Alpha A100 (Official)

[reno77]

They base the G lens prices on how much ppl paid for them on Ebay instead of pricing them competively against Canon and Nikon ??

 

[Stanly]

Wah they seem very serious.....:bigeyes:

 

[smtan24]

I don't Know what Sony is thinking. Minolta lens already has a name. Sony has no name in camera business but they want to charge so high. In the end they will just price themselves out.

 

[Eyesthruthelens]

I don't what Sony is thinking. Minolta lens already hae name. Sony has no name in camera business but want to charge so high. In the end they will just price themselves out.

Sony is very strong in marketing.. maybe they are trying to sell the DSLR like printer or game console products..
Body cheap (printer / xbox / ps2 cheap) and focus on profit on lens (ink cartridges / games)..

 

[dr34mc4st3r]

i can already smell my KM lens appreciating in value thanks to sony's high lens prices :bsmilie:

 

[pai]

posted this in the sony forum thread... interesting discussion of the bionz processor and the dynamic range optimization...

DCI:
Absolutely. Getting into the technology a bit, can you indicate how you see the new Bionz image processor being different than the Real Image Processors, and how is it a better fit for an SLR?

Mark Weir:
If what you’re saying is the real imaging processor specifically, I would say that probably the biggest difference is operational speed and also what it’s doing. I mean if you think about it, the main CPU of a camera has similar responsibilities from model to model. But in the case of this processor, I think more effort is put into the image processing and the method by which the image processing is accomplished, then in most other processors. Specifically, part of this is aimed at maintaining very low noise levels even with higher pixel counts and slightly smaller pixel pitch. Maintaining per pixel sharpness becomes more and more difficult to realize as pixel counts go up in APS sensors. But I think that the primary difference is the dynamic range optimization. Which, as far as I know, hasn’t really been attempted in SLRs to date. Up until now, and again, I’m not aware of each and every product on the market, but up until now, it’s my opinion that most every image optimization scheme that’s been attempted to date has been done after the image has developed.

DCI:
Meaning in the software rather than in the hardware.

Mark Weir:
Well, not only in the software rather than in the hardware, but after the image has been processed, in other words, the process is not applied to the raw data coming off of the sensor. If you think of the shooting process as a sensor capturing the data, the data being processed, and then the data being recorded to media, specifically or perhaps exclusively, all of the optimization has been performed on the image after it has been processed into a JPEG and before it is written to the media. So, in other words it’s not just post-capture, it’s post processing.

DCI:
So it’s basically like applying auto levels to the RAW files?

Mark Weir:
No, it’s much more than “a” parameter, we have slides that would probably help explain it in greater detail for you, but I think that there’s at least four or five separate parameters which are evaluated and optimized in the process, and to do that on a 10 MP RAW file without negatively impacting the processing speed and therefore without negatively impacting the shooting speed is the real breakthrough.

DCI:
Is there any difference in the way it performs those tasks on the RAW file versus a JPEG?

Mark Weir:
It doesn’t perform those tasks on a JPEG at all. Dynamic Range Optimization in the camera is performed exclusively on the RAW data, never on the processed data.

DCI:
Does it boost information in shadows more than highlights or are both given equal weighting?

Mark Weir:
Depends upon the mode. As you know, there are two different selectable levels of DRO: there’s DRO standard and then there is DRO advanced. DRO standard is primarily manipulation of Gamma, it’s not exclusively manipulation of gamma but it’s primarily that. It covers the entire image, and its primary purpose is to recover or extract shadow detail. DRO advanced can extract detail from the shadowed areas, but it performs the analysis on an area by area basis and it also manipulates additional parameters so it is able to recover the shadow detail, as well as the highlight detail, without affecting the entire image. The primary reason for having separate standard and advanced is essentially the processing time, because we can’t execute the advanced process in the time necessary to maintain the three frames per second shooting rate.

DCI:
Is there any way to disengage the Dynamic Range Optimizer?

Mark Weir:
Oh, sure.

DCI:
You can disengage it completely?

