How relevant is A77 in today's date?

I use my A77 almost every day... and I also use my A55 almost every day. They are both perfectly relevant for me, no question about it.

Your 'best' choice among specific SLT models depends on evaluating dozens of factors, which is a personal undertaking. Most models including your A57 can easily handle your main interests of wildlife and landscape work; the differences among them (and there are many differences!) are elsewhere.

AkashRana said:

I am able to get my hands on an unused A77 for about $250. My question is how would you consider its performance in current scenario? I currently shoot with A57 and find it to be excellent performer for what i paid. I don't use more than ISO800 as i personally find it noisy above that. My main interest is wildlife and landscape, and i tend to use a tripod for low light shots. How would A77 stack up against my current camera?

Another option is to go for A77ii, but not sure is how much will i gain over mark1? I understand A77ii has more focus points over a higher coverage area, but how much of that translates into real life performance? As A77 has 19 focus points with 11 cross type, while A77ii has 79 focus points with 15 cross type; so A77 shouldn't be a slouch in front of mark2 as cross type points are almost the same and they provide better performance to my understanding. Also what's your verdict on sensor, does A77ii gain anything in real world over mark1?

Click to expand...

I own both the A77 and A77ii. Yes the A77ii is better than the A77 in almost every way but that doesn't mean the A77 isn't a great camera. It is. The improvements in the 77ii are incremental, not earth shaking. If you can get an unused A77 for $250 grab it because it's certainly an upgrade over the A57, more so than the A77ii over the A77. BTW, if you can resist the temptation to pixel peep which, IMO, puts unrealistic expectations for IQ, the A57 should be good to iso 3200 as is the A77.

I moved from an A5100 (excellent), tried briefly the A58 (didn't like it), an A7r excellent but not good at higher ISOs, and now have an A77.

The A77 really, really stands out for me at the best over the above mentioned. You can't go wrong with the A77, accompanying lens options and dslr features.

AkashRana said:

Another option is to go for A77ii, but not sure is how much will i gain over mark1? I understand A77ii has more focus points over a higher coverage area, but how much of that translates into real life performance?

As A77 has 19 focus points with 11 cross type, while A77ii has 79 focus points with 15 cross type; so A77 shouldn't be a slouch in front of mark2 as cross type points are almost the same and they provide better performance to my understanding. Also what's your verdict on sensor, does A77ii gain anything in real world over mark1?

Click to expand...

Quote from Sybersitizen,

The difference between A77 & A77mk2

1. Enhancements to the AF system
- 79 AF points (15 cross) vs. 19 AF points (11 cross)
- Center linear f/2.8 AF sensor
- Works in lower light (a difference of 1EV)
- AF/Release Priority (present in A77) now adds Balanced Emphasis
- AF Track Duration Level 1-5
- AF Range Control
- AF On (use any button for AF)
- Eye AF (not the same as Eye-Start AF!)

2. Improved low light performance and noise control
- High ISO NR has Off option

3. Connectivity
- Wi-Fi and NFC
- Tethering via USB

4. Modified interfaces and controls
- Sony (multi-interface) hot shoe
- Mode Dial Lock (hardware)
- Dial Lock for front/rear dials (firmware)
- Flash exposure lock
- Auto ISO in 'M' mode
- AEL w/shutter On/Off
- Quick navigation
- Greatly expanded button programmability
- Zebra function
- Stabilized live view (and Focus Magnifier view) with shutter half-pressed
- Exposure bracketing range expanded to 3EV over 5 images
- Self timer 10s delay optionally allows 3 or 5 shots in succession
- IR Remote Mode is now separate from Drive Mode menu
- SteadyShot On/Off assignable to a button
- Audio level control
- Micro-B USB connector
- AF assist from pop-up flash
- Eliminates 'unnecessary extra cropping' in video (for electronic stabilization) if SS is not used
- Smart Zoom, Clear Image Zoom, and Digital Zoom functions
- Larger image buffer

5. Rear LCD and EVF
- 1.23m dot RGBW vs. 920k dot RGB
- Improved dynamic range and brightness adjustments
- Reported improvements to the EVF

I think you may interest in this post as well.

"Is upgrading to A77 II really worth it? "

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3770963

bodhiu said:

I moved from an A5100 (excellent), tried briefly the A58 (didn't like it), an A7r excellent but not good at higher ISOs, and now have an A77.

Click to expand...

