Anyone else tired of waiting?

[Datta Groover]

I am turning blue holding my breath for the next best thing to come around the corner. I recently sold my LX system and Pentax 6x7, and am ready to step fully into digital. But, with Contax N keeping us waiting, and the D1X and EOS-1D still unreasonably high (though they will come down soon with the Canon D-60 and Nikon D-100 hitting the streets, mark my words), what's a guy to do?

Also, I must admit I hate the fact that today's digital cameras need lots of light and the detachables SLR lose width. Both wideness and light sensitivity are important to me.

I'm thinking for now to get a Sony F707 ( with a good WA adaptor) while I wait for the smoke to clear. I know a lot of you like the Oly E-20, but I like the fact that the 707 pops into my briefcase (I used to have a 505 -which was great for small projects) and doesn't weigh much, and the funky ergonomics don't bother me. In a few months or so, I'll sell it (or keep it if I really like it) and get what I want.

Question 1: Does that seem to be a sound strategy?

Question 2: What about extended warranties with these things? It may make it (the 707) easier to sell later, but I have heard some pros complain that they (the warranties) are worse than useless. I've heard others swear by them. I do not trust the digital cameras as much as the standard film cameras in terms of their physical/ electronic integrity. Maybe that's just my predjudice.

Anyone with some experience with that?

Thanks,

Datta Groover

 

[Gone for Good]

I am turning blue holding my breath for the next best thing to come
around the corner. I recently sold my LX system and Pentax 6x7,
and am ready to step fully into digital. But, with Contax N
keeping us waiting, and the D1X and EOS-1D still unreasonably high
(though they will come down soon with the Canon D-60 and Nikon
D-100 hitting the streets, mark my words), what's a guy to do?

Also, I must admit I hate the fact that today's digital cameras
need lots of light and the detachables SLR lose width. Both
wideness and light sensitivity are important to me.

I'm thinking for now to get a Sony F707 ( with a good WA adaptor)
while I wait for the smoke to clear. I know a lot of you like the
Oly E-20, but I like the fact that the 707 pops into my briefcase
(I used to have a 505 -which was great for small projects) and
doesn't weigh much, and the funky ergonomics don't bother me. In a
few months or so, I'll sell it (or keep it if I really like it) and
get what I want.

Question 1: Does that seem to be a sound strategy?

Question 2: What about extended warranties with these things? It
may make it (the 707) easier to sell later, but I have heard some
pros complain that they (the warranties) are worse than useless.
I've heard others swear by them. I do not trust the digital cameras
as much as the standard film cameras in terms of their physical/
electronic integrity. Maybe that's just my predjudice.

Anyone with some experience with that?

Thanks,

Datta Groover

Datta, sounds like a good strategy to me. The Sony is an outstanding camera and you won't be dissapointed. It is so good that I could probably do 95% of my professional jobs with it ( I'm a commercial/advertising photographer) It will take a little bit of time to get use to it but at least you'll be ready for the work flow when you get the full frame " pro " digital camera! Like you, I started with a Nikon Coolpix 950. I figure I did $ 50,000. worth of pro jobs with it! Next I went to the D1 and now I have the Kodak 760. Next step is 2-1/4 Kodak or Phase 1 back. I'm still grateful for that Coolpix that helped me get my feet wet into digital. Love that Sony 707!

will take a little bit of getting use to

 

[Andrew Booth]

The Sony is an
outstanding camera and you won't be dissapointed. It is so good
that I could probably do 95% of my professional jobs with it ( I'm
a commercial/advertising photographer)

How do you hook it up to your lighting? I thought you were stuck with a Sony dedicated flash - and no possibility to use Studio lights.

 

[DarrenH]

Datta, the Canon D-60 just came out at an astonishingly low price, plus the new Nikon D100 looks like a great new camera.

I'm not sure what you could be possibly waiting for. The market is more active right now than ever.

Cheers
D

I am turning blue holding my breath for the next best thing to come
around the corner. I recently sold my LX system and Pentax 6x7,
and am ready to step fully into digital. But, with Contax N
keeping us waiting, and the D1X and EOS-1D still unreasonably high
(though they will come down soon with the Canon D-60 and Nikon
D-100 hitting the streets, mark my words), what's a guy to do?

Also, I must admit I hate the fact that today's digital cameras
need lots of light and the detachables SLR lose width. Both
wideness and light sensitivity are important to me.

