The new Sony Alpha, called the A700, was just sneaked out through certain Sony sites, and promptly taken down. However, I managed to watch the intro flash, and grab a screenshot!
It feels like Sony is hitting on the trend done by Michael Bay with Transformers. Release little, bit by bit.
I absolutely love:
– AF/MF switch on the back! No other brand has this. They may have an AF On button, but not a toggle to go into MF when in AF, for all lenses, whether they support full-time manual focusing (called Direct Manual Focus on Minolta/Sony systems.)
– 12.24 megapixel ExMor CMOS sensor with ISO3200 and extra ISO6400, much cleaner than their noisy ol’ CCD.
– Sony Ericsson-style AF-point selector joystick. You can also navigate menus and shooting settings with this (note the screenshot at ISO400? I reckon it will allow you to jump from panel to panel.)
– vertical grip has everything, including the AF-point selector joystick!
– front and rear dials.
– changeable focusing screens. I might get a split-prism manual focus screen!
– separate AF illuminator.
– PC Sync terminal for studio light compatibility. This also means I can hook it to an adapter to bring it into a regular ISO hotshoe!
– kit lens is a 16-105mm F3.5-5.6 DT. After the APS-C crop, I love 24mm. I also felt that 70mm on APS-C wasn’t far enough, but 105mm was just nice. This would have all my favorite focal lengths!
This deserves special mention:
– double cross-type sensors in the middle, and a stronger AF motor. Honestly, this means a greater deal than 9 or more cross-type sensors because you get so much more accuracy and speed in one AF point. My Minolta Dynax 7 had double cross-type sensors and it was claimed to be the fastest AF film body of its time. The Sony A100 tended to hunt; it would overshoot the subject, focus back to close focus and then focus on the subject. The Dynax 7 didn’t hesitate; it went straight onto the subject and stayed there.
Rear view, not a screenshot, but stolen from another site.
Stuff that is worth mentioning, though I’m not rancid about it:
– 921
too much cam geekery that my head is spinning!!
oi. ur anti-spam thing is biased! what if my maths is bad?
Erm, about the joystick thing.
Would it be a good thing? My phone’s joystick’s abit dumbfucked. When it gets slow, I’ll have to turn the phone off and rotate it a few times ala God of War and turn it on again.
40D la!
naeboo: Then you’d need to go back to school!
Dr. Tan: Given that Sony Ericsson inherited its joystick from Ericsson (remember the butt-burning T series?) I’d blame it on them. Sony has been making joysticks for Playstation controllers for ages.
Let’s not forget that the Canon 1d MkIII has a nipple joystick, too. 😀
I haven’t tried using the nipple joystick in portrait orientation; I wonder if it’s reachable. It definitely is on the A700, and considering if your primary joystick IS broke, you can use your portrait grip’s joystick!
Mmm. Don’t actually own a PS so I can’t comment on the lifespan on the nipple.
I hope I would be in the position to comment about the MK3 though.
Canon Freak: Uh why? They’ve lost their main selling point, which is a clean CMOS. Other than exotics like the F1.2Ls and the 200mm F1.8, there really isn’t anything for me to shout about.
I also tried the nipple joystick on the Canon 30D today (for selecting AF points or panning zoomed playback), and it’s not as fully utilized as the Sony A700’s.
hrrmm.. I saw that BIG lens of urs before haha.. nice review. You’ve made it so clear that I feel, I need to upgrade! It’s all over the net now. It’s in the YouTube too -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c16qe7XyCc8
I saw you in Sony Alpha pamphlet 🙂
aiman: Cool! Yeah I appear six times in the same page. 😀