A700 Revisited....

Of Course the DPR review influenced my purchase - since it among many other reviews from sites and forum members here mentioned the initial noise problems at high ISO etc. With the arrival of FW v.4 I was reassured and bought the 700 (upgrading from Maxxum 7 and KM 7D).

To people who deny the review's influence on their purchase (unless they bought before the review): be honest, would you buy such an expensive camera if it got a bad review from DPR,- given the extensive tests and descriptions that extend on other sites' and user's short opinions?

It's the whole package I use,- not just one test or opinion. I'm willing to pay a price for top-notch equipment to fulfill my photographic needs, but cannot afford to simply jump on anything new that comes out.

The A700 surely has lived up to my expectations. For me it still is an excellent piece of equipment, helping me to work and be creative in a vast array of applications (weighing heavily towards concert- and theatre photography, so lots of low-light scenes).

I 'm trying to wait patiently for what Sony has to offer if/when my 700 will come to an irrevocable halt. (I'm at 70-80.000 estimated shutter actuations)

My brand loyalty is not emotional, but caused materially: by a quadruplet of top Minolta lenses that I would hate to sell. But if there's little or no support for high-end / no-nonsense cameras I'll move on.

Bart

Already an owner of the KM 7D, when that died on me there was only one option.

If and when the time comes to replace the A700, I'll consider what is available then, and not before

I bought into Sony with the A100. I was a Minolta film user and had several Minolta A/F lenses therefore the introduction of the Sony system suited me very well. The DP review did not influence my decision too much but did (along with other reviews) reinforce my decision. I was aware of improvements that could be made to the A100 and the introduction of the A700 answered my wishes but I could not afford it until it was heavily discounted in the UK prior to it's demise. I am perfectly happy with the A700. It does all I require and unless it gives up the ghost at some time I do not envisage changeing it. I do however read the reviiews of the the new models but as I say I am very happy with where I am at present thank you Sony!
Dennis Shelley

I'm sure if DP Review had given it a bad rating I would have been more reluctant to buy one. The early adoptor reports of smeared JPGs didn't instill confidence, but I shoot RAW, so that didn't really affect my decision all that much.

What really did the trick was when BestBuy dumped them. When word leaked out of the BestBuy fire sale, I ran to my local store and got the last one they had in stock for less than $750.

No regrets. Of course it has a lot to do with my familiarity with the camera, but it is still the best camera, ergonomically, that I've used. Although new sensor technology has probably passed it by, IQ is certainly still good enough for my needs. Since Sony has nothing to replace it, I'm looking closely at the Nikon D7000 right now. My A700 is still working fine, but as things stand now, I won't be spending any additional money on Sony equipment - and my girlfriend is pushing me to pick out my Christmas present, so Nikon may soon be my system.

I had a KM 7D, HSD5600 flash and a couple of lenses. The BB sale, Faster AF, DRO, 5 FPS, 12MP made the A700 purchase a natural. I am not sure I ever read the DPR review. In any case, I read reviews only for facts (Faster AF, DRO, 5 FPS, 12MP) and pretty much ignore the subjective comments.
Bert

I upgraded from the Minolta5D and the review did have a bearing on my decision, but what had a greater impact on my decision to buy the A700 was the forum. Coupled with the review I waited for the reports from early adoptors of the camera and it's lived up to my expectations based on those user reviews. It's a great camera and the firmware update made it even better.

Just goes to show how important this forum is to Sony.

George
http://www.wirralpix.com

The review came after my purchase. I'd graduated to a 5D after a Minolta A2, so when the A700 came outwith seemingly the same Minolta DNA, I took the plunge buying from HK before the camera was even released in the UK. SO I also got a functioning hand grip control for the eye-start. I based my decision almost entirely on the samples and opinions of posters in this forum - people I trusted and who'd made the same jump happily. Best camera I've ever owned - joint top with an old Mamiya RB67. It just feels so right in the hand, and gives me prints with the same sort of tonal quality that I used to get with the old 6x7 - so no complaints there!

However, like so many others, if and when the A700 dies, I'll see what's available then. I have a reasonable investment in flashes and lenses ( 2 x 5600 + CZ 16-80 among others), but if I need a replacement it'll be for a camera that functions as a camera at this level. I don't object particularly to Live view, but actually don't want video - and I certainly don't want a fixed "translucent" mirror to enable video.

