Calling all Sony Alpha users! (Part 5)

puddleduck said:
I'm pretty sure that won't fit.

You could probably use a Kenko, or better still a Sigma TC.

I tested a Sigma 100-300 f/4 against your old Sony 70-400 and at 300mm the Sony absolutely smoked the Sigma ;)

Sigma 100-300mm:

Sony 70-400 SSM:

So too be honest I don't think you'll like the Sigma if you are used to the 70-400 SSM. I've tested a number of lenses inc. Sony 70-300 SSM, Sigma 100-300 and Sigma 50-500mm and your old Sony 70-400 SSM smokes 'em all :)
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Cheers andy.I was counting on the Sony TC being compatible with the sigma to even consider it,and S it doesn't,I probably won't bother and just use my 70-200G with the TC and crop when needed.
 
puddleduck said:
I'm pretty sure that won't fit.

You could probably use a Kenko, or better still a Sigma TC.

I tested a Sigma 100-300 f/4 against your old Sony 70-400 and at 300mm the Sony absolutely smoked the Sigma ;)

Sigma 100-300mm:

100-300.jpg


Sony 70-400 SSM:

70400G.jpg


So too be honest I don't think you'll like the Sigma if you are used to the 70-400 SSM. I've tested a number of lenses inc. Sony 70-300 SSM, Sigma 100-300 and Sigma 50-500mm and your old Sony 70-400 SSM smokes 'em all :)
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however sigma was shot at f4 and not f5.6 unlike the 70-400mm, although it's amazing to see that the sigma has a faster shutter speed and is still slightly blurry compared to the 70-400mm.
 
mastertrinity said:
however sigma was shot at f4 and not f5.6 unlike the 70-400mm, although it's amazing to see that the sigma has a faster shutter speed and is still slightly blurry compared to the 70-400mm.
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The Sony is f/5.6 at 300mm, both were shot wide open at 300mm but the Sigma is one stop faster. It does improve stopped down, but still doesn't match the Sony. Its still good value at £500, its half the price of the Sony 70-400 SSM.

The Sigma is excellent at 100mm at f/4, it tails off on the long end.

The Sony is better than anything else out there in the range, including Canon's and Nikon's offerings 80-400 lenses, let alone Sigma stuff so its not surprising.
 
The A230 ARW files are not supported by Apple RAW 2/Aperture 2.
I have been using the free (from when it still new) converter from aperture-converter.com/. Everyone now and again I have seen the "Unsupported Image Format" when clicking on an old project by accident and not looked into it. Now today every image in Aperture is displaying it.

I have tried rebuilding the library and the consistency check. No luck.
Will purchasing iPhone 09 (£8.99 on the new app store) give me the RAW 3 update for use in Aperture 2?
 
Looking for a little advice, looking to pick up another DSLR as its now 12 months since I sold my second A700 but due to funding constraints I can't pick up another!

I've been considering buying a used A200 as I had an A300 before and loved the handling and build but didnt really use Liveview that much although it had its uses!

Another model I've been considering is actually a Minolta Dynax 7D, now I now that this would be lower spec in terms of Megapixels than even an A200 but I had imagined that the handling would be more akin to an A700 than one of the smaller Alpha's.
 
A dynax 7d is ancient! If your budget is really stretched it's also worth taking a look at some bridge cameras. A lot are around £300 and have massive zoom ranges. Downside is higher noise on images but as an all in one cheap solution they're worth considering if you just want to get out and take photos.
 
sold off or selling (still the D90 to go :() all my Nikon gear to raise some cash. Should have £300 left over so was going to pick up an a290 for £300 from Jessops. The a390 is £30 extra but I won't use liveview (never used it on my D90 or 40D) and the a290 has a better OVF magnification. Decent choice?
 
The only advantage of liveview is the live histogram feature so you can check exposure before you take the photo. I think a better viewfinder is worth more though. I'd say it's the better choice.
 
srichards said:
A dynax 7d is ancient! If your budget is really stretched it's also worth taking a look at some bridge cameras. A lot are around £300 and have massive zoom ranges. Downside is higher noise on images but as an all in one cheap solution they're worth considering if you just want to get out and take photos.
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Hiya mate, I had a bridge before and hated it!
Its not really that "stretched" but my budget for a body isn't that high as based on my previous I'll be looking for a few lenses.
 
ok, D90 has been shifted.
Unless Jacobs can come up with a stoking deal on something nice used I'm probably going to go pick up the A290 from Jessops tomorrow. Coming from the D90, the one thing I'm a bit worried about is ISO performance, the D90 was still rather clean up to ISO800 and still very useable at ISO1600. How does the A290 fare?
 
Hi guys, im looking at buying a second body in the next couple of months to go along with my A100 (formerly Stans!) and just wondering what to get?