That makes no sense. The A7R is one of the better cameras available for higher iso and much better than the A77. Are you sure you're not mixing up the A7R with some other camera?

http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Sony-A7R-versus-Sony-SLT-Alpha-77___917_734

--
Tom
Look at the picture, not the pixels
------------
Misuse of the ability to do 100% pixel peeping is the bane of digital photography.

AkashRana said:

I am able to get my hands on an unused A77 for about $250. My question is how would you consider its performance in current scenario? I currently shoot with A57 and find it to be excellent performer for what i paid. I don't use more than ISO800 as i personally find it noisy above that. My main interest is wildlife and landscape, and i tend to use a tripod for low light shots. How would A77 stack up against my current camera?

Another option is to go for A77ii, but not sure is how much will i gain over mark1? I understand A77ii has more focus points over a higher coverage area, but how much of that translates into real life performance? As A77 has 19 focus points with 11 cross type, while A77ii has 79 focus points with 15 cross type; so A77 shouldn't be a slouch in front of mark2 as cross type points are almost the same and they provide better performance to my understanding. Also what's your verdict on sensor, does A77ii gain anything in real world over mark1?

Click to expand...

For $250, and without having to use higher ISO (from use of flash, brighter light, or faster lenses with slower shutter speeds), it's hard to imagine a better deal in DP than an A77 for $250 (roughly half the typical price for that body in that condition). Relative to what you are shooting with (an a A57), you won't gain that much resolution, and certainly not low light ability, but you will gain MFA, which makes a huge difference for many lenses. It's also got a somewhat better EVF AFAIK. You could easily surf over to a comprehensive list of features for both bodies to see what other things you might gain (obviously much better FPS, but the A77 was hampered in that mode by its skimpy buffer).

The A77ii measures only a third of a stop less noisy but its noise is more luminescence type (similar to film noise in other words) and less of the wormy chroma noise that spoiled virtually anything from 1600 up on the older sensors. Its AF is vastly better, but also more complicated to set up properly. Its real world functioning gives you about a full stop better quality, particularly in JPEGs, and the JPEG engine is better too, with better context sensitive noise reduction and sharpening. I love my A77ii, but for $250, the A77 is simply too good a deal to pass up.

AkashRana said:

I am able to get my hands on an unused A77 for about $250. My question is how would you consider its performance in current scenario? I currently shoot with A57 and find it to be excellent performer for what i paid. I don't use more than ISO800 as i personally find it noisy above that. My main interest is wildlife and landscape, and i tend to use a tripod for low light shots. How would A77 stack up against my current camera?

Another option is to go for A77ii, but not sure is how much will i gain over mark1? I understand A77ii has more focus points over a higher coverage area, but how much of that translates into real life performance? As A77 has 19 focus points with 11 cross type, while A77ii has 79 focus points with 15 cross type; so A77 shouldn't be a slouch in front of mark2 as cross type points are almost the same and they provide better performance to my understanding. Also what's your verdict on sensor, does A77ii gain anything in real world over mark1?

Click to expand...

Its a no brainer. Go for it! Combined with the 70-400mm G lens, you have a great setup to go mental with...

I have both A77 and A77m2 and use both extensively with a variety of lenses. See examples here:


-Martin P

I tend to keep my equipment for a while, so though I started out buying older used gear I have made the decision to buy newer gear with the thinking that I will need better performance/features as my skill set grows, though I may not know what that might be at this time. I purchased a used a77ii from B&H for $750 around Christmas. They are still available for that price. A marked improvement over my a65. The AF function is very good. I do BIF shooting so the AF is very important for me. As my camera allows me more functionality/performance I have built up my lens collection to match. My hobby is more fun since I can do more of what I find exciting. That is worth the modest amount of extra money, especially spread out over years of use.

I have both the A77 and A77II. The A77II is MUCH, MUCH better for shooting sports, moving wildlife, birds in flight, and dimmer lighted situations. The jpeg engine is FAR better than the A77, showing much more detail, especially in the hair. The buffer is far better.

Don't cheap out and buy a cheap A77. Do the right thing and buy the A77II.

lhkjacky said:

AkashRana said:

Another option is to go for A77ii, but not sure is how much will i gain over mark1? I understand A77ii has more focus points over a higher coverage area, but how much of that translates into real life performance?

As A77 has 19 focus points with 11 cross type, while A77ii has 79 focus points with 15 cross type; so A77 shouldn't be a slouch in front of mark2 as cross type points are almost the same and they provide better performance to my understanding. Also what's your verdict on sensor, does A77ii gain anything in real world over mark1?

Click to expand...

