since he usually on writes about expensive gear, but he has an A550 first look on his website:

http://luminous-landscape.com/reviews/c ... irst.shtml

[Greg Beetham]

How does that AF/shutter seperation work exactly Henry? you obviously don't mean like using DMF or AF priority/shutter priority settings I take it..
Greg

[bakubo]

How does that AF/shutter seperation work exactly Henry? you obviously don't mean like using DMF or AF priority/shutter priority settings I take it..

No, that is not what I mean. I mean Canon's custom function 4 or the Sony A700 menu AF w/shutter set to off. Pressing the shutter release has absolutely no effect on focus. Focus is done by pressing the joystick.

[Greg Beetham]

Ah so, the closest the A100 comes to that is using the rear controller to focus, just press the rear controller and it will focus (if in 'Spot AF' mode any direction press including center button will focus using Spot AF), (if in 'Focus Area Select' mode it will focus using the selected direction press, center button for Spot AF), then the shutter button can be pressed and the previous focus will be used, but only while the controller remains pressed.
The possible difference between that function on the A100 and the dedicated AF button on the A700 is that the AF selection on the rear controller must remain pressed otherwise the focus obtained is discarded when the shutter button is pressed. (I'm not sure if the button/joystick on the A700 has to remain pressed or if it's a toggle situation, I don't have an A700).
Greg

ps. I was just thinking some more about it, like you say, I don't think you can actually turn OFF the focus actuation on the shutter button on the A100 (without using the main AF/MF selector that is), I couldn't see anything in the custom menu.
BTW what's the advantage in being able to do that? (focus seperately to the shutter button that is, with AF not active on the shutter button).

[bakubo]

Ah so, the closest the A100 comes to that is using the rear controller to focus, just press the rear controller and it will focus (if in 'Spot AF' mode any direction press including center button will focus using Spot AF), (if in 'Focus Area Select' mode it will focus using the selected direction press, center button for Spot AF), then the shutter button can be pressed and the previous focus will be used, but only while the controller remains pressed.
The possible difference between that function on the A100 and the dedicated AF button on the A700 is that the AF selection on the rear controller must remain pressed otherwise the focus obtained is discarded when the shutter button is pressed. (I'm not sure if the button/joystick on the A700 has to remain pressed or if it's a toggle situation, I don't have an A700).

Yes, I discovered this with my A100 within about a month of getting it in early 2007. It isn't the same thing at all and I found it close to pointless compared to the real thing in the A700 and Canon bodies.

ps. I was just thinking some more about it, like you say, I don't think you can actually turn OFF the focus actuation on the shutter button on the A100 (without using the main AF/MF selector that is), I couldn't see anything in the custom menu.

Yeah, I never figured out a way to do it either and no one in a thread I started at dpreview at the time could figure out a way. I think it is safe to say it can't be done with the A100. I assume it is also true with all the other Sony DSLRs below the A700. I also assume you can in the A900 and A850, but I haven't checked.

BTW what's the advantage in being able to do that? (focus seperately to the shutter button that is, with AF not active on the shutter button).

Certainly it is a matter of what you prefer and what kind of photographs you typically take and that is why Sony and Canon (probably Nikon, Pentax, Olympus also, but I have never checked) allow it. For years, even before digital, the Canon CF4 was a valued and popular feature used by many people. Back in my film days I often envied Canon users because my Minolta gear didn't have it.

I like to focus and not have my focus keep changing everytime I touch the shutter release, especially since you usually must be careful to get good focus and when the camera decides it is going to refocus "for" you it often results in a worse focus than the one you had carefully gotten before. I often focus, adjust composition, take a shot, maybe take another with exposure compensation, slightly adjust composition again, etc. By the way, try this with your A100. Hold the camera to your eye, use your thumb to press and hold the center button of the round controller on the back, press the exposure composition button and adjust, then half press the shutter release. See what happens.

[Greg Beetham]

Certainly it is a matter of what you prefer and what kind of photographs you typically take and that is why Sony and Canon (probably Nikon, Pentax, Olympus also, but I have never checked) allow it. For years, even before digital, the Canon CF4 was a valued and popular feature used by many people. Back in my film days I often envied Canon users because my Minolta gear didn't have it.

I like to focus and not have my focus keep changing everytime I touch the shutter release, especially since you usually must be careful to get good focus and when the camera decides it is going to refocus "for" you it often results in a worse focus than the one you had carefully gotten before. I often focus, adjust composition, take a shot, maybe take another with exposure compensation, slightly adjust composition again, etc. By the way, try this with your A100. Hold the camera to your eye, use your thumb to press and hold the center button of the round controller on the back, press the exposure composition button and adjust, then half press the shutter release. See what happens.

I did try that spot focus (rear controller) and hold, then pressing the +/- exposure button but as there was no response (the exposure comp screen did not appear) I didn't go any further with it.
I think it may depend on what focus and metering modes you have preset as to what happens...maybe.
I use mainly the 'Focus Area Select' plus AF-A, along with 'MultiSegment' metering so my selected focus area is tied to the metering for that focus area, but even so I usually use spot focussing anyway...because I like the spot AEL feature even more for selecting an exposure to use somewhere in the composition...besides that, the stepless shutter in A mode is of finer increments than the 1/3 steps available with the exposure compensation button, (so I read once somewhere).
Thing is, (for me anyway), when photographing scenes the bias of concern is mostly to do with exposure, not so much with focus (it seems to look after itself pretty well), I guess it depends on the scene a lot though, ie. if it's a landscape for example where you are close too or at infinity and usually shot at f11 or similar.... that can be a lot different to a street scene where you have to decide what the focus of interest is etc. and therefore can be tricky composition wise, what settings and composition you use can mean the difference between a great shot and a happy-snap, as I'm sure you already know Henry.
Convexly, with Macro, TeleMacro and straight out Telephoto, the main concern for me is focus first and foremost, and exposure comes in second, my thinking being that you can save a slightly dodgy exposure...but if the focus is wonky it's a bin job....and with Macro and Telephoto there is lots of opportunity for bad focus too happen, especially if the subject is moving...
Sorry to ramble on Henry, I just thought I'd attempt to explain (thinking back out loud) that not having the feature of being able to turn off AF on the shutter button on the A100 was not something I missed, (didn't really know about it anyway), turns out I've been bypassing that obstacle without knowing it by focussing with the rear controller (on occasion) in conjuction with the AEL button....
Greg