Barry Fitzgerald

A few points.
Wireless flash isn't a high end feature it's on every other makers model range in this price segment. I have 35mm film SLR's that have it.
Auto FP/HSS is standard on every DSLR regardless of price across all the other makers.

I understand that you need to differentiate between models, but this is 2013 time has moved on and it's expected now. I'd take those 2 over the 39 point AF system that's for certain.

Too many limitations on these Nikon cameras some of which are quite important.
No Auto FP/HSS, no wireless flash, no DOF preview and basic live view mode.
It's also a shame about the small viewfinder..no in body AF motor and limited metering support on older lenses

No progress has been made on entry level Nikon's for years. Someone should tell Nikon it's 2013 not 1993 budget 35mm film SLR era.

No built-in flash, so external controller required for shooting with groups of flashguns
Relatively unsophisticated Auto ISO (really how so?)

No mention of this on the A99 review (lacking a built in flash)
DPR again show a lack of consistency with reviews
Fair enough on some points (such as single slot, lack of AF points etc) Canon probably did cut it down too much.

But if you selectively apply critique to one model and not another it looks like you are not being fair.

I have it's not bad..but not great either
Cramped controls and weak handling. Trying to retro a 35mm body into the digital age didn't work.

Basic 35mm cameras needed few controls v digital ones I can see the charm appeal, but on a practical level it didn't quite work.

Might have caused a storm if it had a real 35mm FF sensor, nice as the newer micro 4/3 sensor is you can get as good if not better IQ for half the price of the Olympus.

Instead of wasting all our time and calling people a newbie..learn to read exif it was not shot on an EVF camera. Why you waste your time discussing this 90% of people shoot raw and AWB so hey what WB argument?
Open your browswer and think wow I want a FF body

Hover over the buy button on a D600 and then try not to press it.
You've just made the most important step to understanding how the commercial camera market works. Pay less sell more = more users = more profit.

Test shots are test shots WB was unimportant for that focus test it's not "art" nor portrayed as such.
Price and EVF are factors that will be important to a lot of buyers.
Yes the D600 was £2000 odd at launch which was entirely unappealing (esp with the D800 being so close to it at the time price wse)

Things move quite quickly in this market and the FF area is heating up a lot. Both Canon and Sony need to respond to Nikon's heavy price cuts. Their strategy is very obvious, to pull as many FF users in as possible it will probably work too.

But not as boring as the usual Sony fans blasting out the same tired stuff we've heard for years. Personally I have no brand loyalty but I'm not dumb enough to ignore what goes on in the market either.

People are not going to pay £2300 for this with a D600 at £1350 and no matter if you utterly adore EVF's that alone is a striking price difference. Wouldn't matter if this was an OVF model Sony are not competitive.

The only thing that matters is how this model sells and if it's a huge hit then we can assume the SLT concept is working well.

If it does not do well then we have to look again at what Sony have put forward here. It's less about OVF v EVF (be in no doubt though that most FF shooters will prefer an OVF that is beyond any debate) but Sony's position in the market.

Granted the UK price is quite poor at £2300 odd, but the idea of SLT will never really gain much acceptance until Sony promote it with the main advantage it can offer. "It's cheaper"
That is the only way it's going to work for them. And they show no signs of being willing to take that value based path.

You can make as many personal remarks as you wish, nothing changes most FF users want an OVF camera, yet Sony make an EVF one.

It is very obvious what the target market wants. And all the fanboy talk in the world won't be able to force feed buyers something they don't want. Until Sony work out SLT isn't going to grab people unless they price it as a budget offering (A99 is really a £1300 budget FF model) it's dead in the water really.

Of course if I'm wrong and it sell so well I'll eat my words. It's not even for sale on Amazon UK right now that's how much excitement it has generated.

Kirk likes to pretend he knows what goes on in the pro market, but is in complete denial about what working photographers want and need. If they wanted an SLT camera that bad you'll find the A99 hit the top sellers list quickly.

Of course it won't sell that well nice camera and all because Kirk represents not real working photographers but a small minority of people who feel they have to sell EVF's to everyone else. Meanwhile in the real world everyone is busy buying tons of FF Canikon bodies with optical finders.

Why? Because that is what they want not hobbyists but people who earn a living taking photos and not writing blogs trying to sell SLT cameras.