When the 550 came out I wanted it, but first I re-read the 700 review decided to make an interim buy, the KM 7D and wait for the next 700 or a second hand one. Then the A55 and A580 were announced and again that is what I wanted. Another re-read of the A700 review prompted me to search for a used 700 which I got for only $100 more than the KM 7D (the 7D came with 3 lens and 3 batteries the 700 only a battery).

The jury is still out as I've only had it for 2 weeks but I'm satisfied with the choice. My only complaint is all the chatter on the forum is about Axx and Axxx. Well at least most the Sony bashing has died down.

Now I working on getting a few select lenses and maybe a A7x(x) in a year or two.
--
Sarge
Five Sony P&S + KM 7D & Alpha 700
Albums at http://www.sony-snapper.com

I got two bodies for $1000.

The review was just one of the things I'd seen about the A700 (here, on Dyxum and in magazines) and I knew it would be worth having. Until the Best Buy sell off it was way out of my budget. But I was certainly very happy with it when I got it, and I still am!
--
Barry

I just wanted a significant upgrade from my KM-5D that was A-Mount...

There was a simple choice of two: A100 or A700

Bit of a no brainer really, regardless of the DPR review !

No..... well maybe a little bit.

I had been a long term user of Minolta gear (starting in the late 70's) and when the time came to buy a dslr the natural inclination was to buy the KM5D.... which just so happened to be on closeout at Circuit City (following the Sony purchase of Minolta and right before the A100 was to hit the store shelves).

When the KM5D died from concrete impact disease then I upgraded to the A700.

A) Was going to buy a new camera. Had to.

B) At that point I had purchased the 70-300G (at a terrific price courtesy of the Circuit City bankruptcy sale) and SAL100Macro so in a manner of speaking I was a bit committed to the A Mount.

C) Was not going to buy a lesser camera than a 5 series.

So yea, the DPR reviews kind of did influence my A700 decision.

--

Proud owner of the A7xx prototype. I would tell ya about the camera but then I would I have to kill ya afterwards.

The review on this site didn't influence me to buy the camera. It did reassure me that I had made a good decision at the time though.

Future plans with Sony? Good question. I'm VERY frustrated with Sony. The 700 is a beautiful advanced enthusiast / semi-pro camera that fit my needs perfectly (until I recently had a expensive oops moment - the camera is not worth $670 to fix). Sony continues to come out with toy cameras that hold no interest for me, and the 850/900 are more than I need or can afford. The 580 is the first camera that MAY meet my needs.

I switched from Canon film EOS cameras to Sony when I went digital, and I'm starting to regret my decision.

Yes, exactly. The ONLY reason I haven't switched (back) to Canon is that I can't afford it, considering my investment in 4 excellent lenses and 1 flash unit.

Sony - please don't ignore the ADVANCED amateur / semi-pro shooter market!

This web-site answered my questions about the camera. Also, I got information from the users of the Sony DSLR forum.

I started with Minolta STsi in year 2000, and only picked that model because it was silver as opposed to the other black ones. I didn't know anything about photography at that time. Just wanted a camera.

I fell in love with photography, and never quit ever after.

Since then, I went with the upgrade-flow to Dimage 7i, then Canon Rebel (the little 6MP DSLR), then back to Minolta Maxxum 7D, then Nikon D200, and then the Sony A700.

I've been the happiest with the KM7d and then the A700.

I'm absolutely satisfied with the A700, and don't really need/want an upgrade right now. I have the best lens line-up of all time: Sony 16-105, Minolta 50, f1.7, and the Tamron 70-200.

Time always moves on and there are better, faster, higher MP, lower noise cameras come out. I do indoor photos for events and concerts, and use the A700 in the 800-2000 ISO range a lot, and completely happy with the results.

I've always been in the "Advanced Amateur" category, and will not go for the a55. I will wait for the A7xx upgrade and then wait for its price to go down by about $400 from the initial MSRP, and then I upgrade.

Yes it and other reviews influenced my decision to buy the A700 and I have been happy with it since. I ordered it sight unseen because I needed a camera for a basketball game I was covering the next day and my KM 5d wasn't working. The camera was delivered at one and I put the battery in the charger and shot the game at 6:00 that night. I am staying with Sony and I am eager to see the A7xx replacement be it a EVF or an OVF. Sony is on the cutting edge and that is where I want to be. Some people are more traditional and reserved, that is ok.
I use a A550 with the worn out A700 as a back up.

