Exciting things about the new A230/A330/A350:

- all buttons on the right hand
- n00b explanation mode (might reduce conversation here, though.)
- SAM lenses (Smooth Autofocus Motor)
- SD/SDHC support (meaning you can put your SD Wifi cards)
- HDMI output
- taller flash! No more kit lens shadow

I am quite looking forward to the HVL-F20AM also for my A900.

Anybody have trouble accessing the bigger images? I can't get anything beyond the thumbnails, getting an error instead.

ASAP: The big ring lights can be used for portraits, but the Sony one is a macro ring light.

ASAP, there is a good ring flash adapter at DigitalsMania, Pudu Plaza.

SinnerBuyer: Ooo who's that?

Braynumb, the Sony 55-200mm F4-5.6 DT is a rebadge of the Tamron 55-200mm F4-5.6, with a different coating and circular aperture. (Not sure if the Tamron has circular aperture also.) The Sony has a 55mm filter thread to be consistent with the other Sony lenses while the Tamron has a 52mm filter thread.

I am buying the Sony HVL-F20AM!

The Sony HVL-F20AM can trigger wireless flashes from the A900! REJOICE!

The Nikon SB-400 can't do that.

The Canon 270EX can't do that.

More excitingly, if the F20AM works on the KM5D/KM7D/A100/A200/A300/A350/A230/A330/A380/A700, then you can have a front bounce light (from the F20AM) and a rear hair light (from the F42AM).

alpha_company, the flash ring adapter comes in a few sizes to match camera body height and flash height. You need to get the correct one.

hokc77: Focus speed is made of 2 independent factors:

1) focal length and how bright the lens is; a F1.4 lens will let the camera "recognize" where to focus faster. This is the lag between half-press and the camera actually focusing.

2) focal length, focus throw, focus element weight, focus limiter, motor - after the camera knows where to focus, it then drives to the focus point.

Now, brighter aperture lenses, even if they have internal motors, may be geared slower! The Canon 50mm F1.2 USM and 85mm F1.2 USM for example, are slow focusers (but necessary, it needs the precision.)

You may want to PM macdude and ask him as he shoots sports - he has the Sony 70-200mm F2.8G SSM, Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6G SSM and a Sigma 300mm F4.

creepydslr, the Minolta 28-135mm F4-4.5 is nice but the 1.5 meters MFD is very potong stim lah.

sidewinderz, it is said that Sony has made some changes to the image processing. We don't know until the tests come out. I am glad they changed the interface a fair bit, the A200/A300/A350 was quite "slow-navi" compared to the A700's Quick Navi.

Braynumb, of course the Minolta AF 50mm F1.7 will autofocus with the A200, and any Alpha camera. It has the screw drive across all bodies.

sidewinderz:

From DPReview:


Interesting point though, that they call it "SteadyShot INSIDE" instead of "Super SteadyShot" and there is no mention of Bionz here:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0905/09051804sonyalphas.asp

Anyway Bionz is just a marketing name, they have to call it something instead of "image processor chip".

marushin, you know that I will have a HVL-F20AM TT session to find out!

sidewinderz: Yes, the new flash can do bounce.

20 meters at F1.0 ISO100, unknown zoom. But still I want this for shooting in the club where I'd be at:

17mm F2.8 ISO1600 1/13s

I really don't need all that flash power for short range social events.

marushin: Of course bro! You will be the voice in the video hehe.

Supposing I wanted to shoot bounce flash, at the wide setting, 17mm F4.0 ISO1600 1/15s.

The distance to the ceiling from a seated position is 2 meters (you can test this by focusing using any lens that has a focus scale indicator.)

So, the flash needs to reach 4 meters (2 meters up, 2 meters down.)

Multiply 4 meters by the F number used, in this case F4.0, and you get GN 16 meters at ISO100.

So, the F20AM in such a situation, using TTL, should be firing at 4/5th power (GN16/GN20).

What happens when you increase ISO to 400? The GN doubles. If you increase ISO to 1600 the GN quadruples.

For example ISO400 - the F20AM will fire at 2/5th power (GN16/GN40).
And ISO1600? The F20AM will fire at 1/5th power (GN16/GN80).

