Tag Archives: Sony Alpha

Sony Rep Discusses the SLT-A58, NEX-3N, New Lenses on Camera Diner

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This entry is part 3 of 3 in the series Photo Equipment

It’s quite interesting to actually see the SLT-A58 in “person”. There are certainly some great innovations in the camera, especially for video shooters and beginners. I still think that for an advanced amateur or enthusiast, the SLT-A57 is the better camera at that price point.

The interesting part of the “kit” to me is the new 18-55mm lens. I haven’t had the greatest of luck with the previous version of the lens, and I find it very susceptible to lens flare. The new version of the lens apparently has a new rear element (presumably with better coatings) to reduce the flare issue. Good news there.

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Sony’s New SLT-A58 Could be a Step Backwards

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This entry is part 2 of 3 in the series Photo Equipment

A couple of days back, I wrote that Sony had announced their replacement for the SLT-A57. Called the SLT-A58, it initially looked as if the camera was made just for me! But, as official specs come forward, it appears that the camera could be a bit of a disappointment, as compared to the current model.

While the SLT-A58 gains the OLED EVF found on the higher-end SLT-A65, SLT-A77 and SLT-A99 models, and gets a resolution boost and slightly improved autofocus system, Sony have chosen to reduce specs in other areas.

Most notably, the rear LCD screen has been reduced from a 3″, 921,600 pixel display to a 2.7″, 460,000 pixel screen. Even my entry-level SLT-A35 has the better 3″ “XtraFine Tru-Black” display.

The screen isn’t the only downgrade, either. Here are a few other highlights — or rather, lowlights:

  • The new camera forgoes Sony’s traditional metal lens mount in favor of composite plastic.
  • Auto Exposure Bracketing is reduced from +/- 3 stops to +/- 2.
  • Continuous frame rate is reduced to 5fps at full resolution.
  • While the Sweep Panorama mode is retained, there is no mention of the Dynamic Range Optimization and in-camera HDR functions.

Based on pre-order pricing at B&H Photo and Adorama, it looks as if the price will be very similar to the SLT-A57. This for a camera that is, in some ways, a step backwards even from the previous entry-level models. This is not to say that there are not some very nice improvements to the camera. Sony’s new continuous autofocus enhancements are exciting, and the OLED viewfinder is a really big deal.

But…

Sony is making the SLT-A57 body available at a stupid-low price, and I’m thinking that I may want to find a way to pick one up before they’re gone, or be prepared to either be disappointed or buy the much more expensive SLT-A65.

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New Sony SLT-A58 Coming Soon!

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This entry is part 1 of 3 in the series Photo Equipment

The new Sony Alpha SLT-A58 offers features that blur the lines between entry-level and intermediate DSLR cameras — so much so that it’s bumped the SLT-A65 from the top of my “wish list” for an upgrade Sony camera body. Here’s a official video splash from Sony:

dpreview.com has preliminary information, as well.

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The Beauty of the Old

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This entry is part 1 of 6 in the series Vintage Glass

One of the reasons I made the switch to Sony cameras was the amazing imaging qualities of the cameras and the functionality of the new single-lens-translucent (SLT) technology. I’ve talked about that before. Another important reason was the ability to use older Minolta Maxxum lenses.

Images made with Minolta lenses have a certain “look,” much like older Olympus lenses from the OM-1 days. So, in addition new high quality “new tech” lenses, I decided early on that there were a few Minolta lenses that would have to be a part of my kit, and the first one I wanted to get was the second-generation of the 50mm f/1.7 (the second generation is almost identical to the mystical original “crossed X” version, but is rumored to be slightly sharper). Last week, I found a great price on one on line, and quickly snapped (no pun intended) it up.

Sony Alpha SLT-A35 with Minolta Maxxum 50mm f/1.7. ISO 200, 1/40, f/1.7. From a RAW file, with minimal adjustment in Adobe Lightroom 4.1.

Literally, this is one of the first pictures I took using the lens. There were specific things I was looking to examine in this “test shot”: color, depth of field control, bokeh, and sharpness.

Obviously, at f/1.7, depth-of-field is extremely shallow. And, wide open, the bokeh is beautiful! Nice, perfectly round spectral highlights and soft, flowing colors. And what lovely color. Amazing and beautiful results from a lens that’s nearly 25 years old.

Sony Alpha SLT-A35 with Minolta Maxxum 50mm f/1.7. ISO 200, 1/40, f/1.7. From a RAW file, with minimal adjustment in Adobe Lightroom 4.1. Cropped and resized in Adobe Photoshop CS6.

For those who long to pixel-peep… Actually, I saw this crop when I zoomed into the image in Lightroom to take a closer look, and really liked the composition. It also affords a nice look at the detail that the lens can capture.

I’m definitely planning to add at least a couple more of these classic lenses to my bag, specifically, the AF 20mm f/2.8 and the AF 135mm f/2.8. An original AF 24-70mm f/2.8, if I can find one that I can afford, would also make a great addition to my kit. More than likely, I’ll pickup the 28-85 f/3.5-4.5 instead, as well as a 70-210mm f/4.

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On the Boardwalk

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This gallery contains 12 photos.

Over Christmas, Donna and I ventured down to the Ocean City boardwalk to take a few pictures. There were a few people about, but for the most part, the place was pretty much buttoned up. A number of these are … Continue reading →

Another “Future of Photography” post

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Much in the news of photography today, much of which is not good. First up, our favorite camera store, Penn Camera, has filed for bankruptcy. They’ll be closing stores almost immediately. That leaves only a very few, scattered independent shops in our area, most of which suffer from small product lines.

The logo from 1987 to 2006. "Evolution of...

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Second, Kodak is also filing for bankruptcy. In my opinion, this has been a long time coming, and taking our Kodachrome away was the nail in the coffin. Not that I ever liked Kodachrome. I always thought Fujichrome was a much better film.

Sony Alpha NEX-7

Sony Alpha NEX-7 with 18-55mm lens

Meanwhile, Trey Ratcliff has posted an interesting article on his blog announcing the death of the DSLR. Instead, Trey imagines a future of 3rd generation digital cameras, most without mirrors, and many without even any kind of viewfinder except for the big screen on the back. Indeed, new mirrorless cameras like Sony‘s new NEX-7 offer all of the image quality of today’s APS-C DSLRs in an amazingly compact package. With adapters available allowing a wide ranges of lenses to fit on the NEX cameras, they’re sure to be a hit. The NEX-7 is poised to be a very capable, professional quality camera once some serious lenses are available.

Full circle?

Years ago, professionals relied heavily on superb-quality 35mm rangefinder cameras with interchangeable lenses from Lieca, Nikon, Canon, and others. They loved them for their small size and weight and excellent image quality. A glance at the pages of any new photography magazine shows some of those same players are back at it today, introducing high-end “digital rangefinders” aimed squarely at professional or semi-pro markets.

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