the new 28-75 FF SAM lens

[Dusty]

I'll take screw drive anyday.

of course, there are still those of us who know how to turn a focus ring and wish this AF madness had never started in the first place!

Dusty

[bfitzgerald]

It's to late, Sony have decided we will have SAM motors in everything, now we have to suffer a re-vamped price increased lens line-up, and possibly (very likely) entry models getting their AF motors ripped out, at some point.

Oh joy, Sony are doing a Nikon, they even copied the power switch on the shutter release

Enjoy! Even a million man march won't stop them now

[Greg Beetham]

One possible reason for the SAM infatuation springs to mind, a lot less focus motor noise feedback through the system and thus a lot better for DSLR video with sound....better for adapting DSLR lenses onto video cameras as well possibly.

Looks like Sony is gradually disappearing the Minolta features one by one, among other things (MLU, AEL spot, DOF button) the left thumb on/off switch looks to be on the hit list, how long will it be before the A700/A900 class gets a stupid shutter button on/off switch as well?
Sony probably thinks that the more they make their cameras 'be' like a Nikon, the more stupid biased reviewers will like their cameras....where will that trend end? a virtual Nikon with an A-mount.
Greg

[Fotogeorge]

I'm still very satisfied with my KM 28-75. I don't care who really made the lens. I paid $485 for it 4+ years ago. I'm currently thinking of the Sigma 50-150 F/2.8, rather than paying $800 for another 28-75 lens with a SSM. Screw drive is just fine for me.

[Greg Beetham]

I would like to see a comparison test between the KM28-75 f2.8 and the Tamron version, I know everyone says the 'must' be the same...but I've never seen the proof one way or the other.
Greg

[Javelin]

wOO I like the shutter button on/off to be honest. thats where it was on my X700 and X570 too. I carry my cameras in my rright hand. the sony I leave on all the time but I used to turn the SLR's on and off while lifting them to my eye... not a big deal but I thought the left handed
slide switch was kinda mickey mouse. my new (old) SRT has a dial on the bottom plate but the camera is never really on or off...

One possible reason for the SAM infatuation springs to mind, a lot less focus motor noise feedback through the system and thus a lot better for DSLR video with sound....better for adapting DSLR lenses onto video cameras as well possibly.

Looks like Sony is gradually disappearing the Minolta features one by one, among other things (MLU, AEL spot, DOF button) the left thumb on/off switch looks to be on the hit list, how long will it be before the A700/A900 class gets a stupid shutter button on/off switch as well?
Sony probably thinks that the more they make their cameras 'be' like a Nikon, the more stupid biased reviewers will like their cameras....where will that trend end? a virtual Nikon with an A-mount.
Greg

[Greg Beetham]

Well I guess whatever suits best in the on/off switch department, but for me carrying (or standing for a while in one spot) the camera with the neck strap is the best option (never dropped a camera in forty odd years and not going to start).
Even if I'm basically using the strap as a safety (usually I have a left or right hand steadying it as well) so that if I slip, trip or stumble I've got both hands to grab onto something.
So taking into account the aformentioned neck strap the reason why I like the left thumb on/off button is when the camera is hanging from my neck I only have to glance down to note the position of the switch (if after a while I've forgotten if I've left it on or off), most of my lenses (and they aren't even really big expensive ones either) make the camera tilt down, if I wanted to check the position of the switch around the shutter button I'd have to actually tilt the camera up each time.
Someone tried to tell me once that the shutter button switch is faster than the left thumb switch, but I still think he's wrong, if we were to have a hands off the camera 'quick draw' turn on to fire an aimed and focussed shot, my right index finger would already be on the shutter button instead of fumbling around near it, and my left thumb would have already turned the camera on on the way up to my eye....
Greg

ps. You have an SRT as well you're starting to show your age there Jav ol' pal....

[Birma]

Difficult to be terribly objective on the on-off switch having owned a grand total of 1 dslr, I sort of like it on the left side. I don't think I will lose sleep over it though. (Obviously I'm more worried about the SSS button .)

Were there two lenses annouced? Was the other the 30mm Macro? Doesn't seem to be much comment about that around here or the other forums. It that one old news, or just of little interest?

