Sony A100 review out!!

[eow]

haha. just came back from marina square. timer wolf, shibin and me won some memory game on stage, and got some pretty useless photoframes.:bsmilie:

anyway, some comments: firstly, i dun really find the A100's AF speed much faster. i think i might be abit faster(which might be due to physchological effects), but not so fast that pp will go "wow" when compared to the 7D. secondly, noise at 1600 just too high. thirdly, 7D users might find A100 uncomfortable as some pretty useful buttons are missing. one of them is the AF/MF button, i was trying to do manual focusing and kept pressing the AEL button(thinking it was the AF/MF). fourth, DRO seems to work pretty well, but timberwolf said indoor testing is not so accurate, so will not comment much on that. lastly, i still think it will be better to wait for 7D's replacement, as A100 gives me a feeling that it is a camera for sony to exhibit what new technolgies they have right now, so i believe 7Di(or whatever name) would be one hell of a camera really well designed plus more technologies.

btw, anyone took photos of us on stage?

satay16 is yr set the 'eyestart' function on?
dun known the set that were pass to Drudkh from u or shibin..the eyestart function was not on
it faster with the es on

 

[eow]

Shoot this better.....

Tan u were there?
we were with the gang just now
here some of the pics taken

 

[zcf]

Alpha 100 ISO1600 shot :embrass: 50% resize, straight out from camera, higher compression due to uploading.

 

[eow]

not as bad as i thought:think:

 

[zcf]

not as bad as i thought:think:

was a surprise to me also, I think it actually depend on what you shoot and the background :think: .

Sure plain background like sky and pure colour wall will show a lot of noise.

 

[cosycatus]

my views on the cam after trying it out at funan today..

1) it's responsive

2) grip and egronomics is there.

3) Focus is not able to catch sometimes though and might be a tad slow. I'm comparing based on my experience with 20d with a 2.8 glass. I was testing with the kit lens. Maybe the lens can focus faster and better with lens that has a larger aperture.

4) at $1399, i think i will buy it.

 

[tankm]

...:sweat:
ok...... btw, the 70-200 is working great!

Glad you like it...missing it already, using "Beercan" now, the first picture of the SONY Girl was taken with the beercan on the A-100.

Tan u were there?
we were with the gang just now

Was there around 2 to 3 pm. The model looks different as well.

DRO works, but bring out the noise as well when it try to "brighten" the shade area for higher ISO shot (eg 400 and 800). For screen viewing (not at 100%) not a big issue. AF speed, not sure yet if it's faster (with eye start ON), but didn't encounter hunting with the beercan when I was using it.

DRO comparison photo here for those interested.... http://tankm.fotki.com/events/a-100/

This is a highly crop photo from the A-100, ISO 1600, post processed to remove noise...see if you can see the fun side of this photo.

 

[donkuok]

Glad you like it...missing it already, using "Beercan" now, the first picture of the SONY Girl was taken with the beercan on the A-100.


Was there around 2 to 3 pm. The model looks different as well.

DRO works, but bring out the noise as well when it try to "brighten" the shade area for higher ISO shot (eg 400 and 800). For screen viewing (not at 100%) not a big issue. AF speed, not sure yet if it's faster (with eye start ON), but didn't encounter hunting with the beercan when I was using it.

DRO comparison photo here for those interested.... http://tankm.fotki.com/events/a-100/

This is a highly crop photo from the A-100, ISO 1600, post processed to remove noise...see if you can see the fun side of this photo.

oh ya...detail lost...silky

 

[tankm]

It's noisier than the KM5D at the same ISO and exposure, based on my non scientific comparison.

But overall still not that bad and I will say usable with some post processing. Yes its tedious and some detail will be lost but still usable if there is a real need to use ISO1600.

was a surprise to me also, I think it actually depend on what you shoot and the background :think: .

Sure plain background like sky and pure colour wall will show a lot of noise.

 

[Timber Wolf]

Hmm.... well sometimes the focusing will be bad due to the lens involved. With the kit lens against the 20/2.8 canon I think there's no fight. But hook up a 135/2.8 and u'll give the canon a serious run for the money


Great meeting you guys there =)
Cheers
QX

 

[TME]

Shoot this better.....

Just nit-picking really... the face is 1/2 or 1/3 under... I'm impressed by the detail captured on the balloon...

 

[psdcrdsc]

the alpha polo t-shirt looks nice. any1 knows where to get?

 

[Johnston]

All I believe is if you don't have a DSLR and want one and have minolta lenses, go for it....

No point of complaining about ISO 1600 where you won't probably use it. Go and shoot a ISO1600 film before you start complaining. It is quite bad... and film technology has been there for more than 1 century...

At the end of the day, buy what you need today and start shooting and stop complaining on things you probably won't even thinking of using.

A-100 is so feature packed, I am sure if I am starting to build my gear from ground up, it will be my selection.

decided to get the A100, since I have my current minolta lenses. great thanx for your advise. very new to DSLR, so pardon me, what are these 'noises' on pic that ppl are talking about? :embrass:

 

[satay16]

noises- look at black parts of the photo. low noise, you should just see black. high noise, you should see black with christmas lights.

 

[TME]

I was pretty impressed with the detail level of the black shirt of the model that zcf shot and posted above... thre's some colour noise but the details of the cloth is pretty impressive still...

 

[tankm]

Just nit-picking really... the face is 1/2 or 1/3 under... I'm impressed by the detail captured on the balloon...

Thanks for the comments....it does look off balance. Picture was taken on the KM5D, wonder how A-100 DRO will help in this case. :think:

Result after "PS DRO" ...

the alpha polo t-shirt looks nice. any1 knows where to get?

Taiwan A-100 Bundle has it....and comes with an Alpha Dry Box plus other stuff as well....http://www.minolta.club.tw/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=24619

 

[satay16]

Thanks for the comments....it does look off balance. Picture was taken on the KM5D, wonder how A-100 DRO will help in this case. :think:

Result after "PS DRO" ...

Taiwan A-100 Bundle has it....and comes with an Alpha Dry Box plus other stuff as well....http://www.minolta.club.tw/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=24619

omg!!!! that's what i call a real bunble package!!!! even their dry box and shirt has sony on them. cool!!!

 

[TME]

I just realised that the model in the picture folded up her full length T-shirt to bare her midriff... that's pretty ridiculous... looks real cheap - like a beer garden girl trying to sell beer... I think Sony can afford better props that these... Anyway tankm, did she do it for your shot or was it already like that? Just rather amazed at the situation...

 

[tankm]

I tompang only....she was in the pose for another photog, just hold slightly longer and look at me only after the first photog has completed his shot.

SONY should start making the 70-210 f4 and pack them in six packs, then they can start selling "Beercan". :bsmilie:

I just realised that the model in the picture folded up her full length T-shirt to bare her midriff... that's pretty ridiculous... looks real cheap - like a beer garden girl trying to sell beer... I think Sony can afford better props that these... Anyway tankm, did she do it for your shot or was it already like that? Just rather amazed at the situation...

 

[sulhan]

I just realised that the model in the picture folded up her full length T-shirt to bare her midriff... that's pretty ridiculous... looks real cheap - like a beer garden girl trying to sell beer... I think Sony can afford better props that these... Anyway tankm, did she do it for your shot or was it already like that? Just rather amazed at the situation...

Hahah...tot i was only one realising that.....
Like the ahpek below my block...when feel hot....:bsmilie:

ANyway...looks like a good A-100 launch...