I've updated the front page regarding the A77 and wireless flash.

8tvt: Yes it is written on the package.

There is also a Sandisk Class 10 30MB/s but you don't want that for the A77.

e-jump: Nice! Love how the reflection is blurred out.

fansoption: Nice! It almost looks like a texture.

Newbieeeeee:

PDAF = faster because it knows exactly where to go once it has looked once
CDAF = slower because it keeps adjusting and checking

By nature the PDAF sensors are getting light that passes through the main mirror, reflects off the secondary mirror, into the AF chamber. The distance from the lens to the PDAF sensors should be the same as the distance of the lens to the sensor.

If not, you get a backfocusing/frontfocusing camera!

PDAF on sensor (which the Nikon V1/J1 supposedly has, but where are the tech documents?) solves this. Since there are no TWO distances, there is no misfocus from calibration error.

CDAF, because everything happens on the main sensor, does not have backfocusing/frontfocusing issues.

The A560/A580 uses PDAF in Quick AF Live View, and allows you to choose between PDAF and CDAF in Focus Check Live View.

This post has been edited by albnok: Oct 18 2011, 03:37 AM

Shot with the A900...


...and the Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 24mm F2.0 ZA SSM...


...to make for shallow depth of field at wide-angle macro distances.

e-jump: You can't get any wider than the Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM II.

zstan: LOL this was the best part:



Though I don't find much truth in that Local AF changes to Spot Meter - I certainly am not experiencing that!

This post has been edited by albnok: Oct 18 2011, 12:53 PM

mastering89: Got neX what.

What David Kilpatrick is saying is that AF point automatically spot meters - I certainly am not experiencing it on one of these:

Meet my new 24 megapixel camera, shot by my old 24 megapixel camera through... you guessed it... a Sony Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 24mm F2.0 ZA SSM lens!


Like my old 24 megapixel camera, it has a top LCD display (which I still don't find a need for.)


However, this new 24 megapixel camera has a pop-up flash, and can trigger Sony wireless flashes!


Its screen can also flip out...


...and wave at you from the side! Heck you can even have it face the subject, or sometimes yourself, in case you'd like to camwhore.


In case you forgot where you took the picture, the built-in GPS unit will tell you.


This is, of course, none other than the Sony Alpha SLT-A77! This has a whopping 12 frames per second of APS-C goodness, the highest-pixel-density APS-C camera ever.


Size comparison to my Sony SLT-A55 and Sony DSLR-A900 (the old 24 megapixel camera.)

So how is it?

My A77 came out of the box with firmware v1.03.

Somehow I get the feeling that it's not comfortable getting tested with my Sandisk Extreme Pro UHS-1 45MB/s card - it occasionally kicks up the "writing to card error - cancel/retry?" message. I let it run through the process, which I presume 'undeletes' files, and may possibly wipe files from other cameras i.e. my previous A55 pictures. After that it didn't happen again, but then I didn't do burst-mode testing with RAW again. The writing speeds after bursts are not consistent (they were, on the Memory Stick Pro Duo HG 30MB/s with the A55).

In general yes, it does seem a bit sluggish in certain screens, enough that Sony should be doing something about it right now.

So, how does it perform with the Sandisk Extreme Pro UHS-1 45MB/s card?

Rough testing with 12 FPS mode; I held down the shutter until it slowed down and I stopped pressing the shutter.
RAW+JPG = 11 shots before slowdown, 9 seconds (from release) before black screen clears, 16 seconds (from release) before red light clears. About 0.7 FPS if you continue holding down the shutter when it slows down.
24 megapixel Extra Fine JPG = 12 shots before slowdown, 7 seconds (from release) before black screen clears, 11 seconds (from release) before red light clears. About 1.3 FPS if you continue holding down the shutter when it slows down.
24 megapixel Standard JPG = 13 shots before slowdown, 5 seconds (from release) before black screen clears, 6 seconds (from release) before red light clears. About 3 FPS if you continue holding down the shutter when it slows down.
6 megapixel Standard JPG = 13 shots before slowdown, 2 seconds (from release) before black screen clears, 4 seconds (from release) before red light clears. About 4-5 FPS if you continue holding down the shutter when it slows down.

Note that there is a variance where the black screen and red light may clear faster, or occasionally slower. Also, you are able to half-press to kill the black screen and resume shooting (usually) unlike how it was on the A55.

If you continue holding down the shutter, the FPS slows down or speeds up sometimes.

I also tried using the RMT-DSLR1 remote to trigger all three cameras with a flash in manual power mounted - the A900 fired first, followed by the A77, and the A55. So there is still a bit of flash delay, but not as bad as the A55. I haven't done meticulous testing for this, but if the delay isn't causing me to lose photos, I'd just leave it at that.


Picture of the A77 with F58 mounted in CTRL/CTRL2 mode, triggering the F43 and F56, not possible previously on a 7-series body!

As a crazy bonus, it seems that the camera totally supports wireless flash using the F20 on body, the F43/F58 in CTRL/CTRL2 mode to trigger an F56, which was only possible on the A850 and A900 before this!

jimlim007: Disagree.

Being there with your camera helps you 100% to get success in shot.

Newbieeeeee: Well, a true professional would use their professional camera for years instead of following the upgrade paths meant for gearheads. When you see someone with a bandaged 20D or D200, you know they are real veterans.

