Sony A100

[sean_doucette]

I just recently bought a Sony a100,it seems a little awkward to navigate

through the menus,does anyone else find this?It aslo seems a little noisy but

is not a big deal to me.What are some of your thoughts on this?Does anyone else

have anything to add?Please only respond if you have anything intresting or

advice on this camera.I have posted on this site before and got alot of

childish imature answers.I only ask because I dont know,and want to.

Thanks

[peterblaise]

.

 

Depends on what you're used to and first learned on -- what camera experience are you coming from?

 

Coming from MINOLTA experience, I have NO PROBLEM with it -- rather intuitive for me.

 

As always, RTFM -- read the factory manual -- and while reading, I take notes and write down MY chosen default settings based on informing myself of the options within the camera, as, in my opinion:

 

- Anything that's all purpose has NO purpose until I assign it MY purpose.

 

So, Sean, get yourself a purpose for the camera as you RTFM, and then you'll have something specific to ask us how we correlate the options to best match our own preferences. Then the camera will be YOURS, and probably you won't navigate the menus much after that -- you'll mostly only be operating the external knobs for creative, individual image capture setting changes to tweak the camera's response to your interpretation of any particular scene over and above the camera's own sophisticated intelligence response.

 

But, back to your question:

 

"... Subject: Sony A100 - I just recently bought a Sony a100, it seems a little awkward to navigate through the menus, does anyone else find this? It also seems a little noisy but is not a big deal to me. What are some of your thoughts on this? Does anyone else have anything to add? Please only respond if you have anything interesting or advice on this camera. I have posted on this site before and got a lot of childish immature answers. I only ask because I don't know, and want to [know ... something]. Thanks -- sean doucette ..."

 

... um, what is your question again?

 

Other than the incredible number of reviews available all over the Internet of the Sony Alpha A100, what sort of experience are you sharing and looking for?

 

Let us know.

 

Click!

 

Love and hugs,

 

Peter Blaise peterblaise@yahoo.com Minolta Rokkor Alpha DiMage Photographer http://www.petergblaisephotography.com/

 

PS - Rather than comment on your assessment of other's previous responses to you -- for instance, am I right in inferring that you now have a chip on your shoulder expecting people to respond negatively? -- why not just share the way YOU want to share, and accept that on the free and open Internet, everyone will also share in their own way. May I suggest that by starting off in a fighting stance, you may be encouraging people to fight with you, people who might not otherwise engage in a fight with you, but since you started it ... anyway, set an example, and we're more likely to follow, eh?

 

==

[orensztajn]

Be happy, yuo purchased a nice camera, little bit noisy but you will get use of the menu.

[peterblaise]

.

 

Hmm ... so ... the menus are hardr or easyier if yo spellign is bad? ;-)

[sean_doucette]

Peter

I wouldn't say I have a chip but maybe a little hesitant in posting.I'am not a professional nor do I portray myself to be.I'am just someone who love to take pictures.So thanks for the input.It is my first DSLR.I went with the Sony because my Minolta lenses fit it.I guess I'am going to have to take a course to figure it out.LOL

Sean

[._._z]

<i><blockquote> I have posted on this site before and got alot of childish imature answers.

</blockquote> </i><p>

 

Ah yes, this infamous thread, in which you expected people to choose from choices you didn't bother to list!: <p>

 

<u><A href =

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00HdNd>

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00HdNd</a></u> <p>

 

Try asking specific questions, with enough information to give you a fair answer....

[bill_thorlin]

Hey - let us hang on a bit here. Sean asked a fair question from his point of view and hoped for feedback from someone who actually uses an A100. Sometimes responses on p.net can be a bit harsh and not very welcoming for a newcomer - let us hope that this forum is not really like that and somebody can engage in a meaningful dialogue and maybe elicit the exact areas of concern.

 

Anyway Sean - I have found that trying a thing out in "real life" is always a good way to learn ( admittedly with the manual handy ) and does help to crystallize the problem areas. Go and shoot as well as waiting for answers.

 

As to spelling - the comments seem a bit "ad homynym" or is that "ad hominem".

[MichaelChang]

Sean, I come from a Nikon D70 (which I still own and use) and also find the A100 menu a bit awkward to navigate, but as Gustavo remarked, it's something you can get used to pretty quickly. <br><br>

I wouldn't obsess over the apparent noise. Your choice of settings will often have a significant influence on noise contribution if not careful - I would recommend reading up on the numbers of Internet resources and experiment. Also remember that you can grossly magnify the effects of noise on a computer screen to the extent of becoming academic (which is not nearly as apparent in a print). <br><br>

Things can be a little intimidating (and frustrating) since it's your first dSLR. It took the better part of 6 months and thousands of shots for my D70 to feel as though it was an extension to my eye and reflex; I suspect you might experience the same learning curve. FIY, I'm an amateur who loves taking pictures, just like you.

[chris_harley1]

Ah Sean don't worry about the posts you receive here! Just ignore the overzealous and focus on the good.

Like anything new navigation is always hard at first, I'm sure you'll soon get used to it.

[pete.purvis]

I'm still a film guy and use a Maxxum 7 plus VC-7, which has lots of options that can be

narrowed down into the ones used, but it still has old-time knobs and easily discerned

methods of operation. This being said, I stopped at Wolf the other day to fiddle with the

Alpha 100. First, it felt plasticky (yeah, so does the M7). But the knobs and rollers are back

to the future when I tussled with the 7xi, an excellent camera but with buttons, rollers and

Byzantine routines.

