7D or Sony Alpha?

[rhcpgirlaji]

Here's the deal: I need to buy a DSLR pretty soon. At the moment, I can't

invest a ton. Currently I have a Minolta Maxxum 7 film SLR, and I had always

intended to get the 7D when I had the money to do so. Then Minolta got bought

out by Sony. I was still debating between the 7D or switching completely to the

Canon 30D. I have lenses and such but I don't think they're worth basing this

decision on. I love the Canons but for now I can't afford to spend money on the

IS lenses, so I am very pro IS in the body.

For what it costs ($1000) with the 18-70 lens, which would you guys choose? It

seems like they made some nice upgrades and it's essentially a Minolta with a

Sony label smacked on. From what I've read, it seems to be compared to the 5D

more than the 7D. Are there any big differences I couldn't live without for a

year or so? Does anybody have an idea if the lens will be decent? I plan to

upgrade but I would like a decent (I did not say amazing) lens to start off with

for a few months.

My worry about buying the 7D is that I won't be able to find lenses and

accessories for it and it will soon be nearly extinct. I'm really pumped on the

Sony (coming from someone who used to lecture people about buying Sony digital

cameras) but I don't want to make a bad decision. Please help! Thanks.

-Abby

[bill_thorlin]

As to the Alpha 100 I think you will have to wait for the first detailed tests and assessments to appear before anyone can really say exactly what it is and how good it is.

 

As to the lenses being "decent" both Minolta and Zeiss ( as far as I know ) have in the past been pretty decent and I do not see why that should change now - especially as ex-Minolta personnel are now with Sony.

 

Sony have taken over the service and support for the existing Minolta cameras - obviously it is probably too early to make any judgement on that issue but I doubt that Sony will want to get a bad reputation.

 

I think you should consider Sony as being a continuance of Minolta and not a totally fresh start. Given the continuance and the similarities in the cameras I doubt that the 7D or 5D will be abandoned or without accessories.

 

You can still find lenses and accessories for the SRT101 and that surfaced some 50 years ago.

[scott_lewis3]

Wait till the Sony hits the shelves. Get them both in your hands and see which one you like the best. I love my 7D and it was a logical jump from the 7 and the layout and usage is very similar. But from the propaganda the Alpha 100 looks like it will be a winner.

[robert_paul1]

Go to popphoto.com. They have a hands on test of the Alpha 100.

[james_frater]

I think apart from the increase in mega pixels, the 7D is superior camera than the new Sony Aplha. Which I think is based more towards the lower end of the amature market, although with great features that belongs in the high end market.

 

I love my 7D also, and if the Aplha was a 7D with 10mp, then I would be thinking wow, now that is a total winner.

 

Lets hope Sony next model is a higher end camera.

[peter_henry1]

As chance would have it, earlier this evening, I was at the official launch of the Sony Alpha 100 in Auckland, New Zealand. I have to say that overall I was not impressed. It appeared to be quite plastic and cheap looking. I own the KM 7D and the 7D appears more robust and easier to operate. The 7D seems to have more dials and contols that allow you to change settings without going into the MENU screen. I had a play with the Alpha 100 for about five minutes and it seemed more difficult to change settings. The Sony does have some advantages. I probably cannot remember them all, but ones that come to mind are: 1. 10MP, 2. Continuous 3 fps until the data card is full, 3. Great battery life. But there will not be a Vertical grip. One of the Sony people told me the Alpha 100 is aimed at the hobbyist, and is not designed to be a semi-pro or pro model. He said they do intend to release semi-pro/pro models possibly in about one year. So my intention at this stage is to hang on to my 7D and wait and see what Sony come out with in the future. I still think the 7D is a great camera.

[robert_paul1]

If Sony is going to take a year to come out with a semi pro model, I think Sony is in trouble. I hope for their sake that they come out with new cameras faster than that. They are already behind everyone else, and coming out with new equipment at a snail's pace is going to alienate their customer base. Sony will have a hard time trying to capture the share of the market that they want if that occurs.

[james_frater]

I cannot believe Sony is coming out with a full range of lenses and accessories, albiet rehashed KM stuff. And give us only the Aplha 100 camera and nothing more for about 1 year.

 

How stupid would that be that.

