A550 vs A700 choice?

[MrScary]

--If you go a700, THROW that Sigma 70-300 in the Bin. That a700 will eat the gears. Sigma can't even repair it proper. It just keeps breaking.

Mind you! Sigma has just brought out a NEW 70-300 with motor in it. So This un just might CHEW up the a700 instead.

MrScary (DennisR)
Swansea, Wales. UK

http://copernob.jalbum.net/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scarecrowdr
http://www.russ4to.photoshare.co.nz

 

[Amirk]

If you go a700, THROW that Sigma 70-300 in the Bin. That a700 will eat the
gears. Sigma can't even repair it proper. It just keeps breaking.

This Sigma has this problem with all Sony cameras newer than A100.

 

[3sgilbert]

Ill have to get it in my hands, because thats the determining factor for me. We can pixel peep all we want but once we buy it we are stuck toting it around for 100s of hours so imho ( even though im new ) how it feels in your hand and how comfortable you are with it should be at the top of the list.

However as someone who started on an a300 and has recently moved to an a700, I can say for me personally Live View ended up being used almost every outing. Then again im huge and dont feel like plopping down on my belly nor climbing. If I get a 550 in my hands and it has a reasonable viewfinder then I got to think that its balance of features is sweet. Luckily for me my wife has joined into this hobby with me and she will need a upgrade to her a350

I would not give up my new a700 for the LV and viewfinder on the 300/350 again ( its almost painful to look through now ) however if they have pulled off a good compromise i will definitely consider it. I got to say 7fps, lower noise sensor ( my buddies 40d blows my a700 out the water in the 1600 and up ISO noise department and I am using a much better lens ), HDR, 3" 920k, 2 lv modes, at $50 cheaper than i just paid for my 700. Yea i got to look at that.

The build of the 300/350 was ok with me and its my understanding that the 550 is much more similar to them than the 330/380 which i hated in the store. I can feel my a700 is a higher quality machine no doubt but it really doesnt matter much to me. Im new so i dont have any preconceived notions about systems and/or the inclinations of equipment snobs. Being a new guy I just want to put the best camera i can put in my hands to produce the best photos possible at the cheapest price......

Newbie or not i think its hard to argue with the Sony system and price/performance how does one get better than a 14mp Cmos processor at 7fps with a 3" 920k screen for under $1000 with in body stabilization.

I almost pulled the trigger on a move to the 50d when i purchased my 700 but a quick total of what it would cost me to replace my current lenses and have them in IS quickly deterred me from that....

 

[Gil Knutson]

is there any chance that a firmware update improves the high iso on the A700 given that the sensor is similar?

I think it is highly unlikely... the A700 was upgraded as of V4 and I bet that is it. I would love to be proven wrong though!

also, could a firmware update bring the HDR feature to the A700?

Uh, the A700 did have a reasonable HDR feature included in the firmware upgrade...
+ - 2 ISO. What more are you expecting as an HDR capability?

--
Gil
Sardis, BC
Canada

 

[3sgilbert]

whoa care to expand on that? I am still getting used to my new a700, how to I access and leverage that setting?

 

[WaltKnapp]

whoa care to expand on that? I am still getting used to my new a700, how to I access and leverage that setting?

It's in the drive bracket modes. In either C or S exposure bracket modes you can scroll to 2stop steps with three shots. More or less the classic shot set for HDR though there are those that whine and want a different set. Camera will then shoot a set of three shots, the rest is up to you in PP. It's not auto HDR, only provides the source shots.

Walt

 

[andialpha]

sorry, i meant AUTO-HDR like the A550. A lot of times I use the camera for the usual xmas at home family shots where I'm too lazy to go through a manula HDR on my computer. It would be handy to have that in the camera already. But I guess that sony is done with the A700 and will not invest time in adding features to a model that's out of production (if it is out of production).

is there any chance that a firmware update improves the high iso on the A700 given that the sensor is similar?

I think it is highly unlikely... the A700 was upgraded as of V4 and I bet that is it. I would love to be proven wrong though!

also, could a firmware update bring the HDR feature to the A700?

Uh, the A700 did have a reasonable HDR feature included in the firmware upgrade...
+ - 2 ISO. What more are you expecting as an HDR capability?

--
Gil
Sardis, BC
Canada

--
the second mouse gets the cheese

 

[3sgilbert]

OK would you guys clarify something for me. I upgraded the firmware to v4 on my a700 by + - iso do you mean using bracketing then some program ( which i dont know what to use ) to combine them or are you saying the a700 will actually do that now? IF so please tell me how to do it.

 

[3sgilbert]

OK thanks Walt, thats what i thought. I was using the White Balance bracketing the other day for my Living room, it was very handy because AWB causing a real yellow tint with no flash in there.

 

[Mister Mike]

Well, I pulled out the Sigma and its actually the Sigma 70-300 F4-5.6 DG APO Macro lens. I'm not sure if that one is reported to have trouble with Sony cameras.

--
'Better' is the enemy of 'Good Enough'.

 

[Michael Sobanja]

I have had that lens on a 350 for a year now, and no problems. I dont use it a lot, but have mounted it say twenty times and used without any issues at all. not the best lens around but adequate for reach.
Mike

 

[WaltKnapp]

OK would you guys clarify something for me. I upgraded the firmware to v4 on my a700 by + - iso do you mean using bracketing then some program ( which i dont know what to use ) to combine them or are you saying the a700 will actually do that now? IF so please tell me how to do it.

It will do the bracketed shots, but up to you and your choice of program to combine them. The bracket is in the drive modes.

Walt

 

[chrisg_75]

I am keen to see the reviews on the A550 also. I have 700 which i shoot weddings with and looking to the 550 for possible back up or another 700 body. The one thing that really dissappoints me is the no CF card for 550. I have a lot of CF storage for wedding shoots and really turned off by the possability of havign to purchase a whole new range of cards for the 550 if i use as a back up body. Very dissappointing and dont understand why they wen this way
--
http://www.stretchyourimagination.com.au

 

[travelinbri_74]

I will be interested in following this, and seeing if a A750 emerges.

 

[MsBritmor]

That's the one! Save yourself some grief and get rid of it now. I loved the photos I got from mine, but it was a piece of junk and died a very painful death on my a700. Absolutely nothing chills like the sound of expensive equipment grinding, grinding away and not knowing what is happening....
--
Karen Brittan, Minnesota, USA



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