D7000 vs Sony A65

Dom7

Dom7

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Just a question, are these two comparable in terms of performance, functions, and most importantly, IQ?? I am still so undecided on what to get. As I have said in a number of posts, I am looking to take a huge range of shots, including portraits, landscapes and macro... Can the A65 cut it?

I am also looking to develop my skills and possibly go pro... Would the Sony be able to do that? Or am I looking at the A77 or even the A99 (when out) for this?

Another question, how do the Sony lenses compare to the other big two?
 
I see that, but taking price away, can they be compared? After working for Sony previously, I can vouch that price has nothing to do with quality most of the time! :)
 
in terms of IQ probably the A57 is nearer to the D7000 as they share a sensor.
In terms of body build & handling the A77 is a better match.
The A65 is kind of in between.

The A77 also has a true ISO 50 at which many people reckon it's provides possibly the best IQ of any APS-C camera so it's great for landscapes. The corollary is that it's not quite so good at ISO 3200+ for low light action but unless you are pixel peeping at 100% it's unlikely to be noticed in a print etc.

The Sonys are definitely capable of being used for professional work but both Nikon & Canon have a better support infrastructure atm for pros (rental options etc.)
 
That's what I am trying to gather, at a glance, performance and IQ-wise, could we really notice the difference? Just that the A65 seems to be a very affordable and fairly capable camera..
 
heidfirst said:
in terms of IQ probably the A57 is nearer to the D7000 as they share a sensor.
In terms of body build & handling the A77 is a better match.
The A65 is kind of in between.

The A77 also has a true ISO 50 at which many people reckon it's provides possibly the best IQ of any APS-C camera so it's great for landscapes. The corollary is that it's not quite so good at ISO 3200+ for low light action but unless you are pixel peeping at 100% it's unlikely to be noticed in a print etc.

The Sonys are definitely capable of being used for professional work but both Nikon & Canon have a better support infrastructure atm for pros (rental options etc.)
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sorry for the thread jack......... but

so which sensor does the 77 have ? I always thought the 7000 and the 77 shared the same sensor (no idea why I thought that), and does this mean that the IQ for the 57 is better than the 77 ?
 
The A65 / A77 are very capable for the three areas you mention - in particular the 'focus peaking' feature is said to be a real boost for manual focusing - which it usually what you will be doing with macro.

Where the Nikon (or Canon) definitely has the edge is if you are looking for longer telephoto lenses - but these are very expensive beasts.
Sony have the excellent 70-400G, but for longer primes only the 500 f/4 G - which will set you back over 10K! (Nikon has a wider range and 'cheaper' long primes, but they are still a lot of cash!)
 
I'm not really looking to go into that area anytime soon, and by the looks of the prices you quoted, thats a touch of luck! I am possibly looking into weddings after a few more years of practice. Could the 65 handle that? Or would I best best saving for the 77? Or even getting the 65 first, while getting the practice in?
 
wildman said:
so which sensor does the 77 have ? I always thought the 7000 and the 77 shared the same sensor (no idea why I thought that), and does this mean that the IQ for the 57 is better than the 77 ?
Click to expand...
the A77 & A65 use a 24MP sensor. There is a possibility that the 24MP sensor in the new Nikon D3200 may be related but it's not certain.
The A57 & D7000 use 16MP sensors that are definitely related.

There's a good chance that the 24MP sensor outperforms the 16MP at lower ISO but that the 16MP outperforms the 24MP above say ISO 1600 or 3200.
But if the A77's better AF or better handling let's you get a shot that you can't with the A57 ...
In other words "better" IQ isn't simple ;)

Faldrax said:
Where the Nikon (or Canon) definitely has the edge is if you are looking for longer telephoto lenses - but these are very expensive beasts.
Sony have the excellent 70-400G, but for longer primes only the 500 f/4 G - which will set you back over 10K! (Nikon has a wider range and 'cheaper' long primes, but they are still a lot of cash!)
Click to expand...
agreed but there is also the Sigma 500/4.5 which iirc is about £3.5k.
& combined with the cropping ability of modern high MP sensors maybe there is less need now for a 600/4.

Dom7 said:
I'm not really looking to go into that area anytime soon, and by the looks of the prices you quoted, thats a touch of luck! I am possibly looking into weddings after a few more years of practice. Could the 65 handle that? Or would I best best saving for the 77? Or even getting the 65 first, while getting the practice in?
Click to expand...
If I was a pro then I think that the extra £300 would be well spent on an A77 for things like the more durable body, 2nd control wheel, AF micro-adjustment, option of a vertical grip etc. etc. but go to a shop & try them both to see what you think.
However, in a couple of years no doubt we will have even more capable bodies available.
 