Mark Weir:
Oh yeah, you can turn it off. You can et it for standard or you can set it for advanced. It’s up to you. We know that there are plenty of people who would say no, no, no, no, no, I’m not going to let my camera do that. I’m going to do that in post processing in Photoshop. Those people are going to say no, I capture everything in RAW and I process every one of my images by myself, and I perform all of that optimization on my own and we’re like, fine, no problem. But if you think about it, the time it takes to do that—I mean, that’s a very involved process.

DCI:
Absolutely, it becomes much more of a control issue at that point.

Mark Weir:
Yeah, and what we’re saying is that through the aid of this processor, we’re able to take an operation that is a minimum of, oh I would say twenty minutes, thirty minutes, and, for some people, hours and reduce it to a near instantaneous process. But we are not requiring it in any way and of course you can always capture RAW and JPEG and leave the RAW data as it is and enjoy the dynamic range optimization in the file that is ultimately processed to JPEG and written to memory. But in no way do we require that, we just think that it’s a major step forward that a camera could put forward processing at this level of sophistication and do it in the routine operation of shooting. I mean, you can literally enjoy DRO standard while blitzing along at three frames per second unlimited.

DCI:
Yeah, that’s great.

Mark Weir:
And that, I think, is the primary accomplishment of the Bionz processor. I don’t know anything that can do that.

 

[Eyesthruthelens]

http://www.pbase.com/davidkilpatrick/sony_alpha_100

 

[dr34mc4st3r]

i think sony requested that production model camera photos not be shown is for a reason. think we shd wait till full reviews for further answers

 

[TRS]

Sony is very strong in marketing.. maybe they are trying to sell the DSLR like printer or game console products..
Body cheap (printer / xbox / ps2 cheap) and focus on profit on lens (ink cartridges / games)..

Not sure Sony and Cheap goes together. I wonder what they did to 9D KM was working on? A100 is definitely in sony's line. I hope they will release what was supposed to be 9D in couple of months. I think they are going for their usual mass consumer, not high end. So, we may never see version of 9D come out.

 

[drake336]

Not sure Sony and Cheap goes together. I wonder what they did to 9D KM was working on? A100 is definitely in sony's line. I hope they will release what was supposed to be 9D in couple of months. I think they are going for their usual mass consumer, not high end. So, we may never see version of 9D come out.

I disagree, the fact that they retained many of the G lenses and intro Zeiss glass on top of that seems to imply that they are still going to go for the very high end... even if nothing else but just to stick one foot in the market long occupied by N and C.

Companies understand that the flagship will not be the camera that brings them the most $$$, it is the entry levels and the mid range... BUT the flagship is important becos it's quality (or lack thereof) will make people associate with the rest of their line. If nothing else, a good 9D-like pro body will entice people to buy into the system, and that is their ultimate aim.

So although I will not replace my 7D with the A-100, its success will herald better times for us A-mount users in general...

 

[reno77]

Wonder how the dynamic range of the A100 compares against the S3pro..

 

[drake336]

Wonder how the dynamic range of the A100 compares against the S3pro..

I believe cannot compare... The Fuji uses a sensor technology that is in a class of it's own that no one can touch right now in terms of DR (10 stops!!!)...

What Sony offers right now is a hardware driven solution to optimize you JPEG DR from the available RAW data... It's not the magic bullet, but still nifty to have though, if it works as good as it's supposed to, in theory... should be better than nothing, just hope it doesn't create unwanted artifacts...

 

[TME]

I'm not sure if the 10 stops DR for the S3Pro is real or not... cos I have read many comments online that the performance of the DR for the S3Pro is only marginally better than the S2Pro and not clearly better than that of the 30D or D200... that's my impression from my reading so far... otherwise I would expect lots of Nikon users (prosumers) would have hopped on the Fuji bandwagon, the high price nothwithstanding, given a 10 stop DR...

 

[drake336]

Problem is the, the sensor makes the S3Pro, nothing else... Not many people will pay the (almost) equivalent of a D200 for the S3Pro, which although has a very good sensor, does almost everything else mediocre... (i.e. Cost = D200, but specs = D70 + good sensor)

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

Not sure Sony and Cheap goes together. I wonder what they did to 9D KM was working on? A100 is definitely in sony's line. I hope they will release what was supposed to be 9D in couple of months. I think they are going for their usual mass consumer, not high end. So, we may never see version of 9D come out.

