Why I like Sony's new DSLR's

[andy forey]

If you need those features certainly the extra $200 is worth it. If you need MLU buy an A700 as that camera is aimed at the market that would make use of it. Like it or not its business and all manufacturers of everything, not just cameras, leave out features to make their more expensive products seem worth the extra cost. A Lexus costs almost twice as much as a comparable Toyota despite the facts the extra features don't really cost anywhere near that much. I guess Toyota owners should be screaming about that. Do I like it, no, but the higher profit models allow companies to sell the more mass produced models at a price lower than they could if only the lower priced models were produced with all the bells and whistles.
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Tom

If you class MLU as "bells and whistles" then there is not point carrying on, it's such a basic feature..so do tell us why Canon have it on their cheapie EOS 1000D, so Canon are dumb and don't get the DSLR business then?

Barry - i can recommend a camera for you its all you need in a camera ... all needs are met ... you will now sleep at night.. let me sugggest the Canon d1000

 

[Barry Fitzgerald]

However, if your argument is that any and every dslr should have MLU, clearly you fly in the face of history as the feature has been in and out cameras at widely disparate price points.

Why not? Times change..there was a time 1/4000 sec was not found on entry SLR's, a time when multi point AF was a high end feature..now, every camera has it.

History has shown, things get better over time, and some of that moves down to entry models, unless of course we look at Sony's DSLR line up..(and I would add Nikon's entry models)

Everyone else is moving forward.

Heck back in 2001 a meagre £199 secured a DOF preview button, and 3fps..and even a flash raise button, and AEL button..but now, 2009..and you don't even get that on an A230..or any of the entry models. Sony can't even make 3 DSLR's that can match a Dynax 5 for handling and ease of use..you can even change AF points by pressing the AF button and rotating the control dial!

Pretty worrying I would say..outgunned by a cheapo film body.

5d and A100 had MLU and they are in the same range as the A5xx models, no reason to skimp on these useful features, not at A5xx level.

 

[Barry Fitzgerald]

Ken5D, now Lens Alchemy, posts here regularly and attended one years PMA show and spoke to Mark Weir. Mark confirmed that Sony does indeed read this board and was familiar with many of the names of posters. If Ken reads this posts, maybe he can elaborate further.

Ken is a Sony fan. So he went to Mark Weir and said, "hey, I am Sony lover. Do you read our board." Weir responds with sure he does, and knows all of you guys. Doesn't mean anything. What else would you expect? He told Ken this to make a fan happy. That's all. If they did read the forum, don't you think they would have given Barry at least one thing that he wanted in the new model or fw? The only thing they probably read is the main review. Besides, people with power who make these decisions don't even probably read English. They are in Japan. They have their own strategy, and that's what they are going to do.

No idea what Sony do, I suspect they do "read" the forum, maybe others too.
But reading and "doing" are separate things

I honestly didn't expect to get anything extra FW update wise off Sony, but it was worth a shot. What did shock me, is their decision to downgrade the entry models, and I am astonished about the lack of MLU and other features, raised by many folks, and on the Sony blog as well.

Surely they can see they are important to some buyers. Not doing a FW update is one thing, downgrading the entry models is another, but not adding this stuff to "the next level" of models is beyond belief..

Let's see if they respond to users requests..

 

[Summitron]

Moved up

 

[Barry Fitzgerald]

way. Returned the A550 yesterday and will post later on my last input.

Interesting, we'll be waiting for that!

 

[andy forey]

way. Returned the A550 yesterday and will post later on my last input.

Interesting, we'll be waiting for that!

 

[andy forey]

way. Returned the A550 yesterday and will post later on my last input.

Interesting, we'll be waiting for that!

Who's we?

 

[fjbyrne]

way. Returned the A550 yesterday and will post later on my last input.

Interesting, we'll be waiting for that!

Who's we?

I'm curious as to why Gil returned the A550.

--
Rick

 

[KEITH-C]

I'm not sure why some are so confident that Sony don't read these forums along with many others. If they don't take notice of what happens here then someone should get fired because they are getting free focus group talk which normally costs a lot of money.
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Keith-C

 

[tbcass]

Well considering the post said he was a hero photographer

Interesting since I never said that

If that's not a ego trip then I don't know what is.

No, it's the true that I am 64 years old and have been serious about photography for over 40 years including a college course very long ago.

Rather silly to say mirror vibration is only an issue at 500mm and over, so much for experience..you can spend 100 years at something, and still be no good at it, or learn little ;-)

Of course stating that mirror vibration has never been a problem for me in 40 years in no way indicates that I am no good at photography. That's a pretty big leap. Even if I'm wrong about MLU, and it's possible that I am, that does not indicate I lack skills. It is said that one should use a tripod at shutter speeds less than 1/focal length yet through practice I have developed the ability to hand hold at much slower speeds than that. For example I can hand hold 50mm at about 1/8 sec without blur. If someone else can't do it is no indication they lack photographic skills. It just means they can't hand hold at very show shutter speeds. For you to suggest I lack photographic skills simply because I don't think MLU is necessary below 500mm is ludicrous to say the least.
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Tom

Look at the picture, not the pixels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/

 

[tbcass]

If you class MLU as "bells and whistles" then there is not point carrying on, it's such a basic feature..so do tell us why Canon have it on their cheapie EOS 1000D, so Canon are dumb and don't get the DSLR business then?

