TOP on a77

[artington]

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.co ... grapher%29

[bfitzgerald]

Different is cool? I'm not a fan of MJ but it's hard to follow his logic here. Cameras are pretty boring devices really..being consistent is likely of more confidence to the customer in the longer term.
I'm still of the view Sony are consumer and not enthusiast photographer driven that's why SLT is on the market, yet nobody is really calling for it. Sony are trying to break ground into the DSLR market but it's not going to work with SLT any better than it did with DSLR.

Do what Canikon do but better..that is all you really need to do well here.

[Kenneth Sky]

I don't think that Steve Jobs would have agreed with the last post.

[UrsaMajor]

Do what Canikon do but better..that is all you really need to do well here.

So - your attitude is that everyone should still be making only view cameras with glass plates?

With best wishes,
- Tom -

[stevecim]

I think the things that Canon do better is nothing to do with camera designs, it's marketing.

I think Sony (well sony Australia) biggest mistakes are marketing, The first big, big, big mistake, they have always made, is to discontinue models before replacements hit the self.
So you end with no stock on display in store while everyone is waiting for the A65/77 , yet if you look at a Canon stand, in nearly every camera store, they have the 1000D, 1100D, 550D, 600D, 60D, 7D, why would anyone buy a sony when you can't even walk into a store and have a play!

[stevecim]

Sony also need to refresh their lens line up. They should have no screw drive lenses any more, use SAM on the low end stuff and the rest should have SSM
I can't think of any lens that Sony has updated?

[David Kilpatrick]

In a way they have updated the 28-75mm KM to be the 28-75mm SAM and that is all. If they have bothered to rework the 16-80mm with SSM, they would have had many buyers. I've seen what the 16-50mm f/2.8 does and I will almost bet that once this lens appear on public sale in any quantity, some confused and angry owners appear on forums. If we get loads of really happy users showing pin sharp, vignette free, CA free results wide open I'll try or even buy one - but based on those I tried from Sony test samples, my 16-80mm wipes the floor with it.

Except for SSM and it could really use a physical upgrade (zoom lock, better engineering) plus SSM and full A77 lens calibration compatibility.

David

[Greg Beetham]

If you’re into rumours it may be that Sony is dabbling with the idea of yet another SLT….http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readf ... d=39564547 when you’re on a roll….
Greg

Ps. Btw go the Rangers, can Colby Lewis do it?

[stevecim]

yer I would love a 16-80 ssm CZ, it's like Sony put all their effort into 1 thing and forget about the rest. I think the A580 is a good camera and Sony could not even bother to bring it into Australia.

David would there be any benefit to adding a few pins to the lens connector and starting to offer lenses with Electronic Aperture blades?

[edrice]

Do what Canikon do but better..that is all you really need to do well here.

So - your attitude is that everyone should still be making only view cameras with glass plates?

With best wishes,
- Tom -

That's it in a nutshell. I'm of the opinion that one day we will look back on OVF as an antiquated and limited system. I remember the same hue and cry when AF was introduced. I know there are some excellent view cameras out there today but how many VC forums do any of us participate in?

[David Kilpatrick]

yer I would love a 16-80 ssm CZ, it's like Sony put all their effort into 1 thing and forget about the rest. I think the A580 is a good camera and Sony could not even bother to bring it into Australia.

David would there be any benefit to adding a few pins to the lens connector and starting to offer lenses with Electronic Aperture blades?

Not a lot as aperture blades are mechanical so it would just be moving the mechanism. Right now, the aperture blade bar in the camera can in theory do smooth changes - a gradual change - but Canon's electronic aperture jumps in 1/3 steps. The Min/Sony system is actually better for movies and zooming with variable aperture zooms.

I think they will leave the aperture system alone.

David

[redsim74]

I think the A580 is a good camera and Sony could not even bother to bring it into Australia

That really has to be down to Sony Oz, as we have the A580 in Sony Style stores here in NZ. However, it has always been conspicuously absent from their website.

[Greg Beetham]

You can actually get the A580 in Oz if you want it http://www.myshopping.com.au/PR--357980 ... SLR_Camera, you just have to be determined and persistent, two qualities that Sony DSLR customers must possess.
Greg

[stevecim]

don't think any of them will have Australian warranty

[Greg Beetham]

don't think any of them will have Australian warranty

They claim to have Australian warranty but I probably wouldn’t like to put it to the test, http://www.topbuy.com.au/tbcart/pc/Sony ... p65258.htm in any case the one year of warranty goes by before you know it and you’re on your own. That’s something I noticed when I bought my KM5D with an extended warranty, even that extended warranty went by pretty fast...looking back. So I’m of the opinion now that basically you pays your money and you takes your chances, like I did with the A700 I got from B&H (US warranty now expired) and it would have to be repaired at my expense here should anything go wrong with it...but it’s been problem free so far, so that’s a relief.
Greg