So who has actually held the Alpha?

[craig mw]

Ok so we've all been waiting to see what sony could bring us the replace the

long lost Maxxum line that we so dearly loved.

 

We got the alpha, which seems to be an ok camera tech wise. I know it's missing

a fullframe sensor, and it looks small, at least compared to the Max 7 with the

grip attached (and sadely one isn't offered)

 

Now I want to know how the camera feels in your hands. Since thats the big

selling point, and the whole reason I bought my 7 in the first place.

 

Do you miss the vertical shutter release, and the controlls? Does it feel as

easy to use, and as quick to master, something the Maxxum line was famous for?

And most importantly, can I buy one, and start using the advanced features

quickly, assuming I know the 7 inside and out?

 

Oh one more question that I havn't figured out yet... Will the Maxxum flashes be

compatable with the sony line up, especially in wireless mode?

[robert_paul1]

Craig, I did get to hold the Alpha, but not at Ritz. I when to a 'Japanese' department store with an electronic department and who are strong in Sony. The camera was small and light, much like holding a Maxxum 5. I'm used to using my Maxxum 9 with a vertical grip, so to me, it was too small. Although I'm sure with time, I' would get used to it. I didn't put a memory card in it, as the battery wasn't charged. Also, I'm not too comfortable with the 'plastic' feel, didn't seem durable, but that's just what I'm used to.

 

The store only had the kit, a 75-300, two flashes, a camera bag, and a shoulder strap as far as I could see. Not a good way to get started in the DSLR business. The store tries to stock just about everything in the Sony consumer line-up, so if they had more stuff, I'm sure they would of had it in stock. Sony should have tried harder to have the full assortment of items in the Alpha inventory in the beginning.

[craig mw]

Thats what I'm afraid of, its a small and light consumer camera that doesn't have the feel of a pro body. And no doubt I'll miss the vertial grip.

 

The entire reason I went to the minolta line when I felt it was time to expand was the feel of the camera. It took me all of about 5 min in the store to learn the basics of the camera, and learn most of the functions. And 5 rolls or so untill I could find every controll, and setting in the dark.

 

I suspect I'm going to have to wait a while untill someone in my area stocks one being that I live in a small city. But any opinions would be nice untill then.

[ilkka]

I would say exactly the same. I also tried it in Japan. It is more like a 5D than 7D, size and plasticky wise. I would be happy to buy it if I didn't already have a 7D. I would rather buy this than an old 7D with 6MP. But since I already have a 7D, I will wait for a better model from Sony before upgarding. This is a very good introduction from Sony. Probably the most sensible thing for them to start with. But it is not the best for everyone. Thus Sony needs to bring in more models.

[james_frater]

I have read in some places (magazines) that it is an upgrade from the 7D, better in technology and styling. I wonder if those people who write that actually know about camera's, let alone the 7D.

 

I have held the A100 and used it. It is very much like the 5D and I think in some ways feels more fragile to the 5D. And certainly comes no where near the 7D in build or handling. For example the 7D has a strong body with metal in it.

 

It does not match the 7D in shooting or handling in my using it.

 

I have the grip with the 7D, so it feels like a pro camera with the size and weight.

 

On a side note, it is up to the actual store to stock their shelves, so no one can blame Sony if a store only has a few items. The solution to that is very simple, go to a quality camera store and not a department store that has an electronics section that may only supply a couple of camera's.

[weatherman]

As someone who had used Dynax 7 with grip in the concerts, occasions and now an owner of 5D, I like the 5D better. Especially because 5D is smaller, easy to carry and not that intimidating with a small prime. But again I'm not a huge guy with giant hands. Small cameras for tiny people right!

I'm not thinking about buying a huge body in the future again, If stability is important I have a pro tripod to use for that. Besides I took photos that were not possible before under dimly lit 40W tungusten lamp which proved my concern about stabilty of a small body like KM 5D baseless.

 

Conclusion: If alpha is similar to 5D having similar anti-shake as they claim I'd go for it myself. But it's just me...

[bill_thorlin]

I handled the Alpha 100 at a recent launch of the product held locally with Sony personnel present.

 

I am NOT a digital user so I have only handled but never fully used the 7D or the 5D.

 

My impressions :-

 

PLASTICKY - compared with what ? Maybe if compared with cameras costing a lot more.

 

SIZE - for me it was on the small side but then I think the Dynax 7 is on the small side compared with the 800si.

 

HERITAGE/LEGACY/PEDIGREE - it was immediately evident as to how much had come from Minolta especially as regards the Dynax 7 and I do not think the transition would be too much of a problem.

 

FLASHES - there is a current post stating that the 5600HS is fully compatible with the Alpha 100 based on actual usage and it would therefore seem likely the same applies to the 3600.