I'm thinking for now to get a Sony F707 ( with a good WA adaptor)
while I wait for the smoke to clear. I know a lot of you like the
Oly E-20, but I like the fact that the 707 pops into my briefcase
(I used to have a 505 -which was great for small projects) and
doesn't weigh much, and the funky ergonomics don't bother me. In a
few months or so, I'll sell it (or keep it if I really like it) and
get what I want.

Question 1: Does that seem to be a sound strategy?

Question 2: What about extended warranties with these things? It
may make it (the 707) easier to sell later, but I have heard some
pros complain that they (the warranties) are worse than useless.
I've heard others swear by them. I do not trust the digital cameras
as much as the standard film cameras in terms of their physical/
electronic integrity. Maybe that's just my predjudice.

Anyone with some experience with that?

Thanks,

Datta Groover

 

[Andrew Booth]

Datta,

I am turning blue holding my breath for the next best thing to come
around the corner. I recently sold my LX system and Pentax 6x7,
and am ready to step fully into digital. But, with Contax N
keeping us waiting, and the D1X and EOS-1D still unreasonably high
(though they will come down soon with the Canon D-60 and Nikon
D-100 hitting the streets, mark my words), what's a guy to do?

Perhaps you should have held on to your film cameras until there was something on the market you wanted to buy!!!

I'm thinking for now to get a Sony F707 ( with a good WA adaptor)
while I wait for the smoke to clear. I know a lot of you like the
Oly E-20, but I like the fact that the 707 pops into my briefcase
(I used to have a 505 -which was great for small projects) and
doesn't weigh much, and the funky ergonomics don't bother me. In a
few months or so, I'll sell it (or keep it if I really like it) and
get what I want.

What do you shoot? From the Sony reviews it looks like the 707 is unusable with any sort of studio lighting. Is that important to you?

Question 1: Does that seem to be a sound strategy?

If the 707 does what you want then maybe. I can't imagine that it wil replace your Pentax 67 image quality though.

Question 2: What about extended warranties with these things? It
may make it (the 707) easier to sell later, but I have heard some
pros complain that they (the warranties) are worse than useless.
I've heard others swear by them. I do not trust the digital cameras
as much as the standard film cameras in terms of their physical/
electronic integrity. Maybe that's just my predjudice.

I don't think it's worth getting an extended warranty. You'll get a year warranty with the camera, and at the end of the year you'll find that the camera isn't worth much anyway. Digital cameras devalue and get suberceded so rapidly that you're not going to be using it in three or even two years from now.

Also bear in mind that you usually can't transfer a warranty to another person.

Andrew

 

[Gone for Good]

I am turning blue holding my breath for the next best thing to come
around the corner. I recently sold my LX system and Pentax 6x7,
and am ready to step fully into digital. But, with Contax N
keeping us waiting, and the D1X and EOS-1D still unreasonably high
(though they will come down soon with the Canon D-60 and Nikon
D-100 hitting the streets, mark my words), what's a guy to do?

Perhaps you should have held on to your film cameras until there
was something on the market you wanted to buy!!!

I'm thinking for now to get a Sony F707 ( with a good WA adaptor)
while I wait for the smoke to clear. I know a lot of you like the
Oly E-20, but I like the fact that the 707 pops into my briefcase
(I used to have a 505 -which was great for small projects) and
doesn't weigh much, and the funky ergonomics don't bother me. In a
few months or so, I'll sell it (or keep it if I really like it) and
get what I want.

What do you shoot? From the Sony reviews it looks like the 707 is
unusable with any sort of studio lighting. Is that important to you?

Question 1: Does that seem to be a sound strategy?

If the 707 does what you want then maybe. I can't imagine that it
wil replace your Pentax 67 image quality though.

Question 2: What about extended warranties with these things? It
may make it (the 707) easier to sell later, but I have heard some
pros complain that they (the warranties) are worse than useless.
I've heard others swear by them. I do not trust the digital cameras
as much as the standard film cameras in terms of their physical/
electronic integrity. Maybe that's just my predjudice.

I don't think it's worth getting an extended warranty. You'll get a
year warranty with the camera, and at the end of the year you'll
find that the camera isn't worth much anyway. Digital cameras
devalue and get suberceded so rapidly that you're not going to be
using it in three or even two years from now.

Also bear in mind that you usually can't transfer a warranty to
another person.