So as you can see, for enclosed spaces, the F20AM is enough for anything.

AMAZING!

The SAM 50mm F1.8 DT can focus to at least 34 cm close!

This is a record beater; all other autofocus 50mm lenses which are brighter than F2.0, can only focus to 45cm close!



Also:



Source:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/AA330/AA330A.HTM

This post has been edited by albnok: May 18 2009, 08:59 PM

achew, NIIICE! I like how there's even a reflection of the camera in the lens.

Kul | Mo0: SAM = Smooth Autofocus Motor, not to be confused with SSM (Super Sonic Motor). The new lenses have SAM inside.

Kul | Mo0, go take a good look at the pictures... there is a AF/MF switch on the bodies, which means it still has a in-body motor so all A-mount lenses work with auto-focus.

msiddiq, the SAM feature should be compatible, I imagine it to be like SSM on a budget.

But you know lah, you won't want to use the SAM 50mm F1.8 DT on the A900... the framing lines don't help much.

Kul | Mo0: The AF/MF switch on the lens, is for the lenses with SAM and SSM (SSM lenses also have the switch).

The AF/MF switch on the body, is for lenses without motors inside.

Braynumb, the AF/MF switch just switches between AF and MF LOL.

Whether AF is using SAM, SSM or classic screw drive, is up to the lens.

v1rtual, I have often felt that the 50mm F1.4 (and F1.7) which can only focus to 45cm close, is a bit limiting. 34cm would be a lot more flexible.

The new SAM 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT can focus to 25cm close. This is a lot closer than the SAL 18-70mm F3.5-5.6 DT's 38cm!

achew, it would be very nice if the SAM 50mm F1.8 DT has better bokeh, none of that annoying brightline bokeh in the Sony/Minolta 50mm F1.4/F1.7!

vandechrome: Warn A Brother, LOL!

cjlai: OMG the rare Minolta Macro 1200AF ring flash! This is a ring flash not like Sony's ring light. Great find!

This post has been edited by albnok: May 18 2009, 11:37 PM

lanusb, I do not use a diffuser at all!

I just use the built-in white card of my F58 flash.

You must blend in ambient light though (ISO400 at least) so that you get an even exposure.

Any white card will do, honestly.

alpha_company, do not bother with an ND or CPL filter during weddings, there is no time. Unless the CPL only goes on one lens... but CPLs cannot be used on ultra-wides mind you.

tanjq87, wouldn't be so sure about the new Alphas not being able to trigger off-camera flashes - there's nothing in Sony literature that suggests otherwise, and David Kilpatrick has changed his articles from time to time as more updated information comes in.

From the very day that the F58 was launched:

Only the A700 and A900 can use the F58 on camera to trigger the F42/F58.

Only the A900 can use the F58 on camera to trigger the F42/F58 AND F36/F56.

Too much is not known about the F20AM, let's wait until there is an actual model we can try out. I'm already set on buying one, and we'll have a TT to find out exactly what it can or cannot do.

tanjq87: I don't feel limited by the F58's head and its sensor - as long as light can bounce off the subject, into the sensor, it will trigger!

This post has been edited by albnok: May 19 2009, 02:02 AM

ieR, I have an A900, F58 and F42. The F58 is wasted sitting on camera all the time if I want to trigger the F42... I used to be able to trigger the F42 and F58 with the A700 pop-up flash.

So, with the cheap F20, I can have a front fill light in bounce position, and 2 directional rear lights.

Nikon has a SU-800 which can trigger off-camera flashes... however it sends an infrared signal only, and is not a flash. Or if using the pop-up it cannot bounce. So, the F20 is the first ever compact flash which is also a wireless flash trigger.

tanjq87: The AEL button will send a modelling flash signal. Errr the flash workshop is supposed to teach this LOL. Currently, yes, your pop-up flash will trigger off-camera flashes.

We're trying to interpret Sony UK's specifications here http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/topic46639_pos...816.html#506816 so I'm not so sure if the A230/A330/A380 needs the F20AM to trigger flashes or not.

This post has been edited by albnok: May 19 2009, 02:39 AM