 

Do you want to know why it is stupid? A cheap Sony SLR, and a full range of lenses to be used for it and nothing else for the next year.

 

Cannot believe that will happen, or Sony deserves to fail in the DSLR market and certainly will if that is the case.

 

A 7D type of cameras with upgraded electronics and increase in pixels would be simple to do and certainly be in the semi-pro to pro market.

[nate_macdonald]

I'd rather see Sony take the time to do it right, rather than rush to the shelves with a semi-pro model. It looks like they accomplished what they wanted with the Alpha 100, virtually every aspect of the 5d has been upgraded, and delivering the product at under $1000 is going to have a significant impact and the entry level dSLR market.

 

So basically they've got their foot firmly in the door. I'm like you though Abigail, I have the Maxxum 7 and I love it. If I was buying now, I'd likely go with the 7d over the Alpha 100. Sure it's got more megapixels and a reportedly better anti-shake - but more of the controls are outside of the camera on the 7d, the viewfinder is better, the build is better, it has a grip, etc.

 

All that said, I'm holding out in the assumption that Sony will be releasing a semi-pro model that will hold true to all the things that make the 7d a great camera.

[peter_henry1]

In all fairness to Sony, despite my eralier post, for the price, the Alpha 100 is a good buy. If I did not already have the 7D I would consider it. What other 10MP DSLR sells for US$900 approx? None as far as I know. Also, the Sony guy I spoke to could well be wrong about one year until the semi-pro/pro models.

[robert_paul1]

I think Sony will show another camera at Photokina later this year. If you look at the availability date of some the lenses, it would be at the same time as Photokina.

 

Beyond that, Sony needs to come out with an additional one or two DSLRs in the next year and keep something in the pipeline if they want to be taken seriously. If they can't keep pace with the competition, Sony will fall by the wayside. (When I say competition, I mean Canon, Nikon Pentax and Olympus, and not Panasonic and Samsung. Their target are the other camera companies and not the electronic firms.)

 

It has only been a few weeks since Sony announced their A100, and already the 'buzz' has largely stopped for it. By the time it actually hits the market, consumers who don't already have Dynax/Maxxum mount lenses may have decided to get another brand. Look how many posters to this forum who have Minolta lenses are thinking about switching. (Abigail is an example.) Sony needs to strike while the iron's hot. The present situation reminds me how long Konica/Minolta took to actually release the 7D and 5D after they announced them.

 

Sony still hasn't made corrections to their Alpha website. There are numerous errors on the page showing the lenses. I'm beginning to wonder just how serious they are about the DSLR market. Sorry to be so negative.

[robert_paul1]

Sorry, in my last post, I mentioned Abigail as someone who is thinking of switching. This was in error. However, the fact that she is thinking about a camera that is discontinued made by a company that is no longer in the photo business, is still troubling to me.

[bjmarkowitz]

I think the decision is easy. You said you could not wait a year. Well where are you going to get a 7d new in the next year? They are discontinued and most stores are out. Anything thats left is probably referbished. Chances are you are going to have to dothe Alpha or the Cannon

[roger_smith4]

Adorama had them as of last week, I think.

[scott_lewis3]

I know of a shop here in Germany that still has several 7d and 5d's but they wont reduce the price.

[tmhutchins]

Sony will definately make everybody interested when they show off a Semi-Pro DSLR at the next camera show. It probably won't be released until next year but they will show it. Showing something obviously keeps the interest high if there is a bit of a time gap between the A100 and the next camera. I believe it is interesting as someone pointed out in another forum question that Sony haven't released news of any more digital only lenses, they are all (accept for the kit lenses) designed for a future full frame camera. All the Sony lenses will filter into the market and be fully available just when the next camera will be released. The new camera is probably linked in with the availability of all the lenses, so when will the Full 20 be on the shelves, probably by the end of the year. That being said I guess another DSLR could be with us by January or February, but I bet they'd love to get all those Pre-Christmas orders, lol.

[mark_ryan2]

I am a Canon 20D owner, and I also use my Sony Visa card for my expense account ;) so I'm interested in what I might be able to use my sony points for in the Alpha world.

 

I love my 20D, but the 30D is long in the tooth technology wise and can't be long for the product line. Nothing wrong with it, just depends on your "buyers remorse" feelings.