I think the 7D & 9D replacement will come sooner or later... then maybe Sony might come out with something like the XL-1/2 with interchangable lenses using the high end Sony lenses, perhaps all with SSMs...

 

[TME]

It would be most interesting to see the direction taken by Sony where lens is concerned... from the buy-over statement of KM's camera assets, it appears that the lens making aspect is still within control of KM, only that they make lenses for Sony... it remains to be seen if the SSM technology belongs to Sony or still to KM... and if the lens technologies as well as optics technologies belong to Sony, it would also be interesting to see if Sony will merge the optics techniques of KM and Carl Zeiss, both which are very top-end lens manufacturers... ideally u would have the Carl Zeiss brand name with its attendant optical quality with KM's innovativeness in lens design plus SSM technology as well as Sony's expertise in the electronics area... these lenses will surely be among the best in the industry... and with Sony's financial and marketing muscle, prices may still be realistic...

And I fully agree with DCA that we will see new lens technologies or even new lens lines only when Sony has capable and competitive (both technically and economically and in market appeal) mid-range and pro-end DSLRs before they will commit to having a revamped lens lineup... although I tend to see that Sony has already lined up all these in the past 2 years when negotiations were going on... and it's only a matter of time when Sony will finally release a roadmap for their camera division... surely there will be a shakeup of this division so that there is a logical lineup as well as target for each segment of the market... and we may well start seeing their cosumer digicams start spotting AS as one of the many extra features that the buy-out will bring... or even better AF and picture quality (Sony digicams have some of the most awful picture qualities in my opinion... and that's a result of the lack of photographic know-how).

My 2 cents worth...

 

[s00n]

Guys did you all notice that the ISO, Metering, focusing are all controlled in the left hand knob?

How to take a quick shot without quick control over these features?

 

[pai]

Guys did you all notice that the ISO, Metering, focusing are all controlled in the left hand knob?

How to take a quick shot without quick control over these features?

i think it should be ok lah...

the minolta a2 has a left-hand dial that works the same way, i find that it works quite well. iso is one of the settings i change most frequently, so leave the dial at iso. if need to change, just press button with left hand, the right hand can adjust the setting while the eye looks at the number in the viewfinder, very easy.

i use multisegment metering most of the time. i link the spot meter to my AEL button, so when i want spot meter i just press that with my thumb, can do it one handed without taking eye off viewfinder.

switching between AF and MF can be done with a switch on the lower left side of the camera body.

as for the other settings, i find i don't often have to change them quickly, and on the fly. and for most other cameras, whether they use menu system, dedicated button or knob, you'll have to lower the camera when changing these settings. this dial system is actually pretty quick. maybe not as good as the 7d, but i think this works better than on the 5d.

 

[Clockunder]

From the samples of pictures taken by numerous DSLRs, I notice that the noise performances @ISO 1600 of those cameras with max. ISO 3200 are better than those with max. ISO 1600.

Since the new Sony A100 has a max. of ISO 1600, I'm not very optimistic about its noise performance and I think those who look to upgrade their Minolta 5D and are particular about noise at high ISO would probably be better to wait for the replacement model of 7D.

 

[TME]

From the samples of pictures taken by numerous DSLRs, I notice that the noise performances @ISO 1600 of those cameras with max. ISO 3200 are better than those with max. ISO 1600.

Since the new Sony A100 has a max. of ISO 1600, I'm not very optimistic about its noise performance and I think those who look to upgrade their Minolta 5D and are particular about noise at high ISO would probably be better to wait for the replacement model of 7D.

I think u are missing the point... very few sensors have native ISO3200... most of them are extrapolated... anyway according to David Kilpatrick (dpreview), a pro photographer who was invited to test the new Alpha 100, the high ISO performance is quite excellent given the ability to resolve stuff like almost 2 km away... let's wait for more mainstream reviews first and take a look at the pics at normal viewing sizes... how many people view at 100% 72dpi and 35 inches across??? That's not quite realistic cos we are not pros who need to do double sheets...