creepy : The A850 has the same IQ as the A900. It's basically the A900 with the following differences :

- 3fps instead of 5fps
- 98% viewfinder instead of 100%

All other specs are identical. Twin Bionz and all... thus noise control also same.

The FF offer a narrower DOF compared to APS-C. Sometimes I feel like the lens have back focus at brighter apertures but it may very well be a case of me not used to the thinner DOF as I have tested and some shots came out ok and some seems like OOF.

uncle ian : Ya. The A850 also have micro adjustment for Sony and KM lenses. I have tried it but I feel it's not really a back focus issue. It's probably me.. LOL...

Yes it's Multi-Coated only, not a UV filter. Though digital sensors are not sensitive to UV at all so it does not need a UV filter, just a MC filter.

Uncle Ian : You forgot ady kah? Uncle Albert almost never cleans his lenses... you're the one wiping away on his lenses back then when we go TT.... LOL

That certain haze is on film LOL. Unless of course, you can see it in real life on digital shots...

My filters are all different sizes - Carl Zeiss T* MC filter, 49mm for Minolta 50mm F1.4. Easily cleaned. Surface area much smaller, does not tend to get smudged.

Brass B+W 010 Clear MRC filter, 77mm for Carl Zeiss 135mm F1.8. Very easily cleaned but due to large surface area it tends to get smudged a bit more.

Kenko UV MC filter, 82mm for Sigma 17-35mm F2.8-4 EX. Smudges quickly due to large surface area and my tendency to touch the filter when mounting/dismounting the lens.

Hoya Pro1D UV filter, 55mm for Minolta 70-210mm F4 beercan. Doesn't smudge much but then it's probably due to large gripping area of beercan and small filter size.

Hoya Pro1D UV filter, 62mm for Minolta 24-105mm F3.5-4.5(D). Same as beercan, not much smudging happens due to smaller size of filter.

Then how come my Carl Zeiss T* 55mm MC filter is so hard to clean?
If i use shirt, it smudges around.
But use lenspen is not a problem though.

Technically it is true that any filter will affect the IQ. You've just put another piece of glass in front of your lens. It will affect the light coming in to some degree, thus affecting the IQ. But that said, can we really tell the difference by just looking at the output picture is another thing.

albert, some correction for ur gif link..

Hi guys, i'm new to DSLR world and I just got myself a used Sony Alpha A100 as my first beginner camera.

I found that this camera is quite easy to use and I wanna drop by here to ask one simple n00b question, without buying an expensive macro lens, what's the best solution for me to take a close photo?

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=627712
is it this one?
thanks to forumer kclee2002 who told me about it, but i no know hwo to use it, is it difficult? the stock kit lens with this Raynox things attached can take macro pics nicely?
I need macro for hardwares review purposes
yo uncle ianho
those cheapo one can use ah?
how about the Raynox that i show above there?

a filter is adding one element to the lens, IQ wise, it will give a softer corner. and maybe a little distrotion on short zoom.

there is a reason why raynox became the best selling and highly recommended marco adapter. due to it's 3 element(3 glasses!) adapter which will have a decent overall IQ, and no distrotion and sharp corner.

For Interior/wedding shooting.. it is omost necessary to have a flash.. because u will find that u will b lacking of lights for interior most of the time.. & therefore.. resulting in either "motion blur photos" or "High Noise photos" . If u do more of outdoor shooting then mayb not as important (but then U"LL still need it! for certain shots)

Sooner or later.. u'll hv to own one to satisfy ur photography need .. perhaps other sifus can explain better than i could..
Great! Omost 20 ppl !!

Hahaha.. yeah i know.. it will be a very weird case to use the 70-200 to shoot food~! I think the 50mm + Tamron (a good copy) should serve me well enough for shooting food n under the low lights... wont be expecting anything more...

The 70-200mm seems to be a huge investment... it is like made ONLY for PRO Usage... For events, Wedding Potrait, F1, Football, Catwalk... Feel like if i get the lens but then din try to venture into doing such events shooting is like a waste (Too much for a hobbist).... Any1 using this lens to go travelling??? wat i have in mind is doing candid shots of ppl lifestyle in other countries like thailand, cambodia, india, japan, if i hv the chance to travel. dreaming

70200 is nvr meant to be a travel lens..LOL...

What do you want improved on the alphas? What do you want to be added in future alphas? Head over to alphanatics to list them down for us to submit to Sony Japan!

http://www.alphanatics.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11631

good morning everyone 

this one good 

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Added on October 18, 2009, 7:42 am

and these too:

6. 1080P @60FPS HD video mode / Dolby 5.1 (New feaure - one shot pawn all C & N in video mode)
7. Release SAL 16-250 F2.8 APS-C Body (New lens)
8. Re-batch F42AM & F58AM & future flash guns with using Li-Ion battery (using AA, everyone tak pakai Sony NiCd pun - so win win)
9. Trade-in used lenses/flash programe (New marketing strategy - value average by item aging)
10. Provide reasonable service/spare part (flash bulb, hot shoe, etc)

and please tell Sony if Sony eagle want be No.1 Leader/Taikoh in DSLR and absorb the big market segment, they must manufacture well know product (eg: iCore5) with affordable price to compete and lead Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Oylmpus, like what Intel did to AMD  (Desktop CPU) or what AMD ATI (fastest card) did to NVidia (GTS) in Graphic world.

Haha, otherwise Sony can continue their current business practice to loosing Billion Yen $$ every year they report alhough have great produce like PS3 

carry too far, back to topic, good luck to alphanatics 

but as long as the lenses can satisfy my (our) needs..y i see y we need other people jump ship to sony..unless u mean that more user = more profit = better development 
but i do love the canon range of lenses..but even with vendor price..i couldnt really affort those lens like 200mm F2.. =(

uncle ho: i dun see y canon pro need to jump if sony can offers the same lens range unless canon is missing something sony has to offer?

sony sold carl zeiss to canon