Andrew

Datta, buy an accessory hot show with a sync built in the bottom( $ 15.00 ) then plug your studio flash in the shoe. Thats what I did in the early days with my Coolpix.

 

[Jason Goldberg]

You could piut a filter in front of the Sony flash (to filter out visibile light and allow IR to pass), and then use a IR sensitive optical slave on your studio lights.

In practice you probably could just let the Sony flash fire, and use enough light from the Studio strobes to make the on-camera flash irrelavent in the total exposure.

Jason
http://www.vblcown.com

How do you hook it up to your lighting? I thought you were stuck
with a Sony dedicated flash - and no possibility to use Studio
lights.

 

[Datta Groover]

Thanks, Darren.

Maybe I'm too much of a perfectionist, but I would like to see how these cameras perform for a while. And I don't want to commit to Cannon or Nikon glass until I've seen how the Contax N stacks up. Light is an issue for me, as is wideness, and all these cameras have focal width loss (except the Contax).

So, yes, there are (relitively affordable) professional digital cameras out there, but if I go with a lower priced "prosumer" unit for now, I believe it will get me by for the time being, and I will sell it as soon as it no longer serves me. I've read a lot of good things about the D-30, and supposedly the D-60 is even better, so that is a possibility in the near future.

Datta

I'm not sure what you could be possibly waiting for. The market is
more active right now than ever.

Cheers
D

I am turning blue holding my breath for the next best thing to come
around the corner. I recently sold my LX system and Pentax 6x7,
and am ready to step fully into digital. But, with Contax N
keeping us waiting, and the D1X and EOS-1D still unreasonably high
(though they will come down soon with the Canon D-60 and Nikon
D-100 hitting the streets, mark my words), what's a guy to do?

Also, I must admit I hate the fact that today's digital cameras
need lots of light and the detachables SLR lose width. Both
wideness and light sensitivity are important to me.

I'm thinking for now to get a Sony F707 ( with a good WA adaptor)
while I wait for the smoke to clear. I know a lot of you like the
Oly E-20, but I like the fact that the 707 pops into my briefcase
(I used to have a 505 -which was great for small projects) and
doesn't weigh much, and the funky ergonomics don't bother me. In a
few months or so, I'll sell it (or keep it if I really like it) and
get what I want.

Question 1: Does that seem to be a sound strategy?

Question 2: What about extended warranties with these things? It
may make it (the 707) easier to sell later, but I have heard some
pros complain that they (the warranties) are worse than useless.
I've heard others swear by them. I do not trust the digital cameras
as much as the standard film cameras in terms of their physical/
electronic integrity. Maybe that's just my predjudice.

Anyone with some experience with that?

Thanks,

Datta Groover

 

[Datta Groover]

Great idea, I never thought of that. I already own a Metz opto-relay that I've used to trigger studio flashes with great success. What I would probably do is to use the sony add-on flash and point it to where it would add some useful fill anyway - or try your idea.

Datta

In practice you probably could just let the Sony flash fire, and
use enough light from the Studio strobes to make the on-camera
flash irrelavent in the total exposure.

Jason
http://www.vblcown.com

How do you hook it up to your lighting? I thought you were stuck
with a Sony dedicated flash - and no possibility to use Studio
lights.

 

[Datta Groover]

I've already got a great little Metz opto-relay. My main concern would be to fire my Metz 60 CT-2 on camera when I want the power, but I see no problem with that. Especially as it is only a temporary solution.

I am turning blue holding my breath for the next best thing to come
around the corner. I recently sold my LX system and Pentax 6x7,
and am ready to step fully into digital. But, with Contax N
keeping us waiting, and the D1X and EOS-1D still unreasonably high
(though they will come down soon with the Canon D-60 and Nikon
D-100 hitting the streets, mark my words), what's a guy to do?

Perhaps you should have held on to your film cameras until there
was something on the market you wanted to buy!!!

I'm thinking for now to get a Sony F707 ( with a good WA adaptor)
while I wait for the smoke to clear. I know a lot of you like the
Oly E-20, but I like the fact that the 707 pops into my briefcase
(I used to have a 505 -which was great for small projects) and
doesn't weigh much, and the funky ergonomics don't bother me. In a
few months or so, I'll sell it (or keep it if I really like it) and
get what I want.

What do you shoot? From the Sony reviews it looks like the 707 is
unusable with any sort of studio lighting. Is that important to you?

Question 1: Does that seem to be a sound strategy?

