Current equivalent to A1?

[Les Elkins]

Hello,

My three-year-old A1 died recently during a trip. I've played Sony Support Roulette and seem to have won- I'll be getting the $404 check for an unfixable CCD. Getting 2/3 of the purchase price back on a three year old digital camera is more than I could have reasonably expected- Kudos to Sony.

The dilemma is what to replace it with. One of the nicest things about the A1 was the wide angle it could do- 28mm (35mm equiv.). For landscapes or architectural pictures the wider angles are so much more interesting (to me, at least).

I just don't see anything comparable on the market now. I figure a full-up DSLR is out of my price range at the moment, and the $400-$500 market seems to favor telephoto over wide angle. Am I missing something?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Adam-T]

manual lens with 28mm and 6Mp - far better at high ISOs and way way better in JPG (not as good in RAW though as it doesn't buffer them and RSE doesn't work with it) ..... Stuff like the IS Ultrazoomers are all tiny sensor cams so I guess the closest is the non-IS/AS Fuji AS6500 as really there is no direct replacement to any of the old 8Mp 2/3" CCD metal bodied "Prosumers"

--
Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist

 

[Claymore]

Les, that money will buy you a real fine Minolta A2 on Ebay! 8 megs and NO sensor problems!

I consider it the best all around camera on the planet (but lots of folks don't believe me.) They

go for $350 and up depending on the kit. Seven offered the last time I checked. I may get
another one.
--
Clifford
'Today is a gift!-- give thanks for it,
and shoot lots of pictures,-- to
remember it by.'

 

[morey000]

I'd go for either a good A2 off Ebay
or a New Fuji S6000fd/6500fd.

the fuji offers you a very clean image, more zoom and better high ISO.

the A2- the amazing articulating hi res EVF, more bells and whistles than you can shake a stick at, a user interface with which you are familiar.

It all depends on how much fiddling you like to do with a camera- but if you were in love with your A1, then you'll really love the A2.
--

 

[Ferenc MOGOR]

Les,

If I were you I would surely upgrade from the A1 to an A2 and would look back no more. The A2 with the latest (and unfortunately the last) firmware upgrade 1.14 is a hekuva camera!! ;-))

The A2 actually incorporates an A1 and a lot more!

Good luck on your final decision, whatever it may be!

--
Cheers, Feri

'I can look at a fine photograph and sometimes I can hear music. Ansel Adams.'

 

[precognito]

I purchased a refurbished A2 for $349, $369 with shipping from an online vendor that offered a $39 two year warranty through Square Deal. With any luck the A2 will serve me well until such time sensor technology advances to the point that a camera with similar functional qualities and compact size produces exponentially superior image quality at higher ISOs.

Paul

 

[Patricia Tyler]

I'm confused!

I've been onto both Fujufilm and Sony forums re: replacing my geriatric A1, as I'm not getting the results I used to and am looking for a camera with lower noise at high ISOs (I use the camera a lot for theatre photography and use up to 800 ISO) and am looking at the Fuji 9500 and Sony DSC H9.

I do not want to go back to an SLR, therefore am less interested in the Sony A100.

I REALLY would like a model with low noise, image stablization, wide-angle zoom - preferabley mechanical.
The Fuju has all but image stablization.

Now the much older A2 is being recommended by this forum!

 

[Gideon01]

Now the much older A2 is being recommended by this forum!

But not for this kind of work, IMO.

I'd take the Fuji over the A2 for this. I also want to ask, since you're doing this work unpaid (read your other posts) - would it be too much to ask permission to shoot with a tripod? That would solve your stabilization problems.

Another question, why not a DSLR, since this would really be the right tool for the job? I'd look at the Olympus E-510 - quite compact and has in-body image stabilization.

If it's silent operation you're after, your best bet for low-light noiseless operation would be an (obviously used) Sony R-1.

--
Gideon



PAW - Week 27

 

[precognito]

For high stage lighting, I'd lean toward an SLR for optimal performance and image quality. Canon is superior at high ISO (1600) but most SLRs do reasonably well at 800. The Fuji S6500fd seems to be the best alternative to the Minolta A2, but lacks stabilization. That's why I'd recommend looking at the Pentax 10D or the new Olympus 510 as well as the Sony A100 and Canon.

Paul

 

[Vegard]

Gideon forgot one thing - it has live view. It means that AF is gone, but who needs AF in a theatre, where the distance is fixed? And Live view has an excellent MF functionality.

