Any reason to update my equipment?

[sury]

I have been using A700 and A900 for the few years. I have not followed the new line up introduced by Sony since my last purchase of A700/A900. Other than live view and Video is there any reason for me to consider updating my equipment? If I were to spend, am I better off in investing in lenses or even on a vacation rather than update?

Sury

[David Kilpatrick]

There's only one good reason to update to 24 megapixels like A77 and A65, with your gear, if you do not want video. That would be if you shoot sports or wildlife, and own top grade long tele glass such as 70-200mm, 300mm, 400mm, 70-400mm G or similar. The new cameras can focus better, shoot very fast sequences, use higher ISOs with good results, and the extra resolution gives you the equivalent of 50% more telephoto 'power' (for the same size ultimate crop, in pixels).

The only other reason I can think of which is compelling would be for macro work, where the very smooth mirrorless action, articulated rear screen and live view with focusing check add up to an unbeatable change in working approach.

There may be other reasons too but these particular ones stand out in normal photography - tele sports/wildlife, and macro.

David

[sury]

David,
Thank you. That is a conundrum.... If I were to buy good glass, then A77 would make sense. But I could benefit from good glass on my existing gear as well, I presume. I don't do sports or wildlife. I do macro but not at the level the real "macro shooters" do. I should focus on getting some good glass first and move on to newer gear of the time in the future assuming goddess of wealth (in traditional Indian sense) continues to smile upon me then... Though it is a lens question, is 70-400G a better choice than 70-200 though the latter is faster? I do have a Tamron 200-500 that I could dispose of and get a 70-400? My apologies for the blatant breach of protocol to bring the lens question here, but hopefully I would be forgiven since it is in the context of the gear question I asked.

With best regards,
Sury

[David Kilpatrick]

I do not know how the Tamron 200-500mm performs on the A77/65, but it could have enough resolution to benefit.

All I'm saying is the these new camera offer very specific benefits. You already have two of the best cameras made.

I do not actually think you need to move to the new generation from what you say.

David

[sury]

David,
Thank you. That is good enough for me for now. My wife will certainly thank you.
Now I have to convince her about my "wants" instead of needs.

[UrsaMajor]

Thank you. That is good enough for me for now. My wife will certainly thank you.
Now I have to convince her about my "wants" instead of needs.

On a related subject, we went to a wedding last Saturday evening that had several unusual aspects. One of those aspects was that during the ceremony the officiant "negotiated" an agreement between the bride and the groom on how frequently the new husband would be able to go golfing without complaint by his new wife.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

PS
He wanted once a day - but they settled on a value of once a week.

[Ossie]

I will shortly be travelling to India taking part in a photography tour and was very interested in reading Sury's question and David's reply. I am in two minds about the A77.

For my trip I will be taking the A700 with the A100 as a backup together with SAL16-80mm cz, SAL70-300mmG and Tokina 11-16mm. The A700 very, very occasionally shows signs of the control wheel problem discussed in other posts. The A77 is very tempting but I am a little nervous about buying it so soon after its introduction given some of the issues that have been mentioned elsewhere.

I just wonder whether with the latest firmware the A77 will be sufficiently reliable to rely on as the main camera and leave the A100 behind.

Any thoughts?

[Atgets_Apprentice]

If I were to spend, am I better off in investing in lenses or even on a vacation rather than update?

Sury

YES.

[artington]

If I were to spend, am I better off in investing in lenses or even on a vacation rather than update?

Sury

YES.

I would second that, not least because lenses hold their value quite well and over time can appreciate, particularly the very best primes. Digital camera bodies, however, will depreciate at a frightening rate although I wonder whether the rather wonderful a900 may surprise here because arguably it has the best OVF ever made and once existing stocks are sold that will be the end.

[David Kilpatrick]

Yesterday and today I have been tempting firmware 1.03 to screw up with my Sigma 70-200mm HSM, fitted for the first time. So fart so good. No issues.

