Sony a55 review questions??

[mike_samson2]

 

<p >I was totally sold on this camera for the killer HD autofocusing abilities, but I just finished reading this review and was blown away by the fact that this camera isn't even a real SLR? When you look through the viewfinder you never actually look through the lens, but instead at a LCD Screen projection of the Live View. What the?<br>

I'm not sure if I want this camera anymore as looking through the lens is one the best parts of the SLR. I like to see the seen with the human eye through the lens, not what the camera thinks the scene should look like? Although this could be a useful feature at times I guess.<br>

Thoughts on this?? Here's the review I got the info from. Not surprised Sony doesn't mention any of this on there sites, as far as I can tell.<br>

<a rel="nofollow" href="http://jhpvideotutorials.com/2011/05/11/sony-alpha-55-hands-on-review/" target="_blank">http://jhpvideotutorials.com/2011/05/11/sony-alpha-55-hands-on-review/</a></p>

<p >Thanks in advance,</p>

<p >Mike</p>

 

[gregory_king1]

<p>Mike,</p>

<p>Never shot video, huh? It's been electronic viewfinders on those for 20+ years. :-)</p>

<p>I just looked through one the other day, and it was fine. It is similar to looking through a video camera, but higher resolution. I didn't use it enough to see if it smeared at high panning rates.</p>

<p>Some of the advantages? Auto gain-up in low light. Exact DOF/bokeh preview (optical viewfinders overestimate DOF). Exact preview of exposure settings. No blackout during shooting. Stuff like that.</p>

<p>Not ready to jump on one yet, but I suspect my next camera will be a SLT.</p>

[phule]

<p>From the Sony Style A55 site:</p>

<p>"Compose your shots on either the LCD monitor or electronic viewfinder with 100% framing accuracy."</p>

<p>They say it right on the main page. </p>

[leslie_cheung]

<p>This is also how it get 10fps and AF during video...try that with a reflex mirror. </p>

[isaac_leung]

<p>From what I have seen, there is a disadvantage if like me, you use radio-triggered remote flashes (not Sony's system) to light your shots, since EVF adjusts the image to what it things it will be.<br>

So for example, in a typical situation, I would be in a dark room with multiple flashes set up to illuminate the subject. I stop down to f/8 and 1/160 shutter speed in anticipation of the flood of light from the flashes, and to prevent the ambient light from affecting my image. If I am using an A55, the EVF turns black as an indication of what the scene would look like if I wasn't using those flashes.<br>

The last time I tried a demo unit at the Sony store, there was no way to get the EVF to disregard the manual settings and adjust gain to actually let me see what was going on. Hopefully this gets fixed with a firmware update or in the next camera. For now, though, SLTs are of no use to me.</p>

[vancouverphotographer]

<p>Mike, if you shoot studio stuff like Isaac, it's probably not useful to you like it's not useful to him until Sony improves it. I don't do studio stuff usually and it works fine for me despite some slow refreshing and lag times. In fact, sometimes I miss the EVF when I switch to using my other cameras.</p>

[vancouverphotographer]

<p>... having said that, though I don't tend to shoot any studio stuff, I believe a quick google will bring back some info on how some people workaround the EVF for studio shots.</p>

[ricardovaste]

<p>Most reviews seem to agree that the A33/A55 are way about it's competitors with regard to viewfinder - other cameras in this bracket have tiny/dim penta-mirror finders, where as this SLT is much larger, brighter. Also, although you may not be keen on 'looking at an lcd, rather than what the human eye sees', what you see is what the cameras sees, it's what is recorded, it's what your family will see when they watch back the video - so it has clear advantages there.</p>

<p>I won't get into the whole EVF vs OVF debate, but I think you'll be more than happy with it. Importantly, just go to a store and try one out, problem solved.</p>

[mike_samson2]

<p>Thanks for all the comments everybody :) I have shot video before, but only with my 5D mark II, and I use that for studio work, so it's not that big a deal about studio work.<br>

I was interested in the Sony for the amazing autofocus as clearly illustrated in all the review videos I've seen. I was just caught off guard by the LCD viewfinder. <br>

I really appreciate you all pointing out the advantages of the viewfinder as I definitely did not think of many at all ;)<br>

I'll take a ride down to BHPhoto in NYC and check 1 out 1st hand! <br>

Thanks again everybody for sharing your thoughts and helping me out,<br>

Mike</p>