If the 707 does what you want then maybe. I can't imagine that it
wil replace your Pentax 67 image quality though.

Question 2: What about extended warranties with these things? It
may make it (the 707) easier to sell later, but I have heard some
pros complain that they (the warranties) are worse than useless.
I've heard others swear by them. I do not trust the digital cameras
as much as the standard film cameras in terms of their physical/
electronic integrity. Maybe that's just my predjudice.

I don't think it's worth getting an extended warranty. You'll get a
year warranty with the camera, and at the end of the year you'll
find that the camera isn't worth much anyway. Digital cameras
devalue and get suberceded so rapidly that you're not going to be
using it in three or even two years from now.

Also bear in mind that you usually can't transfer a warranty to
another person.

Andrew

Datta, buy an accessory hot show with a sync built in the bottom(
$ 15.00 ) then plug your studio flash in the shoe. Thats what I did
in the early days with my Coolpix.

 

[Datta Groover]

I am turning blue holding my breath for the next best thing to come
around the corner. I recently sold my LX system and Pentax 6x7,
and am ready to step fully into digital. But, with Contax N
keeping us waiting, and the D1X and EOS-1D still unreasonably high
(though they will come down soon with the Canon D-60 and Nikon
D-100 hitting the streets, mark my words), what's a guy to do?

Perhaps you should have held on to your film cameras until there
was something on the market you wanted to buy!!!

I'm thinking for now to get a Sony F707 ( with a good WA adaptor)
while I wait for the smoke to clear. I know a lot of you like the
Oly E-20, but I like the fact that the 707 pops into my briefcase
(I used to have a 505 -which was great for small projects) and
doesn't weigh much, and the funky ergonomics don't bother me. In a
few months or so, I'll sell it (or keep it if I really like it) and
get what I want.

What do you shoot? From the Sony reviews it looks like the 707 is
unusable with any sort of studio lighting. Is that important to you?

Question 1: Does that seem to be a sound strategy?

If the 707 does what you want then maybe. I can't imagine that it
wil replace your Pentax 67 image quality though.

Question 2: What about extended warranties with these things? It
may make it (the 707) easier to sell later, but I have heard some
pros complain that they (the warranties) are worse than useless.
I've heard others swear by them. I do not trust the digital cameras
as much as the standard film cameras in terms of their physical/
electronic integrity. Maybe that's just my predjudice.

I don't think it's worth getting an extended warranty. You'll get a
year warranty with the camera, and at the end of the year you'll
find that the camera isn't worth much anyway. Digital cameras
devalue and get suberceded so rapidly that you're not going to be
using it in three or even two years from now.

Also bear in mind that you usually can't transfer a warranty to
another person.

Andrew

Andrew,

Thanks for your input. Presently I don't do a lot of studio work, so that's not a major issue for me. Many warranties are transferrable, but I agree with you that the cost may not justify. The jury is still out on that one.

I sold my film cameras now because the market is still high- but won't be forever. Presently I own a graphic arts and web developmant company, so online content makes up 80% of my present use. ANd, no, I'm not thinking that the 707 will replace my 6x7, which IMO is one of the best values of all time, and a great camera.

Datta

 

[Datta Groover]

I am turning blue holding my breath for the next best thing to come
around the corner. I recently sold my LX system and Pentax 6x7,
and am ready to step fully into digital. But, with Contax N
keeping us waiting, and the D1X and EOS-1D still unreasonably high
(though they will come down soon with the Canon D-60 and Nikon
D-100 hitting the streets, mark my words), what's a guy to do?

Also, I must admit I hate the fact that today's digital cameras
need lots of light and the detachables SLR lose width. Both
wideness and light sensitivity are important to me.

I'm thinking for now to get a Sony F707 ( with a good WA adaptor)
while I wait for the smoke to clear. I know a lot of you like the
Oly E-20, but I like the fact that the 707 pops into my briefcase
(I used to have a 505 -which was great for small projects) and
doesn't weigh much, and the funky ergonomics don't bother me. In a
few months or so, I'll sell it (or keep it if I really like it) and
get what I want.

Question 1: Does that seem to be a sound strategy?

Question 2: What about extended warranties with these things? It
may make it (the 707) easier to sell later, but I have heard some
pros complain that they (the warranties) are worse than useless.
I've heard others swear by them. I do not trust the digital cameras
as much as the standard film cameras in terms of their physical/
electronic integrity. Maybe that's just my predjudice.

