A55 views please? It feels SO responsive! And great EVF!

I own the A55. To say the A55 wipes the floor with the A700 in IQ is a gross exaggeration. At high ISO's the A55 seems to be significantly better but below iso 1600 there isn't any difference other than resolution.
And no sharpness-robbing mirror slap.
This is an issue only when using a tripod. For that the A700 does have MLU which is admittedly inconvenient.
I think mirror slap is an issue for every photograph you take when MLU is not used on a moving mirror camera. Regardless of whether or not the camera is on a tripod. Of course, the biggest issue comes with long lenses and/or shutter speeds in the "danger zone".
And faster and more accurate AF.
Is this true? I don't own an A700. The A55 AF is certainly fast and accurate.

Those things certainly don't constitute "wiping the floor" and the OP was referring to IQ and nothing else .
Real-world image quality requires accurate focus and lack of vibration as well as sensor quality.
 
But, and this is my bone of contention with all posters who use excessive superlatives, does it really "wipe the floor" with the A700. The A55 does have slightly better IQ true but saying it "wipes the floor" makes the A700 sound like a $75 P&S by comparison. We have to leave room for various degrees of difference. It's not all or nothing.
--
Tom

Look at the picture, not the pixels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/
 
But, and this is my bone of contention with all posters who use excessive superlatives, does it really "wipe the floor" with the A700. The A55 does have slightly better IQ true but saying it "wipes the floor" makes the A700 sound like a $75 P&S by comparison. We have to leave room for various degrees of difference. It's not all or nothing.
--
Tom

Look at the picture, not the pixels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/
The a55 and a33 do have better IQ than the a700. I also would not say "wipe the floor". The SLT also have much better high ISO output than the a700. That is normal. It is a new sensor compare to the a700.
--

When your current system does not satisfy you, it is better to switch than to cry and whine on the forums.
 
Yes, I said "wipe the floor" because I am tired of Walt posting dozens of anti-SLT threads every day.

The point is, he doesn't REALLY care about maximum IQ because he is using a tool with demonstrably worse IQ than the tool he is bashing constantly. "Flawed IQ" is just another stick he is beating the SLTs with.
 
They looked less like dinosaurs before mirrorless (or the A55) existed.

But now they really look idiotic.

It's not just the AF during video: even in simple Live View, not only is it very very slow, but on top of that there is a jello effect in the display. Pathetic.
 
The onboard flash does experience about a 1/4 sec delay. It is probably the biggest flaw I find in the camera. If this is true with external flashes as well it would be a problem trying to photograph sports with a flash. The saving grace is the excellent high iso quality which makes the flash less necessary.
Tom, I think your settings are different than mine. I don't get any delay in my flash. Maybe your battery is weak.
--
Tom Seiler
My portfolio:
http://picasaweb.google.com/SeilerBird/MyPortfolio
Sony a330 Copper > Sony 18-55
Sony a55 > Tamron 200-500
Sony 75-300
 
In 10 fps mode, there is one short blackout in the beginning and then you are seeing frames come through the EVF at 10 fps. Believe it or not, with just a bit of practice, you will find that the 1/10 of a second delay between what the camera sees and when you see it ends up being very usable in all but the fastest and most erratic action. One tenth of a second is faster than a blink of your eye.
This is one of the biggest urban legends about the a55. Everyone is assuming the delay is 1/10th of a second in the slide show. The delay is not caused by the fact that the camera has to wait till the second shot to display the first shot. The delay comes from the fact the processor is processing 160 megs of photos per second along with focusing, setting exposure and about 50 other things and it is displaying an image of what is being seen by the sensors. In a few years dual core and quad core processors will be used in SLTs that are much more powerful than we use today. The delay and the slide show effect will be totally eliminated by then.

--
Tom Seiler
My portfolio:
http://picasaweb.google.com/SeilerBird/MyPortfolio
Sony a330 Copper > Sony 18-55
Sony a55 > Tamron 200-500
Sony 75-300
 
But, and this is my bone of contention with all posters who use excessive superlatives, does it really "wipe the floor" with the A700. The A55 does have slightly better IQ true but saying it "wipes the floor" makes the A700 sound like a $75 P&S by comparison. We have to leave room for various degrees of difference. It's not all or nothing.
--
People who use stupid superlatives like wipes the floor are merely showing off their fanboy ignorance. I think most intelligent people can see right through these remarks.
--
Tom Seiler
My portfolio:
http://picasaweb.google.com/SeilerBird/MyPortfolio
Sony a330 Copper > Sony 18-55
Sony a55 > Tamron 200-500
Sony 75-300
 
Yes, I said "wipe the floor" because I am tired of Walt posting dozens of anti-SLT threads every day.