Quote from Sybersitizen,

The difference between A77 & A77mk2

1. Enhancements to the AF system
- 79 AF points (15 cross) vs. 19 AF points (11 cross)
- Center linear f/2.8 AF sensor
- Works in lower light (a difference of 1EV)
- AF/Release Priority (present in A77) now adds Balanced Emphasis
- AF Track Duration Level 1-5
- AF Range Control
- AF On (use any button for AF)
- Eye AF (not the same as Eye-Start AF!)

2. Improved low light performance and noise control
- High ISO NR has Off option

3. Connectivity
- Wi-Fi and NFC
- Tethering via USB

4. Modified interfaces and controls
- Sony (multi-interface) hot shoe
- Mode Dial Lock (hardware)
- Dial Lock for front/rear dials (firmware)
- Flash exposure lock
- Auto ISO in 'M' mode
- AEL w/shutter On/Off
- Quick navigation
- Greatly expanded button programmability
- Zebra function
- Stabilized live view (and Focus Magnifier view) with shutter half-pressed
- Exposure bracketing range expanded to 3EV over 5 images
- Self timer 10s delay optionally allows 3 or 5 shots in succession
- IR Remote Mode is now separate from Drive Mode menu
- SteadyShot On/Off assignable to a button
- Audio level control
- Micro-B USB connector
- AF assist from pop-up flash
- Eliminates 'unnecessary extra cropping' in video (for electronic stabilization) if SS is not used
- Smart Zoom, Clear Image Zoom, and Digital Zoom functions
- Larger image buffer

5. Rear LCD and EVF
- 1.23m dot RGBW vs. 920k dot RGB
- Improved dynamic range and brightness adjustments
- Reported improvements to the EVF

Click to expand...

Yep... but always include this for full disclosure:

6. What's been removed

- Minolta/Sony iISO Auto-lock hot shoe
- Onboard GPS
- Infrared AF assist lamp
- 3D Sweep Panorama
- Mini-B USB connector

AkashRana said:

I am able to get my hands on an unused A77 for about $250. My question is how would you consider its performance in current scenario? I currently shoot with A57 and find it to be excellent performer for what i paid. I don't use more than ISO800 as i personally find it noisy above that. My main interest is wildlife and landscape, and i tend to use a tripod for low light shots. How would A77 stack up against my current camera?

Another option is to go for A77ii, but not sure is how much will i gain over mark1? I understand A77ii has more focus points over a higher coverage area, but how much of that translates into real life performance? As A77 has 19 focus points with 11 cross type, while A77ii has 79 focus points with 15 cross type; so A77 shouldn't be a slouch in front of mark2 as cross type points are almost the same and they provide better performance to my understanding. Also what's your verdict on sensor, does A77ii gain anything in real world over mark1?

Click to expand...

While the number of cross type focus points isn't a huge increase over the A77, you still have to keep in mind the bigger picture of all of them being used. Also, the center focus point on the A77II is designed to take advantage of lenses that are F/2.8 and faster, something that has been missing in the A-mount lineup since the A700/A850/A900 days. And let us not forget the A77II focuses better in low light when no lighting assist is available.

If you tend to use just one focus point, then it may make little difference (unless it is the center focus point). But all those added focus points help with tracking, eye AF, and determining the best section to focus on (in reference to its internal scenario database).

From my personal experience, the A77II is superior in every way over the A77 and is a great bargain in and of itself. The catch comes down to how much its advances over the A77 are worth to you. With that, I can't make that decision for you.

The A77II does perform better at higher ISO than the A77 and I find it's noise pattern is easier to work with than the A77 (which is more blotchy). With the A77, I would usually stay at ISO800 or below and would rarely go above ISO 1600. With the A77II, I find that am willing to go around 1 stop or a little more above that and would go no higher than ISO 3200 in color, ISO 6400 or higher in black and white. The A77II has an improved EVF for better contrast, refresh rate seems to be a bit smoother too. The LCD is now a RGBW versus RGB, making it easier to review in bright daylight. Movie quality has improved, if you are one to shoot movies, and you can now use Auto ISO in M mode (which is not possible on the A77). The built in range limiter may offer some benefits when shooting wildlife.

There are many other features and improvements, but these were the ones that stood out the most.