Anyone with some experience with that?

Thanks,

Datta Groover

Datta, sounds like a good strategy to me. The Sony is an
outstanding camera and you won't be dissapointed. It is so good
that I could probably do 95% of my professional jobs with it ( I'm
a commercial/advertising photographer) It will take a little bit of
time to get use to it but at least you'll be ready for the work
flow when you get the full frame " pro " digital camera! Like you,
I started with a Nikon Coolpix 950. I figure I did $ 50,000. worth
of pro jobs with it! Next I went to the D1 and now I have the Kodak
760. Next step is 2-1/4 Kodak or Phase 1 back. I'm still grateful
for that Coolpix that helped me get my feet wet into digital. Love
that Sony 707!

will take a little bit of getting use to

Thanks for the good feedback. As Andrew wrote, the flash sync is a problem, but by no means insurmountable. At the end of the day, what really counts, anyway? That we're able to reach our full cretive potential. Who cares if we get there conventionally or not, or the same way as everyone else?

Datta

 

[Andrew Booth]

Datta, buy an accessory hot show with a sync built in the bottom(
$ 15.00 ) then plug your studio flash in the shoe. Thats what I did
in the early days with my Coolpix.

Do you actually have one of these cameras?

From Phil's review ('cons'):

"Flash hot-shoe is dummy, still only support for Sony flash units"

The hot-shoe isn't. The only flash connection is a proprietary link to Sony's own flash. You can't slave another flash optically, since the camera does a pre-flash, and this will trigger your flash too early.

I haven't seen any postings about the 707 which confirm that a non-Sony external flash can be used. I don't think it's a serious professional tool.

 

[Andrew Booth]

Sorry to go on about this - but if the Sony does pre-flashing for metering purposes (Phil's review states that it does), you can't sync optically, since the first flash will trigger your strobes!

Datta

In practice you probably could just let the Sony flash fire, and
use enough light from the Studio strobes to make the on-camera
flash irrelavent in the total exposure.

Jason
http://www.vblcown.com

How do you hook it up to your lighting? I thought you were stuck
with a Sony dedicated flash - and no possibility to use Studio
lights.

 

[Datta Groover]

Thanks for the warning. I spoke to some Sony techs about it, and they didn't have a clue. Maybe I should re-think my plan.

Datta

Datta

In practice you probably could just let the Sony flash fire, and
use enough light from the Studio strobes to make the on-camera
flash irrelavent in the total exposure.

Jason
http://www.vblcown.com

How do you hook it up to your lighting? I thought you were stuck
with a Sony dedicated flash - and no possibility to use Studio
lights.

 

[Aziz Ali]

Datta,

I use coolpix 990 in a studio environment, mostly jewelry pictures for the web, have a metz 60c4 with dedicated terminal, the other studio flashes have slave, work great, have been using for about a year, very suitable for the web, you may check my website.
Aziz

I am turning blue holding my breath for the next best thing to come
around the corner. I recently sold my LX system and Pentax 6x7,
and am ready to step fully into digital. But, with Contax N
keeping us waiting, and the D1X and EOS-1D still unreasonably high
(though they will come down soon with the Canon D-60 and Nikon
D-100 hitting the streets, mark my words), what's a guy to do?

Perhaps you should have held on to your film cameras until there
was something on the market you wanted to buy!!!

I'm thinking for now to get a Sony F707 ( with a good WA adaptor)
while I wait for the smoke to clear. I know a lot of you like the
Oly E-20, but I like the fact that the 707 pops into my briefcase
(I used to have a 505 -which was great for small projects) and
doesn't weigh much, and the funky ergonomics don't bother me. In a
few months or so, I'll sell it (or keep it if I really like it) and
get what I want.

What do you shoot? From the Sony reviews it looks like the 707 is
unusable with any sort of studio lighting. Is that important to you?

Question 1: Does that seem to be a sound strategy?

If the 707 does what you want then maybe. I can't imagine that it
wil replace your Pentax 67 image quality though.

Question 2: What about extended warranties with these things? It
may make it (the 707) easier to sell later, but I have heard some
pros complain that they (the warranties) are worse than useless.
I've heard others swear by them. I do not trust the digital cameras
as much as the standard film cameras in terms of their physical/
electronic integrity. Maybe that's just my predjudice.