 

Given the pricepoint at which the camera sells this must be taken into account when assessing it's qualities - you can never get a Roller for the price of a Ford :)

[ricardovaste]

Karl Snyder seems to be happy wit the A100 and the grip didnt bother him. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Minolta/message/132078

if you follow this link and then click on the next link http://www.mountevans.com/a100/ you can see some photos taken with the A100

[james_frater]

"Karl Snyder" pictures are exellent, the image quality great and sharp as a tack.

 

That said, looking at his pictures, he is also using lenses that cost more than the actual camera. So one would expect this to be the case.

 

Average Joe who buys the camera will get the standard lense, which from experience, my 7D came with the 28-100 lense, and now using the 28-75 2.8 lense, well the difference is massive.

 

His experience should be great, cause he has lenses that will produce images that most users with the standard rubbish the camera comes with could not.

 

But they a Pro result images he has taken with the A100. Looks great.

[bill_thorlin]

Of course the lens is the vital bit but if the camera and kit lens gets people started with Sony then it is doing what they want it to do. Many of the new users will not be aware of the Minolta lens heritage but if they are really interested they soon will or will go with the new Sony lenses that will be coming. Either way it would be good news for must of us :)

[ricardovaste]

Karl Snyder:

 

"...I do have all good Minolta glass and still have never see quality pix

on any Dx or film from the glass like I'm seeing now..."

 

It sounds like he's had this lens [or other very high quality ones] for a while using the 400mm f/4.5 on other bodies and yet these are the best results he's ever had. So, we can credit the quality of the pictures with the A100... but then we cant compare them ourselves to his previous results... :-(

[kirk_keyes]

Held it, I own one. I've had it for two weeks now, bought a kit from B&H.

 

I don't have any experience with Maxxums (or any other DSLR) other than using the first Maxxum in 1985(?) for a day. I typically use a Linhof 4x5 for photography, or if I need 35mm, I have an X700. Oh, and a Nikon 990 digital point-n-shoot.

 

I've got a new baby, so I haven't had a lot of time to really test the camera, so my comments are probably not that in depth.

 

I like it - it's a nice wieght, the size is good, not too large and not as small as my X700 body, which I always use with the motor drive/grip. I do wish the grip on the a100 was a little larger, but it's not unacceptable. I played with a coworkers 7D the other day, and although I did not have the cameras side-by-side, I think the 7D feels much heavier and is maybe too large for my taste.

 

I find the a100 control placement to be nicely laid out. I handed the a100 to another friend that used a Maxxum several years ago, and he looked at it for a minute, and started playing with it, and he started showing me all the AF and exposure locks, the exposure bias controls... just like he had been using the camera for a while. I'd say that if you have experience with recent Minoltas, then you will have no problem finding your way a round the camera.

 

I was expecting to have all sorts of functions buried in menus, but they did a good job of placing the things you would need access to frequently, like ISO and white balance, accessable by simply turning a dial and pressing a button.

 

I don't have a flash, but the manual does describe (briefly) how to set up wireless flash.

 

I'm happy with the camera. I plan to go shoot some historic car races later this month, so that will be my realy trial by fire for the camera.

 

Kirk

[craig_gillette]

I've held it. that's it. Just held it. Looked around the store and focussed on a couple of different things. No it doesn't compare to the 7D and I haven't really ever held or used a 5D so can't offer a direct comparison or impression there. I do recall that when I was using film, I had a larger/older Maxxum die and I replaced it with the 5 - the cost was right and I wasn't using it as a hammer anyways. The 5 was indeed smaller, lighter, less "pro" like and when I did my part, took good pictures. I'm a big guy and would have preferred a larger camera and it did look tiny and non-professional around some of the larger cameras. But how it looks isn't what takes the pictures.

 

Ergonomically the A100 isn't a 7D. Size and a vertical grip are personal needs or wants, so that you'd have to decide on. I doubt I'd say it's technologically better than the 7D More resolution, apparently same shot speed in continuous shooting, maybe a smaller buffer, but how long do you keep the button pushed? Poorer high high iso. Style doesn't take pictures.

 

I think it will be pretty much as easy to figure out and use as the 5D.

 

I don't think "we" know about the flash situation yet. Will need more to ship and be used to see how old flashes go forward and new ones back, etc.

[bakubo]

Yesterday I spent about 45 minutes at a Sony Store and had a chance to play with an A100 for awhile. I brought my own memory card and the following lenses with me:

 

<p>

Minolta 50mm f1.7

<br>

Minolta 28-135mm f4-4.5

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Minolta 70-210mm f4

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Sigma 18-125mm f3.5-5.6

<p>

 

I took a bunch of shots inside the store mostly using RAW+JPEG. Since I already know that low ISOs are quite good I mostly shot at ISO 1600 and 800. The noise from the ISO 1600 shots were just what I expected after seeing several that others have posted on forums -- not good. Of course, without careful comparison shots using the same exposure with another camera, like the Canon 30D, it is difficult to know how much worse the A100 is. I don't have a raw converter for the A100 at the moment so I just examined the JPEGs. I don't really have much to say because they are exactly what I expected from what I have already seen. Also, the inside of the store did not allow me to do many different kinds of shots with different lighting, etc..