If I have any complaints, it is in regard to features it lacks. Of course, none of the A-mounts offer these features I would like and some of them have only recently become available in Sony's newest cameras found in other mounts. I would still like the ability to set a minimum shutter speed tied with Auto ISO, uncompressed RAW as an option, true 14-bit output, multi-point MFA adjustments on zooms plus auto-calibration, 5-axis stabilization, and focus bracketing to name a few.

sybersitizen said:

lhkjacky said:

AkashRana said:

Another option is to go for A77ii, but not sure is how much will i gain over mark1? I understand A77ii has more focus points over a higher coverage area, but how much of that translates into real life performance?

As A77 has 19 focus points with 11 cross type, while A77ii has 79 focus points with 15 cross type; so A77 shouldn't be a slouch in front of mark2 as cross type points are almost the same and they provide better performance to my understanding. Also what's your verdict on sensor, does A77ii gain anything in real world over mark1?

Click to expand...

Quote from Sybersitizen,

The difference between A77 & A77mk2

1. Enhancements to the AF system
- 79 AF points (15 cross) vs. 19 AF points (11 cross)
- Center linear f/2.8 AF sensor
- Works in lower light (a difference of 1EV)
- AF/Release Priority (present in A77) now adds Balanced Emphasis
- AF Track Duration Level 1-5
- AF Range Control
- AF On (use any button for AF)
- Eye AF (not the same as Eye-Start AF!)

2. Improved low light performance and noise control
- High ISO NR has Off option

3. Connectivity
- Wi-Fi and NFC
- Tethering via USB

4. Modified interfaces and controls
- Sony (multi-interface) hot shoe
- Mode Dial Lock (hardware)
- Dial Lock for front/rear dials (firmware)
- Flash exposure lock
- Auto ISO in 'M' mode
- AEL w/shutter On/Off
- Quick navigation
- Greatly expanded button programmability
- Zebra function
- Stabilized live view (and Focus Magnifier view) with shutter half-pressed
- Exposure bracketing range expanded to 3EV over 5 images
- Self timer 10s delay optionally allows 3 or 5 shots in succession
- IR Remote Mode is now separate from Drive Mode menu
- SteadyShot On/Off assignable to a button
- Audio level control
- Micro-B USB connector
- AF assist from pop-up flash
- Eliminates 'unnecessary extra cropping' in video (for electronic stabilization) if SS is not used
- Smart Zoom, Clear Image Zoom, and Digital Zoom functions
- Larger image buffer

5. Rear LCD and EVF
- 1.23m dot RGBW vs. 920k dot RGB
- Improved dynamic range and brightness adjustments
- Reported improvements to the EVF

Click to expand...

Yep... but always include this for full disclosure:

6. What's been removed

- Minolta/Sony iISO Auto-lock hot shoe

Click to expand...

That's actually a good thing IMO unless you have old Flash guns which will now require an adapter. I never liked the old wobbly hot shoe.

sybersitizen said:

- 3D Sweep Panorama

Click to expand...

Who actually used this?

sybersitizen said:

- Mini-B USB connector

Click to expand...

Which has pretty much become obsolete.

I understand all the praise for the A77II above, but let me offer a slightly different perspective. I am a black and white fine art landscape guy (for many, many years). I also have make 7 trips to Australia and New Zealand as well as many to the western US mountains. For these trips I find the GPS function of the A77 and A99 (I own both) to be ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to track data for gallery exhibition labes and titles etc.... I used to spend HOURS with a laptop trying to keep track of where different images were made. When SONY introduced the A77II without the GPS, I WENT TO MY COMPUTER AND IMMEDIATELY ORDERED ANOTHER NEW A77 BODY!!! Now if one of my A77s fails (one is converted for B&W infrared), I have a back up. I will do the same with my A99s, if the (?) A99II drops the GPS (let's hope not).


Cheers,
Bob

Lichenbob said:

I understand all the praise for the A77II above, but let me offer a slightly different perspective. I am a black and white fine art landscape guy (for many, many years). I also have make 7 trips to Australia and New Zealand as well as many to the western US mountains. For these trips I find the GPS function of the A77 and A99 (I own both) to be ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to track data for gallery exhibition labes and titles etc.... I used to spend HOURS with a laptop trying to keep track of where different images were made. When SONY introduced the A77II without the GPS, I WENT TO MY COMPUTER AND IMMEDIATELY ORDERED ANOTHER NEW A77 BODY!!! Now if one of my A77s fails (one is converted for B&W infrared), I have a back up. I will do the same with my A99s, if the (?) A99II drops the GPS (let's hope not).

Cheers,
Bob

Click to expand...

Yes, it sucks that GPS was removed. While I enjoyed having GPS on my A77, it wasn't a dealbreaker. The addition of Wifi/NFC was in greater demand.

