Deceased a700

[dmacgee]

Recently had to send my a700 of to Sony Canada for warranty repairs. Lens mount had pulled away from the body. Curiously the body either sustained additional damage in shipping or at the Service Centre, I've still got to get this straightened out between Sony & the courier. Sony claims the mirror box is damaged and the camera has sustained a severe impact, never in the nearly 2 years I had it has the body dropped. Anyways I'm going to have to replace the body in the near future.

I've been reading several rumours of an A750, does any one have any insight as to this is a likely hood? Since it appears the A700 is discontinued at this point in time. I like the specs for the a850 but not the price.

Any thoughts on what the replacement for the A700 is going to have for specs?

I'm just glad I kept the Minolts 7D body as a backup/second body.

Thanks in advance for any advice or insight.

Dave

[Greg Beetham]

I'm just wondering Dave, what lenses do you use on the camera?
Greg

[Dr. Harout]

Sorry to hear that.
I would wait a couple of months and see what is going on.

[dmacgee]

I'm just wondering Dave, what lenses do you use on the camera?
Greg

Greg,

I've got several an Minolta 75-300, Minolta 70-200 f4 (Beercan), Sony G 70-200 f2.8 & 50 mm 1.4f Minolta & Sigma 100-500 & a Minolta 28 mm

Dave

[Greg Beetham]

Hmm the only one there that might be heavy enough to have any great possibility of stressing the mount is the 100-500 Sigma but it would have a tripod bracket of it's own anyway....it's all very odd.
Greg

[David Kilpatrick]

If you have hung a Sigma in the 170-500mm category off the A700, unsupported, this could explain the problem. The 70-200mm f/2.8 is OK to hang off the camera but best supported by a hand if you can.

David

[KevinBarrett]

So THAT's how to kill an a700!

[Greg Beetham]

Sheesh guys, he hasn't actually said he'd done that...yet. But it would take quite some force to actually break the mount loose on the camera just the same, so I'm suspecting something along those lines.
Greg

[dmacgee]

Sheesh guys, he hasn't actually said he'd done that...yet. But it would take quite some force to actually break the mount loose on the camera just the same, so I'm suspecting something along those lines.
Greg

Normally I used a tripod with the longer lenses, I was actually using the Minolta 70-300 which may have weighted a pound if that when the lens mount pulled away from the body. Fortunately I always support my lens so it didn't hit the ground when it came off. It looked like the plastic that the screws mount into had crumbled apparently that would have been covered under warranty. The problem that has occured is that either the courier or the Sony Service Centre dropped the body and cracked the mirror and broke the mirror box. I've got to work this out between Sony and the courier. however I'm now without my better body. Now I either have to bite the bullet and go to the 850 or wait to see if Sony replaces the 700 in the next month or two.

Apparently the repairs are more than what a new body would cost. Unfortunately no one has a new A700 as the are unofficially or officially discontinued depending on who you talk to.

[David Kilpatrick]

The use of heavy lenses unsupported could have caused a weakening of the screws. Also, vibration can loosen them. It's worth very gently tightening the body mount screws (or at least checking that they are tight, and tightening any which are loose) every few months. The A700 lens mount should not be screwed into plastic, surely? Magnesium inner casting should be what it fixes to - I'm surprised if that is not so.

The damage in transit is a problem.

With the lenses you own, an 850 or 900 would seem to be a much better match.

David

[Greg Beetham]

I've been looking at the A700 service manual and the mounting screws attach the lens bayonet plate directly to the mirror box, there is only a small rim of the cover that fits under the outer edge of the bayonet plate, I can't find in the manual what material the mirror box is made out of but it looks fairly strong too me, I know you can destroy some plastics by bringing the wrong chemical into contact with it...such as locktite applied to polycarbonate.
Greg

A700 front cover


A700 mirror box

[UrsaMajor]

Now I either have to bite the bullet and go to the 850 or wait to see if Sony replaces the 700 in the next month or two.

Apparently the repairs are more than what a new body would cost. Unfortunately no one has a new A700 as the are unofficially or officially discontinued depending on who you talk to.

The A700 is officially discontinued, and most stores have none in stock. However, there are a couple of places where you can still get a new A700 if that is what you would prefer. J&R is selling the A700 with the 18-70 lens for $899, and Butterfly Photo has it with the 16-105 lens for a couple of hundred dollars more. Each of them says on their web site that they are almost of of stock, so IF the A700 is what you prefer, you should move quickly.

With best wishes,
- Tom -