 

After the 7D came out, I sometimes wish I had waited on my 20D. A 50/1.4 with AS would be awesome! Plus I like the 7Ds knobs and switches, it took me a while to get the Canon button-ology going.

 

I think the best bang for the buck would be a 7D when they start to close them out. 6mp is nothing to sniff at, AS built in, Sony will probably support it to some extent, plus you can stock up on lenses and get the higher end Sony body when it comes out.

 

Just my $0.02, which is way overcharging.

[robert_paul1]

<<I think the best bang for the buck would be a 7D when they start to close them out. 6mp is nothing to sniff at, AS built in, Sony will probably support it to some extent, plus you can stock up on lenses and get the higher end Sony body when it comes out.>>

 

So far, no one I've seen has been discounting any Konica-Minolta item. Guess they must feel that there is no need to do so. Maybe, if it's still sitting on the shelve in a year from now, they will. As for Sony supporting the 7D, other than coming out with new hardware that would fit the 7D because they share key components, i.e. lens mount and flash mount, I don't see them offering firmware updates, so what you buy, is what you get. At least you'll be able to get the 7D repaired under warranty by Sony.

[mark_k3]

Abigail Danielson

 

I have not seen your response so far. May I know what Minolta lenses do you have? Will you shoot film along with digital as well? If yes, I personally think 7D is a better choice as a general dSLR because

better colour rendition: I carried your questions the whole day asking myself, how much will the colour cost? I look back at my unexposed films: E100VS, RVP50, Reala etc etc are all much more expensive then consumer ones. Why? Colour must be the most single reason. For Alpha100 I have used, its colour is close and yet not same as 7D.

 

What if you choose A100? Well it is still not a bad choice. Alpha offers much faster inbody focusing speed, antidust feature and faster memory clearance and it uses your old Minolta lenses back.

 

Presumebly money is a non issue, switching completely to 30D and all quality IS USM lenses is also a good option.

[personal photos]

Abigail, I was in the same position as you prior to buying the 7D. I am a Maxxum 7 owner and love the camera, so the move to 7D was logical. I wanted to wait and see what was going tohappen with Sony. I too have many lenes for the maxxum series and it was not ocst effective to switch to Canon or Nikon. Now I have my 7D and I would not trade it. Having come from a Maxxum 7 all the controls are virtually the same and it has the same feel, you don't have to get used to a completely different system. As for getting lenses all of the old ones fit and work and no company that I have seen has stopped producing lenes to fit. My opinion from everything I have seen (I did a lot of research prior to buying mine)is that Sony will continue to support the 7D as much as can be expected for any piece of electronics. For my money you cannot beat the 7D, and they are still available if you look. I hope this helps some.

[demetri_p.]

I think this has been frequently posted before but if I didn't already have a 7d and was limited to 1K I would get this: <a href="http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4898002">http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4898002</a> and use the left over 300 for a good lens (like a 28-75 f2.8 or a 17-35 f2.8).

<P>

Even if Sony fails completely, they probably wouldn't get out for a couple of years or three. Truth is no one knows since they've barely begun. On the other hand, it's extremely unlikely Canon is leaving the dslr market any time soon. If the beyond 3 year time frame worries you a lot, then I think you have your answer.

[scott_lewis3]

the 7D is an amazing camera to use and mine has had a very hard life (at least 2 times round the world and about 28k images), it is starting to show signs of usage but had done a lot more work than all my other cameras put together.

[artjomisakov]

I have a question: Since Sony and Zeiss have a partnership, and Sony now makes cameras with Minolta's mount, does that mean that in the future I will be able to use Zeiss lenses with my 7D?

[bill_thorlin]

Yes - the ones that are designed to fit the Alpha 100.

[pascal_krzeminski]

Hello photographers,

Remarks from Tim Hutchins posted the 29th June 2006 are

completely true.

For a semi-pro camera, the sony customer must wait until the Photokina

2006 in Germany.

Sony and Carl Zeiss will show together their serious partnership.

A realistic level professionnal camera like a Canon EOS 1DS mark II

will be probably presented by Sony in 2 years. The battle will begin.

Never forget that Sony is a leader in Videobroadcast and Sony

want have in the future the same level in Professionnal photography.

Be patient...

Best regards from an European photographer. Sorry for my poor English.