Batmaninkl, you must also bear in mind what the video features are targeted for.

The A33/A55 gives you fast autofocus in video with SteadyShot in all lenses but lacks shutter speed/ISO control in video.

The 550D/60D gives you shutter speed/ISO control in video... but you'd better be good at manual focus as the autofocus in video tak boleh pakai!



That's a video from the 60D with the 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS. The auto-exposure also tak boleh pakai. By comparison the A33/A55 transitions in brightness a lot more smoothly!

Manual focus while following your kid around is tiring!

Generally - the 550D/60D is more suited to the budding filmmaker, while the A33/A55 is more suited to the parent who wants to just film their kids running about.

Mikeshashimi: There were talks about possibly having manual control on the A33/A55 in some of the articles. I don't remember exactly. At the moment you can manually control aperture (but with manual focus.)

Mikeshashimi: If you run it long enough, yes, but I have not personally encountered overheating! Bear in mind that the NEX does not have in-body SteadyShot so it can't be made to overheat faster.

fansoption: The Raynox is a lot better.

Mikeshashimi: Mana ada soft? NEX is sharp for me.

ieR: There are traditionally 3 distances.

1) lens to AF sensor
2) lens to focusing screen
3) lens to sensor/film plane

All three must be exactly the same to ensure accurate focus. The diagram however totally messes up the distances and they don't match. Also, the image will appear upside-down!

electron: Well I have not faced such problems with overheating with the NEX-5 in bright Putrajaya sunlight... and I was walking about taking pictures for 1.5 hours!

mastering89: I like the range of the Tamron 10-24mm F3.5-4.5.

ahpingko: Like Gini #1 - others not so.

Batmaninkl: The 50mm f1.8 can focus much closer than the 50mm F1.4, but neither lens is a macro lens. For true macro lenses (which can magnify to 1:1 magnification) the Sony 30mm F2.8 DT SAM Macro comes in at RM7xx (from the first page of this thread.)

Newbieeeee: The F58 goes for around RM10xx.

Mikeshashimi: Mana ada soft? NEX is sharp for me.

ieR: There are traditionally 3 distances.

1) lens to AF sensor
2) lens to focusing screen
3) lens to sensor/film plane

All three must be exactly the same to ensure accurate focus. The diagram however totally messes up the distances and they don't match. Also, the image will appear upside-down!

electron: Well I have not faced such problems with overheating with the NEX-5 in bright Putrajaya sunlight... and I was walking about taking pictures for 1.5 hours!

mastering89: I like the range of the Tamron 10-24mm F3.5-4.5.

ahpingko: Like Gini #1 - others not so.

Batmaninkl: The 50mm f1.8 can focus much closer than the 50mm F1.4, but neither lens is a macro lens. For true macro lenses (which can magnify to 1:1 magnification) the Sony 30mm F2.8 DT SAM Macro comes in at RM7xx (from the first page of this thread.)

Newbieeeee: The F58 goes for around RM10xx.

terence88: No A33 body only kit. A55 body only got lah.

wingster: I love #2! The groom's expression, the catcher, and the bride! This is a classic in a very old-school street photographer way.

This picture, if cropped wide (crop off a lot of the top) would make a great two-page spread at the end with credits.

The A560/A580 can use contrast detect AF in Focus Check Live View (they renamed it from MF Check Live View).

fatnir: Then tell your friends that a SLR is not professional enough, you need a medium format Hasselblad or a large format Alpa view camera.

SLT gives very fast AF in video. There is no SLR format body that gives fast, smooth AF in video.

electron: Have you experienced the overheat issue yourself on the NEX-3?

evilhomura89: Phase detect is faster because with one look it already knows how far to focus to. However due to phase detect sensors and the main sensor having a variance it may cause backfocus/frontfocus. Contrast detect keeps adjusting focus slowly but is accurate and can happen anywhere on the frame, not just where there is a phase detect sensor.

freaky_deity: Good idea!

