Sony a77

[ATCLen]

Hi Everyone

Just got me a new Sony a77 w/ 18-135mm and the 55-300mm lens from B&H. These new lens are very quiet. I also got a new China Pro grip, the build on mine is great and 2 FM-500H's 68.00 US on Ebay. I've bought them before and had great luck so far. It matches the Sony to the Tee.. I still have my Sony a55 as my back-up and I use it for a lot of low light shooting, But I'll really starting to love this Sony a77. I'll post some pics soon.


Len

[MVASteve]

Gday Len love to hear your thoughts of your a77. I'm looking to upgrade my a700 and not sure whether to jump ship and go with another brand.

[NewsyL]

Also looking to move up from an A700. Want to stay in 1.5 crop factor. Have been waiting for next gen A77 as I'm not sure the buffer in the A77 will support my sports shooting but after seeing what Sony did with the A57 to A58 transition (really more like an A37 to A58 path) I'm not so sure there is a positive benefit to waiting for the A77 successor.

[Hawgwild]

Len, congrats on the A77. I am still shooting with my old A300, getting long in the tooth, but still does the job. I see you have the 55-300. Have you used it and if so, how is the sharpness? I am thinking of that one or the 18-250, I can't decide. Thanks.

[Flying Fossil]

Originally Posted by Hawgwild

Len, congrats on the A77. I am still shooting with my old A300, getting long in the tooth, but still does the job. I see you have the 55-300. Have you used it and if so, how is the sharpness? I am thinking of that one or the 18-250, I can't decide. Thanks.

Not familiar 55-300 but have been using the 18-250 for a few years and it is a fantastic all purpose go to lens. Covers 90% of my needs and does a marvelous job.

[TCav]

Originally Posted by NewsyL

Also looking to move up from an A700. Want to stay in 1.5 crop factor. Have been waiting for next gen A77 as I'm not sure the buffer in the A77 will support my sports shooting but after seeing what Sony did with the A57 to A58 transition (really more like an A37 to A58 path) I'm not so sure there is a positive benefit to waiting for the A77 successor.

The A7(series) has always been the top-of-the-line APS-C model, with all the bells and whistles that eventually filter down into the lower end models as they mature. As such, the A7(series) don't generally get the annual upgrades that the lower end models get.

The A3(series) models last about a year, and the A5(series) a little longer, but the A77 has been out for two years so far, without even a rumor of a replacement, probably because there's nothing to improve!

The A77 is currently selling for $1,000, down from $1,400 when it was first introduced. I don't think it'll get much lower (except possibly as part of a package deal.) In the mean time, you're saddling yourself with a 12MP (vs. 24MP), 11 focus point (vs. 19 focus point), 5 fps (vs. 12 fps) dSLR (vs. SLT.)

The A700 is still a very nice camera, but the A77 is much better.

It's your call.

[NewsyL]

I bought my A700 at about the point in the maturity cycle where the A77 is now.

With it looking like the A77 revision will not be here until 2014 and as I'm currently having a very good business year, subject to gov't interference, and the air show season just starting up....

Maybe it's time.

Now if only my water main had not ruptured on Sunday.....

[TCav]

Originally Posted by NewsyL

Now if only my water main had not ruptured on Sunday.....

Yeah, that'll put a damper on things.

[NewsyL]

Well, the water main replacement was not too bad and I had a big tax refund.... will be wringing it out this weekend at two soccer games and possibly in a week at my first airshow.

[NewsyL]

Oh.... why did I wait so long? What fun! Zone focus mode worked really well for me as did the 12fps mode with my Sigma 50-500. Shot well into the twilight at iso800 and is01600 and results were not too bad - they'd probably print OK at half poster size. Images seemed more 3 dimensional than what I pull out of the A700.