 

<p>

I could live with the size and weight of the camera when I am travelling where a lighter, smaller camera would often be welcome, but at other times I would not like such a small, light camera as my only body. The feel of my 7D is just about perfect for me and my previous Canon DRebel was also pretty good. I think that many people that are accustomed to cameras such as the 7D, Canon 20D/30D, Nikon D70s/D200, etc. will be unhappy with the very small size and light weight of the A100. The A100 with the 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens, 50mm f1.7, or Sigma 18-125mm f3.5-5.6 attached felt okay, but with the Minolta 28-135mm f4-4.5 or Minolta 70-210mm f4 it felt too small and light. These two lenses are bigger and heavier so they really need, in my opinion, a bigger, heavier body to be mated with.

 

<p>

After about 5 minutes the eyestart AF was driving me crazy because while the camera was not held at my eye the lens would keep focusing back and forth. I went into the menu and turned it off. A grip sensor is definitely needed. I didn't have any problem with the AF, unlike my 7D. It seemed to focus accurately with all my lenses. My 7D won't focus properly at all at focal lengths of less than 35mm and between 35mm and 50mm it often won't focus properly. The A100 seemed to focus accurately at all focal lengths with all lenses, and this was in the dimly lit store. I also set up a focus test using the 50mm f1.7 with a well lit computer keyboard at an angle and about 1 meter away. At f1.7 I focused on the H key and it focused perfectly on it with keys before the H and after the H nicely out of focus.

 

<p>

If my 7D worked properly I would be happy to use it until next year. As it is, I am still undecided about the A100. While travelling the size and weight would be pretty nice as long as the lenses I used were not too big. When I am travelling I am willing to give up some feel for lighter weight and smaller size. The Sigma 18-125mm feels pretty good with the A100. I don't think I would want the A100 as my only DSLR though. Maybe the A100's big brother will be announced at Photokina next month and if it is I might consider it, especially if the high ISO is better than the A100. I am also thinking about the Canon 30D. I really wish it had inbody image stabilization but even though it doesn't the high ISO performance is much better than the A100 so I would not hesitate as much bumping up the ISO when I needed it.

[craig mw]

Well I finnally got around to holding it today, and I wasn't impressed. Mostly because of the lack of a vertical grip, since I'm married to mine after shooting a wedding with it, how could I ever leave home without one now?

 

Perhaps itsa best to wait untill next mounths photo show to see if Sony can promise us something bigger and better. If it were not for the slim hope of something better coming along I would have gone the nikon routge long ago. I'm hestitant to give up my minolta system for a little while longer.

[matthias_leuenberger]

So I got my Alpha yesterday. I tested my old flash (HS 5600) and it seems to underexpose by .75 EV. After turning off ADI (my lenses don't seem to support that)and using plain TTL is seems to work fine.

Also tested wireless and it works. The remote release also works as do my Sigma lenses and the off-shoe flash cables & adapters.

 

As for the camera itself, I find it too small especially with some of the bigger leses I have and certainly compared to my Dynax 9 with vertical grip. But then again it is an advantage when travelling. Eye start also drove my crazy so I turned it off. Be aware that all custom settings are reset/erased) when the camera is turned off and on and is set to Auto - I took me some time to realize that the settings still are there but only available when in "P" mode (which does makes sense...). What I miss is a PC sync and a higher flash sync speed.

 

Can't jet judge the picture quality as it is my first real digital camera. At first glance though, the pictures look as good as my scanned Fuji Reala negs using a Nikon SuperCool scan... Will certainly do more evaluation on this and find out, how much rezzing up can be done.

 

All in all a nice camera and worth waiting for if you have plenty of Minolta gear. I would assume though that Sony will eventully come up with a "pro" model...

[matthias_leuenberger]

...forgot to ask: How do I (directly - not via the export function of the Sony software) open the Sony Raw (.arw) files in Photoshop CS? I assume I need the Adobe raw plug-in but that does not seem to suport .arw files - Am I missing something?

[gerund]

I had the alpha in my hands at a local camera store.

It's size and handling is almost identical to my KM 5D.

The camera is lightweight but with a lens such as my Tamron 28-300 XR

the weight is solid. The noticeable difference that I think is great is the auto focus. It locks into focus as you bring the camera to your eye.

Saves that split second that you need to capture action shots and is very very convenient. I could get used to it in a split second.