[bfitzgerald]

The on/off location is far from a big deal, but if you are going to move it, I prefer the Canon way of slapping it under the main mode dial as a switch. But to be frank it was just fine where it was. I prefer to have a clean shutter button, with nothing in the way, and the Nikon/Pentax on/off location isn't for me...not that it would kill a purchase, just a shame to see sony copy others, instead of coming up with their own ideas.

The lack of on body SSS switch, probably a bad move, esp for heavy tripod users.
You can see from the style of the new A500 series, and the location of buttons, it's geared more for LV use, than OVF.

[Greg Beetham]

Yah, I'm not totally stressin over the on/off switch location, it just seemed too me to be a case of, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'...
Plus there is the copying of others aspect as well.
Greg

ps. No SSS switch? are you sure that has got to be close too their biggest blooper yet, OMG we are in the hands of madmen....

[bfitzgerald]

If you look at the menu system (which is basic for a mid level camera anyway)
You now have to dive into it to turn SSS on/off

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/sonydslra550/page9.asp

Also the newbie display (dp don't like it either!) made it over
And quick nav didn't make it...Fn menu looks very messy.

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/sonydslra550/page6.asp

Oh well, hey let's be happy..we have an AEL button

[Javelin]

Mostly it's about the way I carry. I was down in the city today for an exibition with my daughter and was thining about the way I hold itand notice that i'm the only one that does thios of all the DSLR's down there. Oh saw a bunch of sonys too, I carry with the strao wrapped once around my had. soo the camera is kind of bound to my palm. I can have my fingers relaxed that way and I have control over it. I just find with the strap around my neck the thing swings and can bang int stuff especially if your bending over for anything.

today I saw an equal number of Sony tto nikon cameras but there were 100's of canons there, particularly rebels. the news A230/330/380 versions are easy to spot, they are very distintive especially with their white menu default. I even saw a pro with an a700 and a Sony fish eye working the lobby. he had a sigma 530 DG super munted too in a lightsphere..

Well I guess whatever suits best in the on/off switch department, but for me carrying (or standing for a while in one spot) the camera with the neck strap is the best option (never dropped a camera in forty odd years and not going to start).
Even if I'm basically using the strap as a safety (usually I have a left or right hand steadying it as well) so that if I slip, trip or stumble I've got both hands to grab onto something.
So taking into account the aformentioned neck strap the reason why I like the left thumb on/off button is when the camera is hanging from my neck I only have to glance down to note the position of the switch (if after a while I've forgotten if I've left it on or off), most of my lenses (and they aren't even really big expensive ones either) make the camera tilt down, if I wanted to check the position of the switch around the shutter button I'd have to actually tilt the camera up each time.
Someone tried to tell me once that the shutter button switch is faster than the left thumb switch, but I still think he's wrong, if we were to have a hands off the camera 'quick draw' turn on to fire an aimed and focussed shot, my right index finger would already be on the shutter button instead of fumbling around near it, and my left thumb would have already turned the camera on on the way up to my eye....
Greg

ps. You have an SRT as well you're starting to show your age there Jav ol' pal....

[Greg Beetham]

Yes Javelin I agree, using the neck strap the camera can swing around so I generally have one of my hands keeping it steady, but I still like the guaranteed safety of the camera so I use it and put up with it. One of my Lowepro toploaders came with a harness and it is a solution of a sort, you can wear the thing on your chest and pop the camera into it (still wearing the neck strap), and that fixes the swinging camera deal, yoiu can pull it out and rest it on the lid ready for action if it looks like it's going to be needed...
Greg

ps. Sounds like you could have scored a few Alphas at that event Javelin...for the Alpha spotting forum that is.

[Javelin]

heh, I didnt think of that but I'm prety sure I have a few shots where Sony DSLr's are in the frame. I didn't take many pictures because there were just way too many people there but I got a few i'll post when I get a chance.

Yes Javelin I agree, using the neck strap the camera can swing around so I generally have one of my hands keeping it steady, but I still like the guaranteed safety of the camera so I use it and put up with it. One of my Lowepro toploaders came with a harness and it is a solution of a sort, you can wear the thing on your chest and pop the camera into it (still wearing the neck strap), and that fixes the swinging camera deal, yoiu can pull it out and rest it on the lid ready for action if it looks like it's going to be needed...
Greg

ps. Sounds like you could have scored a few Alphas at that event Javelin...for the Alpha spotting forum that is.