A77 in the studio

[motor]

How will the A77 work in the studio? Good or Bad? If using pocket wizards will there be a delay like the A55? I remember reading something somewhere that the Axx series didn't perform all the great in a studio setting compared to the Axxx series. I frequently use a set of Pocket wizards, umbrellas and HVL 58 flashes to photo highschool sport teams. I am also getting into senior pictures. I started with the A700 and moved to the A580 with the grip. Sharpness and color drastically improved I feel. I miss the A700 controls though. The new A77 has all the previous easy access buttons and controls like the A700 and more. How well will the A77 work in the studio?

Moater

[David Kilpatrick]

Apparently no delay, full live view brightness with modelling lights, 0.05 second shutter release - faster than anything else around.

David

[OneGuyKs]

Apparently no delay, full live view brightness with modelling lights, 0.05 second shutter release - faster than anything else around.

David

Nex-5n and Nex-7 are faster with 0.02 second shutter

[Al_]

How about the A65? Does anyone know if it performs that same as the A77 in the studio?

[David Kilpatrick]

No, the A65 does not appear to have a studio mode. Will have to see when final firmware versions are released.

David

[Al_]

Found this on page 58 of the A65 manual:

Live View
Display Sets whether or not to display the effect of a function on the
screen, such as the effect of the exposure compensation
value.
(Setting Effect ON/Setting Effect OFF)

Looks like the A65 can be used in the studio.

[David Kilpatrick]

I suspect this is also the A77 studio setting. I have the camera and have been going through all the menus and studying how they work, it's certainly the best specified model since the A700/900. There is no studio mode as such so this setting may be the answer. Time to take a look tonight I think.

David

[Neonsquare]

David,

yes this is what some people called the "studio mode" (which is a really bad name for what it does).

Not only the A77 and A65, but also the NEX 5n and the NEX 7 have/will have this feature. Some SONY official acknowledged to me that the NEX 7 is "designed for studio work" and will work with Sonys hotshoe adapter.

I've asked them to port the "setting effect"-Menu switch back to the older SLTs and they promised to send this change request with high priority to the development team - whatever "high priority" means in this case.

[David Kilpatrick]

It's not just the SLTs which need it, the A350 etc need it in live view modes. I'm beginning to find things about the A77 and have today queried two problems back to Sony. This is why I prefer to own the cameras I need to test, not just to borrow them or rely on press days.

David

[Neonsquare]

Yes - essentially all Sony Alphas (including NEX) with LiveView would need this option. The only difference is, that the SLT and NEX have no OVF as an alternative.

[Dusty]

It's not just the SLTs which need it, the A350 etc need it in live view modes. I'm beginning to find things about the A77 and have today queried two problems back to Sony. This is why I prefer to own the cameras I need to test, not just to borrow them or rely on press days.

David

Surely doable by a firmware update, however we've yet to see ANY firmware update for the A350, and I doubt that we ever will.

Dusty

[bakubo]

It's not just the SLTs which need it, the A350 etc need it in live view modes. I'm beginning to find things about the A77 and have today queried two problems back to Sony. This is why I prefer to own the cameras I need to test, not just to borrow them or rely on press days.

We are all looking forward to reading what you have to say about the A77. You mentioned recently that Paul Genge told you that you are too critical in your reviews (or something to that effect) and that is why they have been very cool to you in the past. I hope you will still tell the full story of what you find and not leave out stuff that might offend Sony.

I still haven't seen an A77. Sony stuff is always late or nonexistent, it seems, in Hawaii. About 2 months ago Best Buy finally had a NEX 5 and 3. I have never seen an A55 there, but they had an A33 a few months ago. A bit over a week ago I was there though and the NEX 5 and 3 were gone. The A33 was there, but the battery was dead.

In Tokyo I can easily stop in at one of the many big camera stores and play around with anything. I would have already been able to look at the A77 and NEX 7. The ironic thing though is that I wouldn't be buying one there because Sony sells Japanese-only versions in Japan. You can't change the menu language. Canon, Nikon, Pentax, and Olympus allow the language to be changed just like they do outside Japan. By the way, the Sony cameras sold outside allow you to change the language and one of the languages available is Japanese.