The point is, he doesn't REALLY care about maximum IQ because he is using a tool with demonstrably worse IQ than the tool he is bashing constantly. "Flawed IQ" is just another stick he is beating the SLTs with.
I understood what you meant and I am also very tired of seeing Walt's opinionated posts that lack proof of many of his claims.

I just took a look at the posting rules here and this one stood out to me:

"Bashing - Deliberately and repeatedly bashing the same brand, product or company will get you banned. If you have a complaint or comment to make then make it once and make sure you have facts to support it."

Notice how it says "make it once" and "have facts to support it"? ;)

If Walt or anyone else continues to harp on (and on and on and on ..) in an obsessive manner about the same product bashing issues with opinions and a lack of facts, then perhaps reporting those posts is a reasonable way to handle it before it turns nasty in here.

Just a thought ....
 
The onboard flash does experience about a 1/4 sec delay. It is probably the biggest flaw I find in the camera. If this is true with external flashes as well it would be a problem trying to photograph sports with a flash. The saving grace is the excellent high iso quality which makes the flash less necessary.
Tom, I think your settings are different than mine. I don't get any delay in my flash. Maybe your battery is weak.
--
Please tell me what settings you use. The battery is fine. When I pre focus and then push the shutter button down there is a noticeable lag with the flash. Others have reported the same problem.

--
Tom

Look at the picture, not the pixels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/
 
"Bashing - Deliberately and repeatedly bashing the same brand, product or company will get you banned. If you have a complaint or comment to make then make it once and make sure you have facts to support it."

Notice how it says "make it once" and "have facts to support it"? ;)

If Walt or anyone else continues to harp on (and on and on and on ..) in an obsessive manner about the same product bashing issues with opinions and a lack of facts, then perhaps reporting those posts is a reasonable way to handle it before it turns nasty in here.
I already reported Walt on that very issue. Maybe if a few more report him we can get him to be more reasonable.

--
Tom

Look at the picture, not the pixels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/
 
The onboard flash does experience about a 1/4 sec delay. It is probably the biggest flaw I find in the camera. If this is true with external flashes as well it would be a problem trying to photograph sports with a flash. The saving grace is the excellent high iso quality which makes the flash less necessary.
Tom, I think your settings are different than mine. I don't get any delay in my flash. Maybe your battery is weak.
--
Please tell me what settings you use. The battery is fine. When I pre focus and then push the shutter button down there is a noticeable lag with the flash. Others have reported the same problem.

--
Tom

Look at the picture, not the pixels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/
Early day's for the SLT, I'm sure Sony will address this posible problem?
“I prefer my Sony A-7xx, to be made out of wood” ;-)
 
Please tell me what settings you use. The battery is fine. When I pre focus and then push the shutter button down there is a noticeable lag with the flash. Others have reported the same problem.
No problem. I will list every one that might be relevant.

MF/AF = AF
Mode dial = P
Flash button = depressed so that the flash is already up
LCD = turned around and facing the camera body
Finder/LCD = Finder
Drive mode = Single shot Adv.
Flash mode = Fill flash
Autofocus mode = AF-C
AF area = Spot
Face Detection = off
Smile shutter = off
ISO = Auto
Meter mode = Center weighted
Flash Compensation = 0
White Balance = Daylight
DRO = Off
Creative style = Standard
Display = Spirit level

Menu
Aspect ratio = 3:2
Image quality = RAW
Steady Shot = On
Flash control = ADI
AF Illuminator = Auto
Eye-start = Off
Finder/LCD Setting = Manual
AEL button = AEL hold
Focus hold button = Focus hold
Histogram = off
Auto review = off
GPS = on/off = On
GPS settings = GPS Auto time Corr = On

That is all of the settings that have an even remote chance of effecting your problem. The ones I would think might be the problem is Flash control ADI and eye start. Hope you can figure it out.

