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So, I'm Really liking the sony a99
Being pretty invested in the canon area / 5d mkii , just adoring the color depth / dynamic range this sony a99 spits out. unedited - camera jpg - only resized, no touch up. a99 / sigma 15mm fisheye 2.8 I was really surprised how sharp the skin on my hand was when I used this lens with the camera.  a99 50mm 1.4 from sony - rooster was nice enough to llama for me ' !    ---- from about 2 days before - did edit the raw, but barely just resize , and a change of a color profile'{ bridge}  the main reason I chose this to compliment my 5d mkii , was that it brings in a different "life" in a photo, at times when I was deciding on this camera was how "medium format" the pictures look to me' Jan 13 13 12:09 am Link Yes, it's an excellent camera. I have one. Jan 13 13 06:05 am Link I've not used one but the whole concept seems like an odd one, you still get most of the disadvantages of a slr and have to have an EVF. With on-chip phase detect af in some of sony and now fuji's cameras I can see the translucent mirror tech being replaced soon. Jan 13 13 08:34 am Link liddellphoto wrote: I actually dig the EVF. I know it sounds silly, but I like the face detection feature for this style of mirrorless camera for focusing, and it works in the viewfinder on these cameras (rather then just in live view). I'm just not a fan of liveview on the rear screen, except for product shoots. Jan 13 13 08:43 am Link liddellphoto wrote: I think you need to think outside of your normal box. when you write things like "have to have an EVF" it makes it seem a hardship. it isnt. In many cases having an OVF is a hardship but no one ever mentions it because we all got used to them. Once they use an EVF for a few days it becomes difficult to go back to an OVF because the limitations just hurt too much. No system is perfect, of course. Jan 13 13 08:44 am Link AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: Technique advantages (I could praise how great it looks looking but that's overdone) Jan 13 13 09:54 am Link Can you take some pictures of people..next time? Jan 13 13 09:57 am Link Illuminate wrote: Will do Jan 13 13 10:54 am Link There's a rumor that Sony will no longer use the mirror. It'll be an evf camera. I like the slt cameras, but to me it seem pointless having that semi transparent mirror there. On the ovf, the purpose of the mirror was for the photographer to see what he's shooting. I can use both ovf and evf. But I do like the evf technology. Especially the wysiwyg in the slt cameras. Jan 13 13 11:19 am Link AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: Indeed it is all personal, some people are ok with the current DR/res/refresh of EVFs but I feel they are still lacking in comparison to an OVF because I feel disconnected with the world when I look through them. Like you say there are many potential benefits to them though: focus peaking/false colour, live histograms, bright image in low light, larger size, but with current tech I and probably most others would take an OVF. My favourite viewfinder is the fuji hybrid, you get an OVF but with overlays. Jan 13 13 01:56 pm Link liddellphoto wrote: Most others or many? No one knows what the masses prefer. Speaking for myself, I don't mind the evf due to it being able to see in the dark unlike an ovf. There are other things that I like about the evf on the Sony. But overall, what I like are the dynamic range, accurate color, resolution, low noise in the high iso, full frame and several other non evf related things. Jan 13 13 04:32 pm Link I've had the a77 with an EVF for over a year now, and the only thing I can say is I am completely unaware of it when I am shooting. As a matter of fact, when shooting in very low light (weddings, etc) is the only time I do become aware of it, because it gains up and makes things easier to see and compose a shot. Yes, the image in the EVF becomes grainy, but I'll take grainy over not being able to see what I am shooting. My a700 had a wonderful OVF (not as good as the a900/5d Mkii, etc), but I actually do prefer the EVF after shooting with it for so long. Looking forward to picking up the a99 soon. Jan 13 13 07:47 pm Link I replaced my Sony A850 with the A99, and then got a 2nd body on sale. This did not happen when I got the A77. I kind of miss the 850 but when I am totally honest would I rather takes the 850 or 99 my answer 90% of the time would be the A99. The EVF has some great benefits but it is just a tool. I shoot Ice hockey and shoot both the ICE and crowd. The setting could not be more different having the EVF I know right away if I have the wrong settings 1/800s instead of 160. In the breaks I shoot with the preview of and Flash in full manual mode. If three was 1 thing to complain on the A99 I would moan about the ISO flash. I really liked the Minolta design more. It has never failed me in over 20 years and with the ISO I have had a few failed flash because in the crowd the flash got a strong knock. I can live with that. The raw pictures are just so forgiving. I shot on Sunday morning a local soccer game inside at 2,500ISO and the files looked kinf of ok with a little help of Cspture pro and they look stunning (if only there was someting interesting in the framr) Jan 14 13 07:51 am Link Armando D Photography wrote: Try setting the DRO to level one (or three) and see the added differences and smooth noiseless shadow details. Jan 14 13 08:39 am Link ArtisticGlamour wrote: cool will give it a go Jan 14 13 08:57 am Link Armando D Photography wrote: You will love the noiseless details and smooth shadow transitions the DRO brings out of the shadows! (Jpegs) Jan 14 13 08:58 am Link Bump. Jan 16 13 07:32 am Link Armando D Photography wrote: Armando, are you shooting RAW and converting or using the in-camera Jpegs? Try this same shot with the DRO set to level 3...and check out the face/shadows. Jan 16 13 03:34 pm Link I love my A99. It will get its first outing in the snow this weekend :-) Jan 16 13 07:13 pm Link I recently upgraded to the A99 and picked up some new glass to match. I killed a couple of hours today at a nearby botanical garden, shooting exclusively with the manual Sony 135mm 2.8 [T4.5] STF lens. Focus peaking helps so much, plus the zoom magnifier, that I found myself being more calculating with my shots. I'm still getting used to the camera overall, but I'm liking it thus far. Sunday will be