 

I guess I'm time-warped into the days of Nikon SPs, OM-2s, Nikon FEs, Hassys, and a few

others I've owned but can't recall.

 

My point here is to make the Sony Alpha 200 like the M7 or M9 with digits.

[tmhutchins]

I've been hastled in here by a few people to in the past but I just don't care as they probably take life a bit to seriously. Most of them don't seem to post here anymore anyway for some reason.

 

According to reviews in the Dyxum Forum the menus does take a few weeks to get used to especially for those that had the 7D, buttons and knobs. I'm hoping that my 7D will last long enough for a Sony replacement that uses a similar setup to the 7D. But, since you have the A100 just find all the positives with it and focus on them. Read all the reviews and forum posts to get insight into the thing. If you see some nice shots taken with the camera ask the photographer for the EXIF or just how they did it.

 

Regarding noise. This is nothing new with the A100s sensor. It is well documented in most reviews and forums. Try to use the lowest ISO setting possible for the given situation and invest in faster glass. Work around the problem with software like noise ninja (try shooting RAW and use Bibble Pro), all options.

 

I'm just a hobby shooter and like you I'm learning each day so welcome to the club.

 

Tim H

[tommyinca]

Bibble Pro doesn't support Sony A100 yet. IS0800 and IS1600 could use some noise reduction software. ISO400 is more useable then the other as it has free Image stablization and a good price for a 50mm/f1.4 lens. Too bad Sigma's 30mm/f1.4 is not available for the Aplha mount.

[bill_thorlin]

Pete - "I am still a film guy" - under the new direction this site is undergoing you cannot say that - you must refer to yourself as a "Nostlgia buff" who uses "Off-brand" equipment :)

 

Sean - perhaps to summarise :- 1) Do not try and learn everything all at once, it will do your head in, especially given the size of the manual. 2) Work out which bits relate to the sort of photography you want to do and really get to grips with them. 3) If your answer to 2) is "everything" then break it down into 5 or at the most 10 specifics and work your way through them. 4) Take your time and expand as you go.

 

Happy travelling.

[p.magnuson]

In response to the original question, do you know what all the functions do? do you know the terms and abbreiviation that the menus refer to are about? If not, you need to read up on these first and then get back to the camera (the manual should give help, but you're better off getting a good book). You will figure it out with a bit of perseverance and when you do, it'll be worth it.

[peterblaise]

.

 

Wow - the earlier thread at

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00HdNd

 

... is a HOOT!

 

Immature? Bob Atkins?

 

==

 

In this thread ...

 

Sean, you say you enjoy takin' pictures, so go ahead! Turn the camera on and take some pictures.

 

[Auto] is a GREAT Setting, ignore the menus until you have a particular question, and as I often say, "... what page of the owner's manual are you having trouble with?" ;-) In other words, RTFM -- read the factory manual! =8^o

 

Me? With my first Sony Alpha A100 experience, I filled up a 1GB CF card in minutes and then played with the shots -- most had the wrong settings, but were recoverable. That's how I have fun and learn!

 

By what method do YOU plan on having fun?

 

YOU tell US!

 

==

 

Bill,

 

... ad hominoid, perhaps?

 

... ad hemorrhoid attacks?

 

Click!

 

Love and hugs,

 

Peter Blaise peterblaise@yahoo.com Minolta Rokkor Alpha DiMage Photographer http://www.peterblaisephotography.com/

[bill_thorlin]

Keep trying - one day you might, just might, get it right.

[craig_gillette]

No question that the manuals can be daunting. If nothing else, they seem to assume either a certain level of photographic experience or none and then have been translated from the original language. But they are a bit of a necessary evil for some things. Otherwise, experiment to your heart's content, all you've got to really do is erase files you hate and charge batteries now and then.

 

Noise? Not sure if you mean image noise or actual noise. I think it's one of the hazards of many modern cameras. A simple digital with no mirror is pretty quiet - as you likely know, sometimes they add sound so you can tell they are even working. But don't forget that many film slrs and other film cameras sometimes came with autodrives that added the whine of film advances or the churlish howl of retracting the film back into the cartridge. So the mirror slap is there but short of being in an extremely quiet environment, it's usually not noticeable. Churches, museums and the tee at a pro golf tournament being some of the few places to worry. Most other places, it's just a fact of life.

 

I think you'll find that you have a few menu trails you'll use a lot and they'll become ingrained and eventually you'll get to the logic or at least ideas of the others. I have a 7D so don't need them much and usually end up plunking through several of them when they become necesary to find or change something.

 

One thing is that you are one of the early adopters so there aren't necessarily going to be lots of people out there familar with the camera yet so the manual really may need to be one of your primary resources for a while.

[tails]

Its been a LONG time since the last post, but I feel compelled to respond regardless - there may be another "me" who is out there searching for comments and reviews on the A-100 haha! :)

 

I found the navigation confusing until I read the manual. Having not played with many SLRs, digital or otherwise, I wasnt used to seeing all those abbreviations and changing digits on a camera.

 

The manual, although large, was very comprehensive and explained things beautifully :) I have worked with many "point and shoot" cameras as well as a DSLR, mainly the Canon PowerShot Pro A80, Fuji FinePix S5500, Nikon D80s, Olympus D-40Z, and now the Sony Alpha A-100 and I found the general navigation after understanding some of it fairly easily adjustable to.

 

Hope this makes sense :) Keep playing! As someone said before, "experiment to your heart's content, all you've got to really do is erase files you hate and charge batteries now and then." :)