Come to think of it, in 6 days, my A900 will be 3 years old. It is, still, right now, the best ISO Sony Alpha there is, according to DxOMark. Remember that ISO is not just about how 'clean' an image looks, but also how well the colors and dynamic range is preserved, and that explains why the D700 only gets 2/3rds of a stop higher.

zstan: Of course it can continuously auto-focus in speed priority. That was the point. The A550 however cannot, in 7 FPS mode.

chiahau: No - the A55 can continuously AF in 10 FPS mode.

chiahau: I only have 1 135mm. The other one was bought for a friend.

Yes, the A550, and the A580, have the same 7 FPS Speed Priority without AF-C. This is due to the SLR design.

The A55 introduced 10 FPS Speed Priority with AF-C. This is possible with the SLT design.

Zicron: That's why I bought a 1+2 year warranty, seeing how much parts cost when replaced under warranty! You can ask to see what was replaced, and how much they would've cost you if not under warranty.

lwliam: RM220 for 1+2 years.

e-jump: Eh, I didn't know it wasn't available for A-mount!

fansoption: WB too warm? Not very interesting shots this time.

Wonka: Wah first time I've seen Danbo as bokeh.

From my 135.

8tvt: Minolta used to make cheap kit lenses and various digicams in Malaysia. This carried over to Sony. The early 18-70mm lenses were made in Malaysia as I remember.

That said, there was some 'escaped stock' so I don't know if this was a factor in moving to Thailand.

Zicron: I think I know whose lens that is. Though I don't like the focal length on APS-C.

shootkk: Well trolled!



This post has been edited by albnok: Oct 21 2011, 02:54 AM

NutZ748: A shop in BB Plaza. I saw the A65 boxes.

Guys before you flame jimlim007, have you made your rounds in Bukit Bintang? I can find the A77 body only for RM37xx quite openly. The RM38xx on the first page is a pessimistic figure.

jimlim007: What hands-on experience you want? I own a 24mm F2.0. I didn't just borrow it. Here's what I wrote about it when I first got it:



http://www.glaringnotebook.com/default.asp?id=1477

fas29: Nice, ada style!

This post has been edited by albnok: Oct 22 2011, 04:17 PM

zstan: Where did he say that? There are some traditional names but Zeiss themselves ignore that. I don't know why the 85mm F1.4 ZA is a Planar instead of a Sonnar, for example, when Sonnar is supposed to be bright.

Newbieeeeee: Shouldn't be - ADI is better for reflective surfaces since it follows focus distance.

However ADI will be disabled when using bounce flash, wireless flash or a lens without distance encoders (5-pin lenses). This is because distance information is no longer accurate.

Also, if you use a filter that reduces light through the lens or flash, you will need to compensate.

gjtan: Weird crop.

jimlim007: Weird. I tried my NEX-5 with LA-EA1 with:

- Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG
- Sigma 17-35mm F2.8-4.0 EX
- Sigma 70-210mm F4.0-5.6
- Tamron 200-400mm F5.6

All of them have proper EXIF inside. Of course no SteadyShot or AF lah.

Newbieeeeee: Show us a picture with EXIF? What lens are you using?

When using bounce, ADI and TTL should have the same result, because it is using TTL, not ADI.

Newbieeeeee: Just checking - the flash that is mounted is your F42? It shouldn't underexpose so much in ADI.

fansoption: Show us bigger flowers! Wow the Nanoha Macro looks very interesting especially with the built-in LED illumination.

NutZ748: Yes the A77 lets you quickly choose AF points with its joystick.

razuryza: What he means is that you need to press the AF point selector button first before being able to select. On the A100/A200/A300/A350/A450/A500/A550/A560/A580/A700/A77/A850/A900 you can press left/right/up/down on the D-pad or joystick to immediately change AF point, without having to press anything. Pressing the AF button in the middle of the D-pad or joystick resets to the center point.

This post has been edited by albnok: Oct 24 2011, 11:57 AM

Aiyo.

I did state that when using anything that reduces light on the flash or through the lens, you need to compensate, when using ADI.

The manual for the Stofen would usually tell you how much +EV to add.

However, the Stofen is meant to be used at a 45 degree angle...

Sony did make LCD screens for at least the Canon EOS 300D, and CCD sensors for their compacts. I do not know if this is still true.


Disassembled 300D.

Newbieeeeee:

ADI knows what power to use based on the lens distance. So for something that is 5.25 meters away with ISO400 105mm zoom, it knows to use 1/32 power for the F42.

However, if you put a ND filter, a diffuser, or anything that can reduce the light bouncing from flash to lens, the ADI calculation is no longer accurate. You'll need to compensate as per the instructions - for example, a red filter may have instructions to compensate +1 EV. It's on the instructions that come with the filter/diffuser.

I say EV, not Flash EV, for simplicity, since on most Alphas, setting +1 EV also sets +1 Flash EV. There is an option on some to set "exposure sets ambient only" instead of "exposure sets ambient + flash".

You're not supposed to use these diffusers in a direct flash way - read the instructions.

Newbieeeeee: Chromatic noise reduction.

Nikon has a different color output from the same sensor. Color information is lost at higher ISOs to give the illusion of cleaner pictures. Also, you have less distinct color tones in an image, especially noticeable in greens and skintones.

ieR: Nice writeup!

brianlzf: I've seen the A65 in a dealer shop - not a Sony Style, not a Sony Center.

0168257061: Wah! I didn't know the 55-200mm was a full-frame lens. How odd considering the focal length is meant to be like the classic 70-300mm in full-frame range.

zstan: Let's not forget their brightest stabilized lens - the Canon 200mm F2.0 L IS USM.