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I can only speak for the D7000 as I don't own any Sony. The second control wheel is invaluable to change settings quickly and being able to get that shot. As is the top LCD to verify the key settings beforehand.

Not having to delve into menu systems to do stuff makes it in daily use so much easier to use and helps you get those shots.

Further more the D7000 has the built in focus motor and ability to meter with as good the full Nikon lens back catalogue. This alone will save you money in the long run as it can use a lot of "cheap" lenses both new and second hand.

Megapixels, hmm let's not even go there. Don't know your typical use, but it is undisputed that the D7000 is a very capable low light performer for a DX camera. And as this is your first entry in dSlr, if you don't like it, you have already noticed that it holds it value very well.
 
Great insight guys, I know that each of you will champion the current model you are shooting with and rightly so. To be honest, the D7000 has always been at the top of my list, closely followed by the Sony models and the Canon 7D.

I am just trying to make a sensible decision where I am not disappointed with the model I eventually choose. I've just seen the D7000 on SLR Hut for £629... Not sure of that site though, something doesn't look right.
 
Dom7 said:
.....I've just seen the D7000 on SLR Hut for £629... Not sure of that site though, something doesn't look right.
Click to expand...

SLR Hut is a US company that (apparently) sells imported stock in the UK, hence the lower price. Don't know how warranties are dealt with but do a google search and you'll find all sorts of info from buyers....
 
Been doing that, most people seem happy.. But not a lot of mention on warranties.
 
Alternatively you may be able to buy a warranty from Mack. But I haven't done anything like that myself and also don't know how the manufacturers view it when comes to repairs and servicing.
 
That is always an option, I think if I am going to get an import it would be from DigitalRev, as they seem to have an excellent reputation. Now just got to make up my mind!
 
The second control wheel is a must. The a580 doesn't have it either, that is the closest spec to the D7000, and it is annoying in the extreme. Even my bridge camera has two wheels!

I'd get the A77.
 
Dom7 said:
Another question, how do the Sony lenses compare to the other big two?
Click to expand...
Forgot to address this:
Sony lenses certainly bear comparison with CaNikon quality wise.
There are fewer of them as they don't need to do non-IS & IS versions (e.g. Canon have 5 ~70-300mm lenses [3 with IS & 2 w/o], Sony have 2 - a "kit" & a good one) but apart from a very few specialist (& usually expensive) applications where generally you are buying the lens first & the body to suit second there is something available.

Also many Minolta AF lenses going back to 1985 may be available cheaply second hand & of course become stabilised by the in-built IS.

I also forgot to mention that the Sony is better for video if that may be a concern.

But bottom line - both are excellent.
 
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Many thanks Scott, every opinion is really appreciated. Just got to take the plunge on one brand, I will get there!
 
I went through the same debate about 4 months back. Actually wound up buying the A65 and using it for about 3 weeks.

I was really happy with the day time shots but was not too happy with the night time shots. Anything over 1600 was not that great. As such decided to get the D7000.

Here are some of the key differences i noticed.

A65 Vs D7000

- A65 has more vibrant colors in the day time shots. The D7000 seems to have a more natural color scheme in its shots. Depends on your personal preference here.

- D7000 had the superior night shots (more natural), compared to the A65.

- A65 has a great Electronic View Finder, which when you change the ISO, Appeture etc, you see the impact on a realtime basis. This is a great feature since basically you have control of the picture that you want to get, before actually taking it. The D7000 on the other hand has an Optical View Finder, and as such any ISO, Shutter Speed Changes does not get reflected prior to taking the shot. Ofcourse you can then play around with the shot later on using the D7000's build in software or professional software like PhotoShop.

- The 2 Dial's on the D7000 to control ISO and Shutter speed is great. A65 has only 1 Dial and need to push another button with the dial to control Appeture.

- D7000 has 2 card slots to the A65's 1, which is usefull if you plan to take a lot of shots in one outing. Also the batter on the D7000 lasts longer than the A65 on a single charge.

- The continuous burst mode on the A65 (10 frames a second) though faster than on the D7000 (at 6 frames a second), can only be controlled using a single mode. This means the camera will decided on the appature, shutter speed and ISO in this mode. On the other hand on the D7000, you could still have the camera on Appeture Priority (A), and using the second button to set the continous bust mode, thus giving you more control. Also the D7000 has the larger buffer and gives you a longer burst of shots compared to the A65.

- You get a lot more control (using the menu system) in the D7000 as opposed to the A65. There are may more options, including in camera photo adjusting, cropping etc.

If you are very serious about doing it professionally then I would consier the D7000.

On the other hand some of the key advantages of the A65 is that, it can be used with older Minolta Lenses, and if you have a lot of older Minolta Lenses, then the A65 is probably a good way to go.