my first chance to use it with models. Jan 16 13 09:17 pm Link Wow! The 135 STF RuleZ!! Best bokeh of the universe  Guys I want to see your A99 photos!!! BTW, chickens are good for pest control not only as models... Jan 17 13 05:05 pm Link I haven't used a Sony dslr, but I'm really tempted to get one for the in-camera stabilization. How does that work for you guys (especially compared to lens stabilization)? Jan 17 13 07:16 pm Link Jody Hess wrote: you cant really make a comparison. bottom line they both work and work well. you get a few extra stops. you dont get 4 or 5 like some of the vendors claim. but 2-3 is easy. there are all sorts of theoretical treatises floating around in support of one or the other. there are all sorts of cost comparisons. but no one has done a reliable test comparing the two. For me and my shaky hands, in-body stabilization was a must to start out. I can't imagine having to think and pick and choose when swapping lenses. But the people VR/IS/etc cant imagine having a single point of failure with in body SSS. Jan 17 13 09:02 pm Link Jody Hess wrote: Works Excellent! And it works on all the old Minolta ($50/Thrift shop) lenses. Jan 17 13 09:10 pm Link It would be nice if this was posted in the critique forum to give feedback on your samples.. ~ MR Jan 17 13 09:15 pm Link Images by MR wrote: I don't think he was putting them out there for artistic critique. Although I am curious if the Chicken felt it needed an escort, and is it clucking already for it's TF* images? Jan 17 13 09:18 pm Link Images by MR wrote: you feel a need to critique? This is a thread about a particular camera, not an invitation to join camera wars. More important, I question why you feel a need to critique. The OP clearly didn't ask for a critique on either their skills as a photographer or the results they achieved. the were merely expression their view (as a Canon FF shooter) about the Sony. Ssuggesting a critique any time its not requested is just plain insulting. with the amount of posts you have on here you should know better by now, no? Or are you a Nikon shooter ? Jan 18 13 12:50 pm Link I was glad to see this. I shoot with the A65 above water and The A55 underwater (In an Ikelite housing) Love the high speed and low light abilities. I was afraid to go look at the A99 because I knew I would want one. Now you guys got me going to look at one tomorrow. Jan 18 13 03:51 pm Link Just curious? I don't like flash. So I bought three of these because they use the same battery as my A65. Love them! Any body else tried them http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/8 … Video.html Jan 18 13 03:56 pm Link Images by MR wrote: AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: Not sure how suggesting it would be nice if this was posted in the critique forum where we're able to give simple feedback on the photos posted is insulting... nor do I understand what it has to do with the number of posts I've made or the camera I use. Jan 19 13 05:01 pm Link Images by MR wrote: Images by MR wrote: Not sure how suggesting it would be nice if this was posted in the critique forum where we're able to give simple feedback on the photos posted is insulting... nor do I understand what it has to do with the number of posts I've made or the camera I use. OK I'll be more blunt. With the number of posts you have, you should know the rules by now. Since you suggested it go in critique it means you know the rules. so you have both experience of knowledge of how things work. there fore...you can't claim mistake. Knowing the rules means you know you can't critique here. So suggesting they post somewhere means you know the rules and wanna get around them because...you wanna critique. You are essentially saying "I dare you to post it there". that's fkn insulting. Had the OP wanted critique of the images they would have posted there. And I just checked. you are a Nikon shooter. that makes your post a stupid Nikon troll instead of a contribution to the photography forum. have I been more clear or are you still not sure? Jan 19 13 05:09 pm Link AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: Dude! How's Law School going!? Jan 19 13 06:44 pm Link It's your money, if you want a Sony, go ahead! Jan 19 13 06:50 pm Link SONY! Best "bang for the buck" out there!  And super reliable from my experience. Cold or Hot, wet or dusty.Jan 19 13 06:53 pm Link ArtisticGlamour wrote: law school was last school year. This past term I passed the bar. As soon as I get a job I become a weekend shooter and no longer a professional. and speaking of bars...that beer looks perfect for tonight Jan 19 13 06:53 pm Link Moosehead...the good stuff. From an Alaskan (at heart!) to a Canadian...Congrats!Jan 19 13 06:57 pm Link ArtisticGlamour wrote: Let's not forget the A900 and how piss poor it's low light was compare to the same dressed up Nikon as you put it. Sony may make a good sensor but it's way more involved to make a good camera and system. Jan 19 13 07:02 pm Link Not familiar with the a900's sensor...what Nikon did it share with? (model? year?). Admittedly, my a350 was the worst camera on the market for shadow/low light noise...So, I totally agree that Sony had some issues with the older cameras and noise at anything over ISO 400. But my move to the a55 solved that issue (pretty much as good as the D7000, I understand from tests and reviews I've read/compared). And I'm very happy with the a77. I understand the a99 is even better. I think Sony got enough shit about (raw) NOISE at the beginning, that they actually reacted well in the last few releases. Their firmware is now pretty Excellent. I think they are moving in the right direction, and I share your concerns about Camera support. For example...WTF is the 36mpix sensor!? F#@king Sony marketing! Good dependable electronic product though, and great bang for the buck. My Sony has banged away in cold weather when all the others were having battery or LCD issues and running for the warm Van! And now they have good glass too! Hard to beat...all around. Jan 19 13 07:07 pm Link AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: Yup I'm busted.... Jan 19 13 07:55 pm Link ArtisticGlamour wrote: Thanks for the info. Dumping my nikon gear & heading to the sony store in the morning.... Jan 19 13 07:59 pm Link |
)...I think the current Sony EVF (from the translucent mirror) is the best thing going (for those folks that still have to have a viewfinder). 