I don't think it's worth getting an extended warranty. You'll get a
year warranty with the camera, and at the end of the year you'll
find that the camera isn't worth much anyway. Digital cameras
devalue and get suberceded so rapidly that you're not going to be
using it in three or even two years from now.

Also bear in mind that you usually can't transfer a warranty to
another person.

Andrew

Andrew,

Thanks for your input. Presently I don't do a lot of studio work,
so that's not a major issue for me. Many warranties are
transferrable, but I agree with you that the cost may not justify.
The jury is still out on that one.

I sold my film cameras now because the market is still high- but
won't be forever. Presently I own a graphic arts and web
developmant company, so online content makes up 80% of my present
use. ANd, no, I'm not thinking that the 707 will replace my 6x7,
which IMO is one of the best values of all time, and a great camera.

Datta

--Aziz Ali http://www.goldpalace.com

 

[Radu Grozescu]

You can't slave another flash optically, since
the camera does a pre-flash, and this will trigger your flash too
early.

I heard that there is a slave device built especially for this situation. It is smart enough to wait for the second (real) burst of light of the flash to trigger the studio strobes. Just do some serching.

Radu Grozescu
http://www.RaduGrozescu.com

 

[Lyle Aldridge]

Thanks for the warning. I spoke to some Sony techs about it, and
they didn't have a clue. Maybe I should re-think my plan.

Sorry to go on about this - but if the Sony does pre-flashing for
metering purposes (Phil's review states that it does), you can't
sync optically, since the first flash will trigger your strobes!

I just posted a belated note on this in another thread that Andew started a few days ago. Phil's reviews are first-rate, but I have some doubts about the reports of pre-flashing by the Sony, because I've seen some lists (I think from the flash manufacturers) of NON-preflash cameras compatible with their systems, and I recall the Sony brand's being on those lists. Anyway, the 707 does have a hot shoe, so even if it does have preflash, would it not be possible to put a temporary opaque mask over the onboard, and use the hot shoe to trigger the studio lights?

 

[Andrew Booth]

Thanks for the warning. I spoke to some Sony techs about it, and
they didn't have a clue. Maybe I should re-think my plan.

Sorry to go on about this - but if the Sony does pre-flashing for
metering purposes (Phil's review states that it does), you can't
sync optically, since the first flash will trigger your strobes!

I just posted a belated note on this in another thread that Andew
started a few days ago. Phil's reviews are first-rate, but I have
some doubts about the reports of pre-flashing by the Sony, because
I've seen some lists (I think from the flash manufacturers) of
NON-preflash cameras compatible with their systems, and I recall
the Sony brand's being on those lists. Anyway, the 707 does have a
hot shoe, so even if it does have preflash, would it not be
possible to put a temporary opaque mask over the onboard, and use
the hot shoe to trigger the studio lights?

Lyle - firstly thanks for your note on the other thread. I'm looking for something with a little higher resolution, but I appreciate you responding.

I hope noone thinks I have something against Sony! They're a great brand, and looking around my house I see their logo on a lot of things! I'd love to be proved definitavely wrong about the 707 (since it would then probably be the ideal camera for me!) - but I haven't seen any evidence that studio flash usage is possible.

There's a comment in Phil's review about the lack of hotshoe:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydscf707/page4.asp

"The F707 now has a connection-less accessory shoe mounted just behind the pop-up flash. It's designed to take the optional HVL-F1000 flash unit which is in turn connected to the camera via the ACC connector just beside the shoe."

And another on P.14 about the flash:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydscf707/page14.asp

"The F707's pop-up flash is rated with a range of 0.5 - 5 m (1.6 - 16.4 ft) which is pretty powerful by digital camera standards. It appears to be the same unit as that on the F505V, although now is electro-mechanically released. The other thing that's changed is that the F707 now performs flash metering TTL (through the lens) by firing a pre-flash just milliseconds before the main flash. It uses this pre-flash to meter the scene."

It soesn't suprise me that you've seen Sony's name on compatibility lists, since as Phil hints, on the 505 there was no pre-flash.

Sony have made great strides in digital camera design, but still cameras are still very new to them. It doesn't suprise me that they could make a mistake like this on a 'prosumer' camera - in effect wiping out a section of their potential market.

 

[E. Blues]

Thanks, Darren.

Maybe I'm too much of a perfectionist, but I would like to see how
these cameras perform for a while.

You're too much of a perfectionist for a D30, but you're considering a 707 for profesional work? Might want to think that one over some.--EB