Oly E-510 + 55-200 + Live view = Perfect theatre camera

--
Vegard
FCAS Member #99
Canon 350D, April 2005; Konica Minolta A2, May 2004
A1/A2 FAQ: http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq

 

[Vegard]

--
Vegard
FCAS Member #99
Canon 350D, April 2005; Konica Minolta A2, May 2004
A1/A2 FAQ: http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq

 

[RitterSport]

I'm pretty sure my friend's Leica dSLR (that Panasonic equivalent) flips the mirror up and back when taking pictures in Live View. So, the Live View has even more mirror noise than the regular view.

Regarding the OP, I think a dSLR is the way to go for theater pictures, but the Fuji 6000/6500 would probably do a better job than an A1 (which is what I have) and would be cheaper than a dSLR with lenses.

 

[Vegard]

When you're using Live preview AND MF (avoiding AF), then you can lock the mirror and shoot noiselessly.

Olympus E-410 SLR - Live Preview

The Live Preview function is available for shots with both auto focus (AF) and manual focusing (MF), allowing scenes being framed to be viewed directly on the 2.5” 6.4cm HyperCrystal LCD. The AF function is enabled by simply pressing the AEL/AFL button, which prompts the mirror to fold down momentarily and then quickly pop back up again once the AF measurement has been made. The MF option, meanwhile, allows for superior focusing accuracy as images on the LCD can be enlarged by 7x or 10x. It is therefore ideally suited for macro shooting.

--
Vegard
FCAS Member #99
Canon 350D, April 2005; Konica Minolta A2, May 2004
A1/A2 FAQ: http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq

 

[RitterSport]

That's different than the Leica 4/3 camera, then. Just checked with my friend -- he says the mirror flips back and forth in Live View mode, even in manual focus mode.

 

[Vegard]

The Leica/Panasonic you're referring to is a twin of the Oly E-330. The E-410/E-510 (no Pana/Leica twins announced yet) is new, and has implemented a different scheme. Similar to the Canon 1D Mk III, it seems.

--
Vegard
FCAS Member #99
Canon 350D, April 2005; Konica Minolta A2, May 2004
A1/A2 FAQ: http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq

 

[Vegard]

I was too eager here (because I'm looking for the same kind of camera for the same application - concerts).

In Live view you cannot use the viewfinder on the E-510. You have to shoot "at arm's length". I ordinarlily find that pretty silly, and with a long tele more or less absurd. Tripod? Monopod?

--
Vegard
FCAS Member #99
Canon 350D, April 2005; Konica Minolta A2, May 2004
A1/A2 FAQ: http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq

 

[Adam-T]

.........I spotted a BRAND NEW A200 on the shelf in Jessops yesterday !! - it was overpriced but It'll come down eventually..

The A200 is a plastic Crippled A2 with a feeble battery and most of the bugs removed (No 200mm F1.7 P Bug, usable JPG engine, doesn't heat up etc) and a nice ISO50 mode which you can see a difference for noise with... if Jessops have some, I'm sure other places must..

--
Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist

 

[Les Elkins]

Hi folks,

Just a follow-up, yes, I purchased a slightly used A2. (I ended up at about $400 on Ebay. After watching 4-6 auctions close around $400-$425 I did a 'buy it now' at that price and then saw the next A2 close at around $330. Win some, lose some.)

I'm very pleased with it so far. It'll get a lot of use at a relative's wedding in a few weekends. Finding links to Vegard Brenna's writeups on this forum have answered a few questions I had even with the A1 and deepened my understanding of how to get the best out of it. For me an A2 was certainly a better choice than a DSLR (again, for my price tolerance and needs).

Now I just need to find a decent price on a bigger and faster CompactFlash card.....

Thanks for the comments,

-Les Elkins

 

[John_B]

Congrats on gettng your A2!

George posted a couple days ago about a Sandisk 2gb CF card on sale at Staples for $29. That sounds like a super deal. Look for a post originated about 4 days ago that says "Sandisk Extreme Sale".

Have fun shooting with your A2 at the upcoming wedding.

John B.

 

[Gideon01]

It'll get a lot of use at a
relative's wedding in a few weekends.

Congratulations on your new A2!

However... wedding? The A2 is not a good low-light performer. I hope you're planning on an external flash!

As for myself, I would shoot a wedding with the A2 only if it was a second camera at the event. Weddings are DSLR territory.

--
Gideon



PAW - Week 29