How do you explain that the 1000D has no spot metering mode as have none of the entry level Canon models? Under specifications I find no spot focusing mode either. Spot metering is extremely useful to me and I actually use it. Spot focusing is what I use almost all the time. From my point of view Canon left out two very important photographic tools and included one rarely if ever used. Does that make sense? Because of those two features left out I would never buy an entry level Canon. As you see all manufacturers leave out features to make upgrading attractive. Canon left out far more basic and useful features which makes their more advanced cameras more attractive. The biggest mistake Sony made is to leave out a feature that is seldom used anyway. Maybe Sony's more entry level cameras are too good.

--
Tom

Look at the picture, not the pixels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/

 

[Barry Fitzgerald]

If you class MLU as "bells and whistles" then there is not point carrying on, it's such a basic feature..so do tell us why Canon have it on their cheapie EOS 1000D, so Canon are dumb and don't get the DSLR business then?

How do you explain that the 1000D has no spot metering mode as have none of the entry level Canon models? Under specifications I find no spot focusing mode either. Spot metering is extremely useful to me and I actually use it. Spot focusing is what I use almost all the time. From my point of view Canon left out two very important photographic tools and included one rarely if ever used. Does that make sense? Because of those two features left out I would never buy an entry level Canon. As you see all manufacturers leave out features to make upgrading attractive. The biggest mistake Sony made is to leave out a feature that is seldom used anyway.

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Life is cruel and Canon don't give you spot, you get partial on the EOS 1000d (a type of big spot metering) I agree it's dumb..

But, still the point remains..it's got MLU, albeit a slightly retarded menu dive version of it.

If you love spot metering so much, obviously you are a huge fan of AEL spot toggle, which is yet another one missing on the A5xx bodies..

Shooting priority gone too, no AF or release option..

No DOF preview..

Argue all you want, I am sure these models would make great entry cameras, because they simply don't stack up for the price they are pitched at..Sony are well off here..not even near what's needed.

 

[tbcass]

I did. Sorry you don't see it. Even Tom agrees MLU isn't useless. I don't believe further discussion with you is necessary on this point (and I'm debating at all).

I'm glad you said that because there are times where MLU is useful. My contention is, from a marketing point of view very few people moving up to this class of camera will ever need or use MLU and leaving it out is a marketing decision to entice people to move up to more advanced cameras if they decide it's something they need. Canon leaves out spot focusing and metering from their entry level cameras. Those are far more useful to more people than MLU. They all do it, leave something out to provide an upgrade path.

--
Tom

Look at the picture, not the pixels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/

 

[tbcass]

History has shown, things get better over time, and some of that moves down to entry models, unless of course we look at Sony's DSLR line up..(and I would add Nikon's entry models)

Everyone else is moving forward.

As I stated in another post all manufacturers leave out features in their entry level lines. They just leave out different features so I guess everyone is standing still.
--
Tom

Look at the picture, not the pixels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/

 

[tbcass]

Argue all you want, I am sure these models would make great entry cameras, because they simply don't stack up for the price they are pitched at..Sony are well off here..not even near what's needed.

As usual we disagree. All manufacturers leave out things for marketing purposes. It just so happens the features Sony leaves out are ones I don't use much or can live without even if they are useful (and DOF preview is useful although I can generally predict DOF based on my experience). Canon leaves out features I find more useful so I bought Sony. It offers the compromises I can most live with at a price I can afford.

--
Tom

Look at the picture, not the pixels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/

 

[Barry Fitzgerald]

As I stated in another post all manufacturers leave out features in their entry level lines. They just leave out different features so I guess everyone is standing still.
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Tell that to 5d and A100 owners..

They have MLU, and the cameras were almost the same price at ist release as these A5xx ones. Going backwards isn't something to celebrate.

Sony have goofed up..

Just as they did with the awful and obviously flawed designs of the A230-380 models.

 

[Barry Fitzgerald]

Argue all you want, I am sure these models would make great entry cameras, because they simply don't stack up for the price they are pitched at..Sony are well off here..not even near what's needed.

As usual we disagree. All manufacturers leave out things for marketing purposes. It just so happens the features Sony leaves out are ones I don't use much or can live without even if they are useful (and DOF preview is useful although I can generally predict DOF based on my experience). Canon leaves out features I find more useful so I bought Sony. It offers the compromises I can most live with at a price I can afford.

Maybe we need to send an Oly E620 to Sony..

MLU (1-30 secs!)
AF adjustments on all AF points..

Similar price if not a bit cheaper than the A5xx models.
Wow so not everyone is ripping stuff out their cameras.

I don't call MLU pro, nor DOF preview..

Mag alloy, sure..
1/8000 sec shutter..sure
More on body controls etc, yup

Loads of ways to make models different, without crippling them

 

[SonyandShare]

You mean there's something above editor?

 

[tbcass]

Maybe we need to send an Oly E620 to Sony..

MLU (1-30 secs!)
AF adjustments on all AF points..

Similar price if not a bit cheaper than the A5xx models.
Wow so not everyone is ripping stuff out their cameras.

Actually if Olympus wasn't 4/3rds I would own one (it was my second choice and I owned an OLY P&S and film SLR in addition to Minolta). I think they offer more for the money than Sony/Canon/Nikon but I'm just not a fan of 4/3. If you are you should buy Olympus.
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Tom

Look at the picture, not the pixels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/

 

[tbcass]

Tell that to 5d and A100 owners..

They have MLU, and the cameras were almost the same price at ist release as these A5xx ones. Going backwards isn't something to celebrate.

I'm an A100 owner. The A500 at release is quite a bit cheaper than the A100 was at release. I agree the A550 could be cheaper but I think DSLR's in general are over priced but they've got us by the balls. BTW, The feature that Sony left off cameras after the A100 that I most like is the function wheel with the button in the middle. I use that feature all the time and never MLU but I wouldn't let that stop me from buying an A500.
--
Tom

Look at the picture, not the pixels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/