Cheaper and better macro? No, not for insects. Anything better is more expensive, and anything cheaper isn't better. The Tamron 90mm F2.8 is popular, but you get a shorter working distance, which means you have to be nearer to the subject at 1:1. This does not help when shooting insects!

Better is the Sigma/Tamron 180mm F3.5 Macro - you can be a lot further from the insect at 1:1, but it is not cheaper!

The cheapest macro is the Sony 30mm F2.8 DT SAM Macro, but this is for closeups of small objects and fine details, not insects, as it gives a normal angle of view. Very suitable for product shots. The Sigma (or Sony) 50mm F2.8 Macro is meant for full-frame due to its angle of view.

The 28-300mm is not a real macro but you can buy it for the range. I would prefer the Sony 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DT.

wingster: The phase-detect AF sensors are in the bottom.

Turn off your camera and remove your lens. Pull up the mirror (it is safe). You will see a tiny mirror - this is the secondary mirror. You will see a cavity at the bottom. This is where the AF unit is.

The metering sensors are in the pentamirror/pentaprism up there.

Only on the A33/A55, the phase detect AF sensors are on top where the focusing screen should be.

electron: Good price!

8tvt:

Rear sync = flash fires at the end of the exposure
Fill flash = flash fires at the start of the exposure

Turn to Shutter Priority, 4 seconds, and try flashing using both modes. You will see the difference as to when the flash fires.

ADI = automatic flash exposure based on subject distance (if the lens knows the subject distance and can tell the camera - with 8 pins)
TTL = automatic flash exposure based on pre-flash
Manual Exposure = you set it yourself from 1/1 to 1/32 power

You can have any combo of the both. Meaning rear sync with ADI, rear sync with TTL, rear sync with manual exposure, fill flash with ADI etc.

cplow1: The wide diffuser panel is used when pointing the flash forwards and using an ultra-wide angle lens.

If you have the F58, there is a white card - this is a bounce card used when pointing the flash upwards. With the bounce card, you won't see shadows under eyes and chins.

Well said ieR!

cplow1: Harshness is due to a small light surface at close range. If you use a higher ISO and wider aperture, you let in more ambient light, making harsh light less obvious.

Also, for shooting telephoto, just go direct. The light would've spread out so much already that any harshness is not obvious.

These are now in stock in Studio Zaloon!

Sony SLT-A55 body only - retail RM2499, street RM23xx
Sony SLT-A55 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM - street RM26xx (only Studio Zaloon offers this package)
Sony SLT-A55 + 50mm F1.8 DT SAM - retail RM2899, street RM26xx
Sony SLT-A55 + 16-105mm F3.5-5.6 DT - retail RM4299, street RM37xx

I am not sure which package includes 8GB (not sure MSPD or SD), vacuum dry box, lens cleaning kit, only from Studio Zaloon. Vacuum dry box limited to 30 units.

zstan: Okay lah it suits the look.

jerrylyh: No lah.

The F42 was the F36 replacement, and it went for the same price.

Whatever this new flash is, it is expected to be the F42 replacement, and should go for the same price.

4 A-mount!

More to come.

eddybeh: I feel you're a bit too close to the model. #1 not quite there. #2 too in; #3 too out, and the cropped hand is quite weird. #4 better with face in one of the squares. #5 framing out. #6 you need to soften it with a reflector on the other side. #9 almost there but not in exact focus.

wingster: No, for multi-segment. That said Alphas have always underexposed so I won't say any one is better (I don't have an A550 so I can't tell you if it underexposes often.)

jerrylyh: Street price in KL is RM800.

Anly: You can buy the Extended Warranty at Studio Zaloon or any dealer. I don't think you can buy a camera and then buy the warranty from another dealer though!

destfull: The A560/A580 won't be able to focus confirm even in manual focus video wor. The A33/A55 can do that.

