Sony A900 or Canon 5D Mark II

[Rashkae]

Sony A900/850 advantage over 5D Mark II:
- 24 Mega Pixel
- able to use old Minolta lenses
- Built-in anti-shake for all lenses
- Autofocusing Carl Zeiss lenses (and awesome lenses like the 135mm f/1.8)
- Minolta and Sony G lenses (like Canon L)
- Excellent tonal gradation (how smooth and detailed shadow -> light areas get)
- Excellent at low ISO ranges

5D Mark II advantage over Sony A900/850:
- L Lens, high quality lens with affordable price - Affordable? L lenses?
- good movie recording
- Better image quality at high ISO (>1600)
- More lens choices

Both are cameras with pros and cons. Up to you to determine which suits your shooting style more.

 

[cogliostro]

Dear Friend ,
I am still using my Sony,Minolta, Nikon,Lumix Mamiya ,Hasseblad,Leaf and Canon.
My advice is to stick to Sony in terms of picture quality and lens build.
Canon is famous as a sports tool ,where else Sony /Minolta is more to Picture quality but not in focusing speed .
Sony's lens is always No.1 then follow by Nikon lens .
Nikon (Nippon Kokagu ) use to OEM lens for Canon in the early days of B/W.
Sony/Minolta has invented a lot of new technoolgy that incorporate with the camera during their days in film and today's digital age.
I am still using my Nikon d3s,d300s,d3x,d700(selling away soon ) d7000 with all Nikkor lenses and CZ ZF 2 lenses Manual too.
Sony /Minolta 7D ,Dynax 9,Dynax 7 ,A850 .A900,A700,A350 Sony DSC-R1 with all CZ ,Sony and Minolta lenses.
Canon EOS 1 MK3 ,EOS 5 MLK2 ,EOS 7 ,S90 ,G10 ,G12.
Lumix L1,L10 ,G1 and LX5 with leica lenses and Lumix lenses .
OLympus EP-1,Ep-2 and soon the New E-5 in my dry box with all new Zuiko lenses.

And so on Too many in my dry Box .LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! crazy Old man but young at heart !!PPL call me "RED" meaning Retired and Desperate.

I do not only keep this cameras & lenses but I use it everyday each day of my life .As every individual Manufacturer has their own specs and color profile for their DSLR.
Remember the sensor is very crucial and the processing firmware inside is as crucial as how it control the noise and the CA of the sensor.
And last the Raw processing software is one of the most important part and what brand you use is also crucial too.

Always remember you can own a superb camera and lens that does not mean you will get very good photos processing .
Your PC(Workstation ) or Mac( Minimum G5 ) and with a very High End Monitor and a supe.rb graphic card (Nvidia Quadro FX 1800 to FX4800 ).
At last the Monitor and Hardware Profile Calibrator ( X-Rite by Greg Macbeth ).

All this is a whole package for a superb digital age Photography processing .
And that include in yourself must be good in composing (creativity ) a photos and understand Color Patone and Color Temperature with a good skill in White balance control too.

So my dear friend remember that every Manufacturer for DSLR and lenses is very good & its depends on yourself on what kind of photograhy are you into .

Its just my opinion and knowledge that I will like to share with .

You have a good days and happily enjoy more shots with your New DSLR and lenses.

Cheers

why would you need a quadro for processing pictures? if you're a pc person there is no need for a quadro. adobe's software does not use extensive usage of gpu anyway.

 

[evilorgi]

i think since both cams are similar in functions and price, TS you will have to go with your own feel. Sony has built in IS and that's a very big plus point for me! however Canon has a slightly better range of lenses to suit your needs however will you really need the WHOLE RANGE of lenses? if sony's range of lenses can fulfill your needs then i will see that there is no harm getting sony as well. most importantly, TS you will have to weigh it for yourself see which cam gives you a better feel when used!

 

[cogliostro]

i think since both cams are similar in functions and price, TS you will have to go with your own feel. Sony has built in IS and that's a very big plus point for me! however Canon has a slightly better range of lenses to suit your needs however will you really need the WHOLE RANGE of lenses? if sony's range of lenses can fulfill your needs then i will see that there is no harm getting sony as well. most importantly, TS you will have to weigh it for yourself see which cam gives you a better feel when used!

But also don't forget that sony unstabilised lens cost similarly to canon's stabilised lenses, such as the 70-200. However they do have the advantages in primes.

imo, the a900 hi iso noise is one of the worst. but if you rarely shoot in low light, a900 is very good.

 

[Rashkae]

But also don't forget that sony unstabilised lens cost similarly to canon's stabilised lenses, such as the 70-200. However they do have the advantages in primes.

imo, the a900 hi iso noise is one of the worst. but if you rarely shoot in low light, a900 is very good.

Yeah, the local price for a 70-200 f/2.8 is weird here in SG; if you get it from HK or the States, it costs about 2400 SGD, which is quite good compared to the local 3350 price tag for the EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM II. But the Sony system doesn't have the more affordable f/4 option, you'd need to use the Minolta beercan model...

So it's all pros and cons. Each has strengths.

 

[Anson]

Yeah, the local price for a 70-200 f/2.8 is weird here in SG; if you get it from HK or the States, it costs about 2400 SGD, which is quite good compared to the local 3350 price tag for the EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM II. But the Sony system doesn't have the more affordable f/4 option, you'd need to use the Minolta beercan model...