The lenses i used on the 2 cameras are:

A65:
SONY ALPHA 16-50MM F2.8 SSM LENS
SONY ALPHA 70-300 F4.5-5.6 G SSM LENS

D7000:
NIKON DX VR 18-105 F3.5-5.6 AF-S LENS
NIKON AF-S VR 70-300 4.5-5.6G IF-ED

Hope that helps.


Both
 
I was dead set on the D7000, and ended up with an A77.

The really tough thing is, both are superb, and very capable in their own right, and for different reasons..

I think picking between those is extrememly difficult and a personal choice, however I would personally prefer the D7000 over the A65 if that is all I could consider..

The main reason for getting the 'SLT' Sony was that to be frank, the level of normal camera performance is excellent on both (And the A77 obviously addresses 95%+ of Shez's well constructed A65 negatives), that's not in question, even the difference in High ISO is largely academic to most, and being fair, 24 MP vs 16MP isn't exactly life changing either, but the SLT brings some 'fun' and creative aspect to the mix..

- The EVF isn't for everyone apparantly, but to have a FF sized viewfinder with live histogram and focus peaking really appeals to some
- The rear screen being triple articulated and when using it the camera performs identically to looking through the viewfinder, I didn't think it'd make any difference, but I use this to good effect a lot.. especially macro (combined with focus peaking) it's getting me hooked on doing loads of macro work.. And even portraits, I can instantly go for the 'hero' poses by putting the camera on the floor and using the fast live view with the screen articulated over the top of the camera in a heartbeat..


Other then that, I like the D7000's extra card slot, and you can't fault it having better high ISO performance..

I don't mention accessories or lenses, I think with inbody IS and the KM catalog of lenses to use, it's pretty much awash..
 
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shez said:
I went through the same debate about 4 months back. Actually wound up buying the A65 and using it for about 3 weeks.

I was really happy with the day time shots but was not too happy with the night time shots. Anything over 1600 was not that great. As such decided to get the D7000.

Here are some of the key differences i noticed.

A65 Vs D7000

- A65 has more vibrant colors in the day time shots. The D7000 seems to have a more natural color scheme in its shots. Depends on your personal preference here.

- D7000 had the superior night shots (more natural), compared to the A65.

- A65 has a great Electronic View Finder, which when you change the ISO, Appeture etc, you see the impact on a realtime basis. This is a great feature since basically you have control of the picture that you want to get, before actually taking it. The D7000 on the other hand has an Optical View Finder, and as such any ISO, Shutter Speed Changes does not get reflected prior to taking the shot. Ofcourse you can then play around with the shot later on using the D7000's build in software or professional software like PhotoShop.

- The 2 Dial's on the D7000 to control ISO and Shutter speed is great. A65 has only 1 Dial and need to push another button with the dial to control Appeture.

- D7000 has 2 card slots to the A65's 1, which is usefull if you plan to take a lot of shots in one outing. Also the batter on the D7000 lasts longer than the A65 on a single charge.

- The continuous burst mode on the A65 (10 frames a second) though faster than on the D7000 (at 6 frames a second), can only be controlled using a single mode. This means the camera will decided on the appature, shutter speed and ISO in this mode. On the other hand on the D7000, you could still have the camera on Appeture Priority (A), and using the second button to set the continous bust mode, thus giving you more control. Also the D7000 has the larger buffer and gives you a longer burst of shots compared to the A65.

- You get a lot more control (using the menu system) in the D7000 as opposed to the A65. There are may more options, including in camera photo adjusting, cropping etc.

If you are very serious about doing it professionally then I would consier the D7000.

On the other hand some of the key advantages of the A65 is that, it can be used with older Minolta Lenses, and if you have a lot of older Minolta Lenses, then the A65 is probably a good way to go.

The lenses i used on the 2 cameras are:

A65:
SONY ALPHA 16-50MM F2.8 SSM LENS
SONY ALPHA 70-300 F4.5-5.6 G SSM LENS

D7000:
NIKON DX VR 18-105 F3.5-5.6 AF-S LENS
NIKON AF-S VR 70-300 4.5-5.6G IF-ED

Hope that helps.


Both
Click to expand...

+1. I used both Nikon and Sony systems for years until Sony decided to go down the SLT road. I gave it a go but couldn't live with the EVF.

I have a D7000 and had an A580 for a year. I also had a D300s and an A700, I shot thousands of photos with all of them. I have to say that I m pleased with the image quality that I have got from all cameras but I have always found that the Nikon's controls and handling are much better than the Sony ones for my way of shooting.

If you are thinking of going Pro in a year or two then you should look at all the systems out there as a whole ( camera, lens, flash, support etc) and not just current camera bodies (camera bodies update and change quickly).

If I was in your place i would probably go for Nikon/Canon.
 
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