I shot a gig with the A900 + Opteka 85mm F1.4 and A55 + Zeiss 135mm F1.8. I have no problem with the A55's grip. Then again, my heaviest commonly-used lens is the Zeiss which is under 1 KG.

ieR: Yes, auto-gain in low light for the A55 is amazing! It sees what you cannot see.

A funny side effect of shooting with a dSLR and SLT side-by-side is that when you look through the EVF which has my Vivid setting etc, and I look at the dSLR with OVF, the OVF looks very dull because it's the true, darker tone (with less saturation).

freaky_deity:

The Tamron 90mm F2.8 Macro's MFD is 29cm.

The Sigma 105mm F2.8 Macro's MFD is 31cm.

The Minolta/Sony 100mm F2.8 Macro's MFD is 35cm.

You get to be 6cm further away from the insect, with the Minolta.

Anly: Hmmm if Sony themselves said CAN, then go and do it.

A55 faster, plus it can AF fast in video!

Mikeshashimi: There is already a compilation of all A-mount models:

http://www.mhohner.de/sony-minolta/bodies.php

Yes, only screw-drive lenses can get gear-stripping. This happens to the Sony 18-70mm F3.5-5.6 DT, Tamron 200-400mm F5.6 (mine), Sigmas (a certain few) and even Nikkor lenses!

Newbieeeee: I also have a Sony 18-70mm F3.5-5.6 DT, kindly donated to science (me) to open. I also have a Sigma 17-35mm F2.8-4.0 EX, also gear-stripped, but not opened yet.

wha7ever: Yes!

shootkk: Yes, the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG Macro tends to get gear stripping.

Mikeshashimi: Sony already makes beautiful collages!

http://www.glaringnotebook.com/zimages/a55a3big.jpg

ieR: Always calculate from the US price, not the UK price. The UK gets it a lot more expensive.

ahpingko: Infrared filters can give you 5 second exposures with ISO200!

ahpingko: Well that is one way to get funky color and a very long exposure.

mastering89: It seems you should take a picture outdoors - if you only take pictures indoors, you might get the same coordinates.

8tvt: Seems that way to me.

wingster: I wonder if they still have the scroll inertia bug! (Scroll using the thumb wheel quickly and then stop - it will continue like Wheel Of Fortune.)

lwliam: Funny you should mention that since it is a very worthy add-on on the A55V.

My friend has been trying to sell his Canon 1D MkIII GPS unit with no luck! (Of course, that is a far more expensive unit.)

TrutH_SeeKeR: Nolah we can talk about Alpha NEX here also.

I think the A55 is a fantastic backup to a regular dSLR. Can cari makan with this.

wingster, I actually like having a mode dial which stops instead of letting you keep turning. Works great in the dark for going straight to M (or A, by rolling to M and turning two clicks back.)

I didn't know they added a dial lock. I have to agree it gets annoying.

Mikeshashimi: If the picture is from the same exact URL, the browser only loads it once.

It will not eat 10x the bandwidth even if I post the same picture 10 times!

That is probably not the motive of having people put the images in spoiler tags (to be honest, I don't understand why myself, other than to save people some scrolling.)

limcloon80: Yes, the A33/A55 autofocuses in video with screw-drive lenses.

iamKiet: Like that not considered 'family' lor LOL.

chkhoo76: After 9 minutes with SteadyShot on for the A55. However, I would not shoot anything for 9 minutes. Also you can cool it down by folding the LCD outwards, and dismounting the lens to allow heat to escape.

The A560/A580 is manual focus in video. It also will not confirm focus (the A33/A55 will confirm focus when you manual focus WHILE recording video, very cool!)

zstan, great shot of the baby!

robb234: Best thing to do is call them to register.

Well then TrutH_SeeKeR, NIIICE!

evilhomura89: Having had OVF dSLRs for 4 years now, I quite like the A55 EVF. When I go back to OVFs I find that real life looks dull instead of Vivid. Plus it looks darker if you're in the dark on an OVF.