So it's all pros and cons. Each has strengths.

Curious... does Sony's lenses have international warranty? :dunno:

 

[Rashkae]

Curious... does Sony's lenses have international warranty? :dunno:

Nope, it's country-specific; but when you buy a lens overseas, the sonystyle there will convert the warranty to the target country. If you buy lenses from the local mass sales section, they usually give it to you pre-converted.

AFAIK Canon is also removing the international warranty and is converting all lenses to country-specific warranty.

 

[Anson]

Nope, it's country-specific; but when you buy a lens overseas, the sonystyle there will convert the warranty to the target country. If you buy lenses from the local mass sales section, they usually give it to you pre-converted.

Are you referring to the "tourist" warranty? If I am not wrong it's just 6 month? :dunno:

 

[eow]

Are you referring to the "tourist" warranty? If I am not wrong it's just 6 month? :dunno:

it one year

 

[Edlet]

I do not only keep this cameras & lenses but I use it everyday each day of my life .As every individual Manufacturer has their own specs and color profile for their DSLR.

Wow, what i interpret from your post is that u r living a h e c k of a good life.
Anyways, my view is that ISO advantage can be negated with the right Raw processing.

Lens wise, the CZ24-70 for Alpha blew away almost all my other lenses, other than the CZ primes. It was almost the only lens i needed since i bought it.

The main disadvantage for SA900 is no Live View, which makes manual focusing difficult for me. So if u manual focus, get the 5dMk2. Or wait for the next FF alpha.

 

[Anson]

it one year

Bro, thanks for the info...

Den I really don't see a point of buying lenses from Sony Singapore... :think:

Or am I missing something? :dunno:

 

[Rashkae]

Bro, thanks for the info...

Den I really don't see a point of buying lenses from Sony Singapore... :think:

Or am I missing something? :dunno:

That's why most of the more seasoned alpha folks don't buy the high-end lenses locally. The regular lenses are about the same locally as abroad, but for things like the 70-400G or the CZ lenses, we get them from HK or the USA.

 

[Anson]

That's why most of the more seasoned alpha folks don't buy the high-end lenses locally. The regular lenses are about the same locally as abroad, but for things like the 70-400G or the CZ lenses, we get them from HK or the USA.

Thanks for the info, in that case may I suggest posting a sticky thread in the forum to better advise even the new photographers who is using or switching to Sony about not buying the G or CZ lenses from Sony Singapore? :think:

This would help them save a lot and increase the awareness of this price differences. Agree?

 

[Rashkae]

Thanks for the info, in that case may I suggest posting a sticky thread in the forum to better advise even the new photographers who is using or switching to Sony about not buying the G or CZ lenses from Sony Singapore? :think:

This would help them save a lot and increase the awareness of this price differences. Agree?

Well, that's why we're trying to build up the official priceguide for sony stuff too. Needs updating!

But take a look at Hongsien's thread for examples of the price difference (he imports from HK). Let's say the Sony 70-400mm G SSM. In SG, RRP is 2599. Street is about 2400. His price: 1980.

(he imports Canon lenses too btw, go check it out. )

 

[kingfishers]

why would you need a quadro for processing pictures? if you're a pc person there is no need for a quadro. adobe's software does not use extensive usage of gpu anyway.

May be he is the guy who like to play with 3 D Adobe photo shop.Only with that graphics card make it available for turning the three D graphic.

 

[kingfishers]

Thanks for the info, in that case may I suggest posting a sticky thread in the forum to better advise even the new photographers who is using or switching to Sony about not buying the G or CZ lenses from Sony Singapore? :think:

This would help them save a lot and increase the awareness of this price differences. Agree?

LOL I seconded that.:sweatsm:

 

[Anson]

Well, that's why we're trying to build up the official priceguide for sony stuff too. Needs updating!

But take a look at Hongsien's thread for examples of the price difference (he imports from HK). Let's say the Sony 70-400mm G SSM. In SG, RRP is 2599. Street is about 2400. His price: 1980.

(he imports Canon lenses too btw, go check it out. )

Thanks for the tip..

 

[BlackBerry]

Wow, what i interpret from your post is that u r living a h e c k of a good life.
Anyways, my view is that ISO advantage can be negated with the right Raw processing.

Lens wise, the CZ24-70 for Alpha blew away almost all my other lenses, other than the CZ primes. It was almost the only lens i needed since i bought it.

The main disadvantage for SA900 is no Live View, which makes manual focusing difficult for me. So if u manual focus, get the 5dMk2. Or wait for the next FF alpha.

Thank you for the tips !

So this CZ24-70 for Alpha is a very sharp lens, isn't it ? Even sharper than Canon 24-70 f/2.8 Mark I ? (Before Canon update it with Mark II next year)

 

[BlackBerry]

Bro, thanks for the info...

Den I really don't see a point of buying lenses from Sony Singapore... :think:

Or am I missing something? :dunno:

Bro, are you migrating from 5DMII to A900/850 ? :think:

 

[Anson]

Bro, are you migrating from 5DMII to A900/850 ? :think:

Not really... coz I am not a person who change system so freq... but I should learn from Bro Eow next time... he always have the right equipment for the right event..