--
Tom Seiler
My portfolio:
http://picasaweb.google.com/SeilerBird/MyPortfolio
Sony a330 Copper > Sony 18-55
Sony a55 > Tamron 200-500
Sony 75-300
 
There is more delay in the time it takes to raise the mirror in a DSLR than there is electronic delay in the EVF. Electricity moves faster than mechanical devices. Now go home and try to dream up something else.
--
Tom
The overall impression comparing both is that the DSLR can follow the action fine in real time at 10 fps, but not the EVF in A33/A55 or any other EVF.
--
http://dslr-video.com/blogmag/
 
there appears to be viewfinder lag on when the shutter is pushed...much better than what I have on the G1 Panasonic...but still annoyingly long.

I recently went shopping with a friend for the D7000...and after finding the a33 and reading a bit....I convinced him to dump his Nikon gear, and buy it instead...as I think he will be happier with it due to the video AF and tracking superiority of the Sony system.
So you convinced your friend to dump a perfectly able semi pro system for an alleged tracking superiority that no one knows anything about? I would be careful tossing advice around when it is not about my own money.

The D7000 is from the company that probably has the best focus tracking know-how in the industry, while the Sonys SLT tracking is something you read about in a broschure.
As far as results at hi ISO....I have Canon 7D bodies...and I think the output in resolution and noise issues seem very close between the two cameras at 3200 ISO..and the Sony may have an edge at some ISOs.

Two negatives on the camera....one the buffer hang up on high speed shooting, and two, the viewfinder lag. Finder is a bit smaller than my 5D finder, but probably at least the equal to the 7D and D7000 in size and brightness...just that lag issue.

For someone shooting serious sports professionally...no. The buffer hang up will kill them... For an average person who very rarely wants to shoot at high FPS.....a heck of a good compromise.

For the money....a lot of performance and quality at 1/2 the price....and better in some areas than either the Canon or Nikon offerings.... I have a feeling that it is a 12 bit per color capture device, not 14 bit as are the Canon and Nikon...and that may show up in extreme contrast shooting situations...but again for the average person this is not a major concern.

As to the EVF vs. OVF battle....EVF will win in the long run...
In the short run the EVF is not there yet, so why should your friend pay to be part of the developing process?
--
Richard Katris aka Chanan
--
http://dslr-video.com/blogmag/
 
...because you dont have any experience in these matters according to your own posts. The sensible thing to do is not to discuss about things you dont know from practice, but only read about.
and in the meantime, on STATIC SUBJECTS, the D7000 is slower to focus than my advanced compacts, especially in low light.

Like I said there are many potential good explanations for this:
  • the compact's AF has only tiny lens elements to move. Tiny means light. Also they're often made of plastic not glass, so even lighter
  • the compact has a fixed lens. It means the AF program can be fine-tuned and optimised for that very lens. In contrast the AF system of the D700 (or any DSLR of course) needs to be able to cope with various lenses, and therefore cannot be optimised for any single one of them. I'm not talking about AF fine tune, but about how fast focus is reached. The fact that Panasonic can have advanced compacts locking AF a tad faster than their GF1, says it all.
  • the DSRL's AF sensor, due to the obsolete concept, gets only a tiny part of the total light. When light level drops it finds itself struggling long before the AF sensor = main sensor struggles on an advanced compact (or mirrorless). That's also why the AF illuminator has got to be so strong that it's light a headlamp
--
http://dslr-video.com/blogmag/
 
They looked less like dinosaurs before mirrorless (or the A55) existed.

But now they really look idiotic.

It's not just the AF during video: even in simple Live View, not only is it very very slow, but on top of that there is a jello effect in the display. Pathetic.
When we see a lot of pro photographers at the Olympics with mirrorless we might have a meaningful discussion.
--
http://dslr-video.com/blogmag/
 
I don't notice any shutter lag at all. I just took about 10 shots at various isos and couldn't detect any shutter lag. Even the blackout period wasn't much different from my DSLR. Are you pre focusing?
I would estimate that the blackout from A33/A55 at fast shutter speeds like 1/500s and up is about the same as 1/15 or 1/8 from a DSLR.
--
Tom

Look at the picture, not the pixels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/
--
http://dslr-video.com/blogmag/
 
.... Do you prefer a viewfinder with limited DR and color casts depending on WB? Do you like noise in EVF and slow update in low light?
Well these things may appear in the final photo and when you use an EVF and see them while previewing before taking the shot, you have the chance to change your settings so as to get a better shot (thanks to the "alert" that you got from the EVF preview). it is one of the biggest disadvantages of OVF vs EVF that the former is completely divorced from the reality of what is going to be captured under whatever shooting settings are selected.
It might be a help for insecure or unexperienced photographers, but for others it just looks disturbing.
--
http://dslr-video.com/blogmag/
 

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