Ah the famous EVF speeches are flowing. Ok Kirk open the door take your A99 out and ask working photographers what they think and would they use an EVF over an OVF. Hand them the camera see what they say

I think your bubble will burst very quickly. Most will just walk away uninterested. While you are here I must be missing all these threads on the Canon/Nikon FF forums where users are "asking for an EVF/A99 FF body" where are they?

Maybe the coin will drop eventually. I can see some advantages of the EVF (let's be blunt though we're not newbies so understand exposure and WB), by taking your advice Kirk, Sony have effectively made a product that most photographers simply won't even look at based on some SLT dream which isn't matching what uses want.

Like it or not reality speaks. Sony have not gained market share since they brought out the SLT range, and it was a huge error to abandon OVF models as Sony basically are losing their users to other makers. A lot of them FF ones.

Leaving aside the SLT/EVF love it or hate it (I still think most buyers prefer an OVF at this price point)

Sony's real problem is the FF stampede of late. If the A99 had turned up last year it might have had more impact. Right now the D600 offers much more affordable FF choice (far cheaper in the UK than the A99) I would be very worried about A mount users defecting to Nikon F mount. For pixel crazy folks the D800 is again cheaper than the A99

If Canon get around to pricing the 6d at more appropriate levels. Sony are going to have a really hard time with the A99, and unless a more cost effective FF body arrives for A mount or a big price cut on this model.

Sony will lose quite a few A mount users unless they can address this. For SLT to work it has to offer a cost effective reason to consider it, and right now it does not have that.

Amadou Diallo

You have to be consistent

Poor battery life compared to its peers- K30 DPR review

Can't be selective sure EVF drains the battery more but..the Pentax choice of going for a slim lithium to allow AA's means..poor battery life too.

DPR report they do not make judgements on compromises for design choices.

The other way of looking at it is you have the best of both worlds.
Imagine phase detect off the sensor live view, and a nice big 100% OVF.
Choice is good
The market is not ready for EVF's esp not full frame cameras a good 80% of folks will dismiss it just on that. Sony need to "make a product for the target market" and not try to force something on people they don't want

If DPR ran a poll I bet a good majority would out of choice prefer an OVF for this type of camera

I own an SLT A57 so I can quite happily comment on the pros and cons of EVF's and yes I've used the A77 too so I know the "better" EVF well enough to.

There are advantages and disadvantages with SLT/EVF some quite notable ones. It would be a mistake to suggest they have only good points or just bad points. But some of the limitations of EVF's are quite notable for some users.

Up against a full frame penta prism viewfinder the EVF is going to have a really hard time, where are the Canikon fans screaming for the EVF? They're not there are they..

FF EVF adoption is a far tougher nut to crack than entry level DSLR land

Easy to point out you have enough pro points, but lack on the cons.

The video quality to my eyes is not very good lacking fine details, there are quite a few discussion on this already but I can see it clearly on the samples. They look pretty mushy to me

There are more disadvantages to the EVF than just action shooting, much higher battery drain, DR is low v an OVF, lag in lower light, resolution weak for landscape shooting. Granted there are some nice things focus peaking, can see WB etc.

The swivel LCD many would prefer a side out LCD esp for video shooting.

Lack of in camera development (raw) mentioned but not listed in cons

I also think with larger mp cameras around now the lack of a sraw (Canon) will be considered a problem for some users

Sony's video mode is odd at times you have to be in P mode for AF, you can't set the other modes unless you are in MF. Mentioned but not listed in cons.

There has to be a cost incentive for people to consider EVF's and currently there is no reason to do so (unless you have a ton of Minolta lenses lying around)

DPR seem determined to "sell" EVF's to people, but never mention the real pros and cons of it.

Falling in love with technology is never a good thing for a review site, and the cost will rule it out long before anyone has even considered it. Surely a flop at this price

UK price is scary high £2300. Looks like a £1300 camera to me

I think they mean "Christmas Gift Guide"

I think Sony had their eye on the medical division rather than the camera one. But it's their cheque book so fire away!
Olympus as a company has had innovation over the years and I won't take that away from them.

But this whole "kill the good CEO" episode simply draws an unfortunate line under the old saying "arrogant Japanese company", some clearly more than others. But it has caused huge damage to both Olympus and Japan corporations as a whole.