Very good questions. Yes, the first a700 review did impact my buying decision 3 years ago. I had an R1 at the time and was getting frustrated with the limitations of the R1. (Poor high ISO, fixed lens, slow operation in RAW). I didn't feel the a100 was a sufficient upgrade to justify the cost. I was a frequent visitor to the Sony Talk forum, so when the a700 review popped up, I read about the camera for the first time. It was what I had been waiting for. I ordered an a700 and 16-80CZ shortly thereafter. It has been a great camera.

My a700 needs to be repaired as it locks up after continuous shooting or quickly reviewing photos. (I just haven't gotten around to it.) I bought an a850 when the failure first occurred, and I've recently purchased a 24-70CZ to go with it. I'm very happy with both cameras. I didn't use Live View much at all on the R1, so I wasn't looking for it on a DSLR. I also don't want a still camera that does video. When, the time comes, I'll buy a video camera.

I plan to sell the R1 at some point and fix and keep the a700. The faster frames per second and cropped view can be useful for me sometimes, and I'd rather have the a700 as a backup than the R1. The NEX VG10 video camera is intriguing and might be next on my list.
--
yakkosmurf
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yakkosmurf/
a850, a700, R1
24-70CZ, 16-80CZ, 70-300G, Sig 24 1.8 & 10-20 4.5
F58AM flash

Gil Knutson said:

(It would be pointless to get responses from non-A700 buyers here, I think..... )

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I'm sure you will get more of the SLT campaign anyway.

Gil Knutson said:

Just for the heck of it, I went back and read the review on here... DPReview... on the A700. That was a pretty darned good review. Phil rated it very highly. I was just wondering how much that review influenced anyones purchase of the camera. I guess there is really no way of knowing, because many probably don't habitually frequent this site really... but just for fun, I can ask here:

Did the A700 review on the DPReview site affect any of your buying decisions of the camera? *

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Not much. The experiences of actual buyers were far more important, plus a bunch of times trying it in the store. I figured out early on that DPR's issue of NR in Raw was flawed and very misleading (all DSLRs (and SLT) do some form of NR in RAW)

DPR's early panning of the a700 solely on the basis of noise reduction on the raw did loose sales I'm sure. Even though with time people realized that was a problem that was as much caused by Adobe. Sony also put a series of firmware revisions out that helped to shut that up.

In some ways people's attacks on the a100 and then the a700 are probably part of why Sony has decided to give up on advanced DSLR shooters and just aim at cybershot folks moving to interchangeable lenses.

Gil Knutson said:

Also, I wonder what those folks NOW think of their buying decision... did the A700 live up to your expectations?

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As the last Sony OVF DSLR that could fully meet the requirements of my shooting I've been very satisfied with the a700 and am out frequently shooting with mine. On the basis of it I invested heavily in a high quality A mount system, which has turned out to be an error since Sony is clearly going away from high quality OVF DSLRs, or even high quality in general. With a interchangeable lens system it's very important that there is continual support over the long haul.

I can think of improvements to be done to put out a revised and improved a700. But consider how well it's standing it's own against cameras a few generations in R&D newer.

Gil Knutson said:

And last, what are your future plans with Sony?

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As of now continuing to shoot with my three a700s and my A mount system, buying very little, only minimal to keep shooting. When those go I'm expecting based on Sony's behavior to go with a different brand and a smaller system set as I cannot afford to completely replace my current system and don't expect to be able to do so in the future. Sony lost out with my continued purchases in the A mount system, not that they care. They ended choice.

Walt

dlkeller said:

Sorry, just can't resist an observation. A nice sample group of advanced camera users who are very happy with their camera--yet, most of who are seriously considering changing brands in the future. I hope Sony takes note of this in forming future plans.

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Indeed this is the point, we are mostly very happy with the a700 and millions of photos taken with the a700 are out there.

But Sony has clearly abandoned us. The SLT may fit some people but far less a proportion of the more advanced users. And advanced users have more experience to apply to evaluating a camera or the photos from it.

Interchangeable lens camera systems are a long term continuous investment. It's a system that you maintain by adding new parts and leaving behind some. That requires long term support of the entire system. Sony is leaving us with a system without a camera body that's suitable for our needs. Largely because their management is cybershot people who think it's just the sale of a camera.

Walt

ovlov said:

with that little blowout of theirs. I was pretty blown away by the a700 when I first handled one. It made my a100 feel very antiquated. :/

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The key of the Best Buy sale was it finally broke the continual harping about high iso raw and got people to actually look at the camera and buy it, and discover what a quality camera it is.

Walt