I am currently midway through writing a very long A77 report for the website. The more I investigate, the better I like the camera. For example, it is twice as sensitive for AF compared to the A900 (light levels) and four times as sensitive for regular metering - sixteen times for spot metering. There's a lot more stuff like this emerging as I try functions and compare specifications and features.

Also, I forgot to mention the one thing which means my A900 is mothballed - GPS. On a photography tour of India, I would want GPS. Others may differ but I find it great. It's good enough to show me, often enough, which little alleyway I was standing in when a shot was taken exploring a town.

David

[Dusty]

Also, I forgot to mention the one thing which means my A900 is mothballed - GPS. On a photography tour of India, I would want GPS. Others may differ but I find it great. It's good enough to show me, often enough, which little alleyway I was standing in when a shot was taken exploring a town.

David

That's the main reason I haven't opted of the A580. Original rumors stated it would be there as well as on the A55, but Sony left it out. If it's really the end of OVF with Sony, I'll find a second hand 850 or 900 to satisfy my needs for a while before I switch.

By then I should have an idea of whether or not Pentax will stick around. If not, I'll have to give up in-body stabilization and go on to Nikon. UG!

Dusty

[Birma]

The only other reason I can think of which is compelling would be for macro work, where the very smooth mirrorless action, articulated rear screen and live view with focusing check add up to an unbeatable change in working approach.

After a relatively short time with the Nex 5 I must say that live view with an articulating screen is very compelling for me. For tripod work having that nice big 3" view, with the zoom in focus assist is just great. No way do I want to go back to a SLR view finder only, optical or otherwise. I think I am just a twin-lens reflex user born too late

[artington]

The only other reason I can think of which is compelling would be for macro work, where the very smooth mirrorless action, articulated rear screen and live view with focusing check add up to an unbeatable change in working approach.

After a relatively short time with the Nex 5 I must say that live view with an articulating screen is very compelling for me. For tripod work having that nice big 3" view, with the zoom in focus assist is just great. No way do I want to go back to a SLR view finder only, optical or otherwise. I think I am just a twin-lens reflex user born too late

Never too late to be a TLR user - still have my trusty Rolleiflex and use it now and again - after all the fridge is full of film!

[Simmondsphotography]

I do not know how the Tamron 200-500mm performs on the A77/65, but it could have enough resolution to benefit.

All I'm saying is the these new camera offer very specific benefits. You already have two of the best cameras made.

I do not actually think you need to move to the new generation from what you say.

David

I have the Tamron 200-500 which I use on both the A700 and A900 very successfully so I have absoltute faith that it will operate perfectly well with the A77. I shall be able to confirm my faith after Monday which is when my new A77+16-50 lens will be delivered!

I also have the 70-400 only because there are times when shooting wildlife when I need to zoom out quickly to wider then 200 which then will become the equivalent of 300 on the A77 or A700. As a matter of interest both the Tamron and the Sony 70-400G produce fantasticly sharp images on the APS-C sensor cameras, so I am hoping for even better on the 24mpx A77!

[Mark K]

David,
Thank you. That is a conundrum.... If I were to buy good glass, then A77 would make sense. But I could benefit from good glass on my existing gear as well, I presume. I don't do sports or wildlife. I do macro but not at the level the real "macro shooters" do. I should focus on getting some good glass first and move on to newer gear of the time in the future assuming goddess of wealth (in traditional Indian sense) continues to smile upon me then... Though it is a lens question, is 70-400G a better choice than 70-200 though the latter is faster? I do have a Tamron 200-500 that I could dispose of and get a 70-400? My apologies for the blatant breach of protocol to bring the lens question here, but hopefully I would be forgiven since it is in the context of the gear question I asked.

With best regards,
Sury

Sury
There is one more thing A77 has, the near silent shutter.
I was invited to a concert early this year. Embarrassingly I was asked to stop shooting soon after the concert began, because my a850 was so loud that everyone could hear. The other two photograhers were using 1Ds III, D3s, respectively.