Budget of about £500 i think. Any ideas?
 
For £500 or so you could get a brand spanking new A560 or possibly an A580 Worth checking those out too. I know nothing about the A100 so don't know how it compares.
 
srichards said:
A dynax 7d is ancient!
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Ancient eh?? Does that mean its a bad camera now that its a few years old? Don't forget it was cutting edge in its time if not ahead of its time.

The build quality is much higher than a lot of Sony's offerings since they bought out Minolta's camera division, and it handles much much better as well.

And i havent even got onto image quality yet ;) but I'll let my pictures speak for themselves.. Presenting exhibits A, B & C all taken with my 7D recently in low light at 800 ISO

PICT0060.jpg


PICT0065-1.jpg


PICT0078.jpg
 
I have nearly bought a 7d so many times as I have a dynax 7. Technology moves on quickly though so a few years in this game is a quantum leap often.

I don't like sony build quality either. Only other sony thing I've ever bought needed repair so I still begrudge buying them :)

Does the 7d have the zone thingy the dynax 7 does which would tell you which parts are over or under exposed?
 
It may well do, I'd have to go and read the manual though :LOL:

I always shoot RAW but a tad underexposed so I can work out any exposure defects afterwards.

I've got a Dynax 7 as well (the Limited version) and a Dynax 9 which I love to bits. Now that thing really IS built like a tank!!
 
The 360AFD flash from jessops is actually the same price mate, £79.

Or the Metz 24 AF-1?

Im after something cheap enough to try out first before possibly upgrading.
 
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PDub said:
The 360AFD flash from jessops is actually the same price mate, £79.

Or the Metz 24 AF-1?

Im after something cheap enough to try out first before possibly upgrading.
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the 360AFD seems to come well regarded for what it costs,but i'm not familiar with it myself.can't comment on the metz,as i know nothing about them.try dyxum to see if there's any write ups/reviews on them..
 
PDub said:
Anyone have this sony flash? Thoughts?

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Brows...ccessories|14419468/r_001/5|Brands|Sony|1.htm
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That's useful if you have an a850/a900 and want to use it as a master to control Sony slave flashes as these bodies don't have a built in flash. (only that one and the HVL-F58AM can act as a master IIRC, but the whole wireless flash TTL business is not my thing so I might be talking from my behind :p ),

To use as an on camera flash you would be better with some of the other suggestions made here I think.
 
Any of you guys use the PT-04 triggers with the 58AM flashgun? I just got some today and when I mount the flash on the received, it knocks the channel switch to off. I can use the end of a knife to switch it back on but it does seem a little bizarre.
 
Eeeps, considering how fragile Sony Steady Shot is I'd think more of sensor alignment issues than back focus after a drop.
 
I am a proud owner of a A700. Well not quite yet, will be with me by 1pm tomorrow. lol.

Any tips or things i should look out for? Heard that high iso is handled much better with this body than the A100, which is what i was looking for.

Cant wait to have a play tomorrow. :D
 
PDub said:
I am a proud owner of a A700. Well not quite yet, will be with me by 1pm tomorrow. lol.

Any tips or things i should look out for? Heard that high iso is handled much better with this body than the A100, which is what i was looking for.

Cant wait to have a play tomorrow. :D
Click to expand...

Infinitely better as long as it has firmware version 4 and in camera noise reduction is turned off.
 
Thanks, ill check the firmware on it tomorrow and upgrade is needed.

Does anyone know where i can get the backfocus re-calibrated on my A100? Id like to use it as a back up body?
 
TurnipFarmer said:
So on the a700 with v4 firmware is it best to turn the noise reduction off for any lens on the camera?
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IMO yes. The in camera noise reduction tends to give the image a watercolour type appearance. It's far better done by noise reduction software in post.
 
Looks like the A77 will be with us July-September all going well. Been a long wait.

CONFIRMED
- 24 megapixel sensor
- FullHD
- New advanced OLED(?) EVF
- UNCONFIRMED -> There were rumors (and also a Sony patent) about some kind of hybrid viewfinder ( a là Fuji X100).
- ISO will go ‘up into the hundreds of thousands’
- price will be in the same area of the Canon 60D ($900-1200)
- The A77 has a bigger and robust body compared to current SLT cameras.
- The A77 will not have a flip-up mode to allow shooting without this extra sheet of glass in place.
- It will take CF +SD +MS cards, of which you can use two at the same time.
- With the new battery you can take around 1.000 pictures.
 
Sounds good to me. Would have to get several sigma lenses modded but I don't know whether modding them stops them working on older sonys....
 
hi all,i got a Jessops flashgun for xmas.
id like to use it off camera so i got a cable from Amazon but it wont work with this flash for some reason so its going back.

could anyone tell me of a cable/trigger that they know that works with Jessops flashguns ??
thanks chris.
 
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