At least there are alternatives to still getting your photos geotagged. You can use your phone or a dedicated peripheral. I've read some good things about Geotag Photos Pro. Looks to work well with Lightroom too.

There are far more work arounds for lack of built-in GPS than there are workarounds for lack of built-in WiFi. But it is still a shame Sony has yet to release a dedicated GPS module that can be connected directly to the camera.

tbcass said:

tbcass said:

tbcass said:

Quote from Sybersitizen,

The difference between A77 & A77mk2

1. Enhancements to the AF system
- 79 AF points (15 cross) vs. 19 AF points (11 cross)
- Center linear f/2.8 AF sensor
- Works in lower light (a difference of 1EV)
- AF/Release Priority (present in A77) now adds Balanced Emphasis
- AF Track Duration Level 1-5
- AF Range Control
- AF On (use any button for AF)
- Eye AF (not the same as Eye-Start AF!)

2. Improved low light performance and noise control
- High ISO NR has Off option

3. Connectivity
- Wi-Fi and NFC
- Tethering via USB

4. Modified interfaces and controls
- Sony (multi-interface) hot shoe
- Mode Dial Lock (hardware)
- Dial Lock for front/rear dials (firmware)
- Flash exposure lock
- Auto ISO in 'M' mode
- AEL w/shutter On/Off
- Quick navigation
- Greatly expanded button programmability
- Zebra function
- Stabilized live view (and Focus Magnifier view) with shutter half-pressed
- Exposure bracketing range expanded to 3EV over 5 images
- Self timer 10s delay optionally allows 3 or 5 shots in succession
- IR Remote Mode is now separate from Drive Mode menu
- SteadyShot On/Off assignable to a button
- Audio level control
- Micro-B USB connector
- AF assist from pop-up flash
- Eliminates 'unnecessary extra cropping' in video (for electronic stabilization) if SS is not used
- Smart Zoom, Clear Image Zoom, and Digital Zoom functions
- Larger image buffer

5. Rear LCD and EVF
- 1.23m dot RGBW vs. 920k dot RGB
- Improved dynamic range and brightness adjustments
- Reported improvements to the EVF

Click to expand...

Yep... but always include this for full disclosure:

6. What's been removed

- Minolta/Sony iISO Auto-lock hot shoe

Click to expand...

That's actually a good thing IMO unless you have old Flash guns which will now require an adapter. I never liked the old wobbly hot shoe.

Click to expand...

The old wobbly shoe? It was a damn sight better holding your flash on the camera than the new one.

tbcass said:

tbcass said:

- 3D Sweep Panorama

Click to expand...

Who actually used this?

Click to expand...

Me, I still use it on my A77.

tbcass said:

tbcass said:

- Mini-B USB connector

Click to expand...

Which has pretty much become obsolete.

Click to expand...

VirtualMirage said:

And let us not forget the A77II focuses better in low light when no lighting assist is available.

Click to expand...

Except with the A77 the lighting assist is present in the body, so it's always available.

Lichenbob said:

I understand all the praise for the A77II above, but let me offer a slightly different perspective. I am a black and white fine art landscape guy (for many, many years). I also have make 7 trips to Australia and New Zealand as well as many to the western US mountains.For these trips I find the GPS function of the A77 and A99 (I own both) to be ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to track data for gallery exhibition labes and titles etc....I used to spend HOURS with a laptop trying to keep track of where different images were made. When SONY introduced the A77II without the GPS, I WENT TO MY COMPUTER AND IMMEDIATELY ORDERED ANOTHER NEW A77 BODY!!!Now if one of my A77s fails (one is converted for B&W infrared), I have a back up. I will do the same with my A99s, if the (?) A99II drops the GPS (let's hope not).

Cheers,
Bob

Click to expand...

Do you have a link to your website? Being an Australian expat I'd be interested to see your work.

Maxxuman said:

Maxxuman said:

That's actually a good thing IMO unless you have old Flash guns which will now require an adapter. I never liked the old wobbly hot shoe.

Click to expand...

The old wobbly shoe? It was a damn sight better holding your flash on the camera than the new one.

Click to expand...

Well in 50 years of photography I spent 44 of those years using the standard hot shoe and have never had a flash fall off and yes, I use flash guns frequently. Maybe you don't remember but before Sony abandoned the old hot shoe one of the biggest wishes among A Mount users was for Sony to adopt the standard mount. One of the biggest complaints was how wobbly the old mount was. I guess it's a case of damned if you do, damned if you don't. Personally I much prefer the new mount.