You know how it is when you shoot in really dark places and you see the picture and go "wow so bright and colorful?" You get that all the time in the EVF.

Mikeshashimi: I like #2. #4 looks like you took the wrong color channel to make a black-and-white from.

zstan: Nice! (Of course, you could clone out the light flare on the left.)

TrutH_SeeKeR: Shoot JPG lor. :/ I shoot JPG+RAW (cRAW on the A900) now. Download the latest Adobe Camera Raw 6.2 - it should allow you to open A55 files.

amadeo:

Can you post this to the street price list:

Sony SLT-A33 + Sony 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM - RM21xx
Sony SLT-A55 + 8GB Memory Stick Pro Duo HX = RM21xx
Sony NP-FW50 for NEX-3/NEX-5/A33/A55 = RM2xx

mintii: Nice #1!

freddy manson: Am loving the bridge, but better cropped into a panorama.

ahpingko: Wah #1 now that's something I haven't seen before! How did you get the guinea pig to pose?

Mikeshashimi: Yes the styles are corrupted - our Site Admin maza is figuring it out.

fansoption: Even if it is not HDR, it looks perfectly exposed.

gjtan: Maybe you could call the girl in #2 to look towards you? This side shot not so 'immersive'.

zstan: If a HDR shot has noise, it is lack of knowledge on the photographer's part. He/she needs to expose one more +2 EV shot to be used as the shadows.

e-jump: LOL #3! I would get a tighter shot of the bride and groom's seats. The shots are a bit busy.

zstan: Nice sexy back shot (though a bit underexposed.)

cjlai: Having a bit of difficulty figuring out if I've seen those pictures from you before. They look kinda the same. I remember commenting about the flourescent green-ness.

ahpingko: LOL! #2 best.

mastering89: You wait aaa we're fixing it!

craziqbal: Sweet! I still need to find somebody with one of these SDXC cards to do a side-by-side comparison with my 8GB MSPD HX (you can do it too!)

Set to 10 FPS, fire away until it stops, then see how long it takes to recover.

Ranceed: Thanks for the price check, added to this big list below:

amadeo:

Alpha street pricelist ***updated 11th October 2010***

Camera
---------
Sony A230 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM = RM14xx
Sony A290 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM = RM14xx
Sony A330 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM = RM18xx
Sony A380 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM = RM20xx
Sony A380 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM + 55-200mm F4-5.6 DT SAM = RM24xx
Sony A390 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM = RM17xx
Sony A33 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM = RM21xx
Sony A33 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM + 55-200mm F4-5.6 DT SAM = RM23xx
Sony A500 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM + 55-200mm F4-5.6 DT SAM = RM31xx
Sony A550 body only = RM21xx
Sony A550 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM = RM24xx
Sony A550 + 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DT = RM40xx
Sony A55 body only + 8GB MSPD HX = RM21xx
Sony A55 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM = RM25xx
Sony A55 + 50mm F1.8 DT SAM = RM26xx (Studio Zaloon)
Sony A55 + 16-105mm F3.5-5.6 DT = RM37xx (Studio Zaloon)
Sony A700 + 18-70mm F3.5-5.6 DT = RM33xx
Sony A850 body only = RM61xx
Sony A900 body only = RM73xx (Studio Zaloon)
Sony NEX-3 + 16mm F2.8 = RM16xx
Sony NEX-3 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS = RM18xx
Sony NEX-3 + 16mm F2.8 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS = RM22xx
Sony NEX-5 + 16mm F2.8 = RM21xx
Sony NEX-5 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS = RM22xx
Sony NEX-5 + 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS + 4GB MSPD = RM23xx
Sony NEX-5 + 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 Active OSS + 8GB MSPD + LCD protector = RM32xx

The following suffixes identify what lens comes with the camera body:

G = Sony 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DT
K = Sony 18-70mm F3.5-5.6 DT
L = Sony 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM
P = Sony 16-105mm F3.5-5.6 DT
Q = Sony 28-75mm F2.8 SAM
W = Sony 18-70mm F3.5-5.6 DT + Sony 75-300mm F4.5-5.6
X = Sony 18-70mm F3.5-5.6 DT + Sony 55-200mm F4-5.6 DT
Y = Sony 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM + Sony 55-200mm F4-5.6 DT (2) SAM
Z = Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 DT ZA

For Sony NEX bodies:

A = Sony E 16mm F2.8 pancake
D = Sony E 16mm F2.8 pancake + Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS
H = Sony E 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 Active OSS
K = Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS

Battery Grip
---------------
Sony VG-B30AM for A200/A300/A350 = RM6xx
Sony VG-B50AM for A450/A500/A550/A560/A580 = RM6xx
Sony VG-C70AM for A700 = RM9xx
Sony VG-C90AM for A850/A900 = RM9xx


Battery
----------
Sony NP-FH50 battery for A230/A290/A330/A380/A390 = RM2xx
Sony NP-FW50 battery for NEX-3/NEX-5/A33/A55 = RM2xx
Sony NP-FM500H battery for A100/A200/A300/A350/A450/A500/A550/A560/A580/A700/A850/A900 = RM2xx

Flash
------
Sony HVL-F20AM = RM4xx
Sony HVL-F42AM = RM7xx
Sony HVL-F58AM = RM11xx

Sony/Minolta Used Lenses
------------------------------
Minolta 28mm F2.8 = RM450-600
Minolta 35-70 F4 (mini beercan) = RM250-400
Minolta 50mm F1.4 = RM750-850
Minolta 50mm F1.7 = RM450-600
Sony 55-200mm F4-5.6 DT = RM450-550
Minolta 70-210mm F4 (beercan) = RM750-1100
Minolta 75-300mm F4.5-5.6 (big beercan) = RM1000-1500
Sony 75-300mm F4.5-5.6 = RM450-550

New APS-C / DT Crop Lenses
-------------------------------

Sony 11-18mm F4.5-5.6 DT = RM20xx
Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 DT ZA = RM25xx
Sony 16-105mm F3.5-5.6 DT = RM16xx
Sony 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DT = RM16xx
Sony 30mm F2.8 DT SAM Macro = RM7xx
Sony 50mm F1.8 DT SAM = RM5xx
Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Macro = RM30xx
Sony E 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 Active OSS = RM21xx

New Full-Frame Lenses
---------------------------

Sony 16mm F2.8 Diagonal Fisheye = RM25xx
Sony 20mm F2.8 = RM19xx
Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 16-35mm F2.8 SSM ZA = RM54xx
Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm F2.8 SSM ZA = RM54xx
Sony 24-105mm F3.5-4.5 = RM18xx
Sony 28mm F2.8 = RM8xx
Sony 28-75mm F2.8 SAM = RM26xx
Sony 35mm F1.4G = RM45xx
Sony 50mm F1.4 = RM10xx
Sony 50mm F2.8 Macro = RM14xx
Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 Macro = RM30xx
Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG HSM Macro = RM38xx
Sony 70-200mm F2.8G SSM = RM54xx
Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6G SSM = RM25xx
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6G SSM = RM54xx
Sony Carl Zeiss Planar T* 85mm F1.4 ZA = RM50xx
Sony 100mm F2.8 Macro = RM23xx
Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm F1.8 ZA = RM48xx
Sony 135mm F2.8/T4.5 Smooth Transition Focus = RM36xx
Sony 500mm F8.0 AF Reflex = RM25xx
Sony 300mm F2.8G SSM = RM20xxx
Sony 1.4x Teleconverter = RM15xx
Sony 2.0x Teleconverter = RM15xx
Sony LA-EA1 lens adapter = RM5xx
Sony VCL-ECF1 fisheye adapter = RM3xx