Sony Minolta

[blkdog]

Question-Advise: I started with a Minolta HTSI 35mm SLR. I am now using a Minolta 7d. I am looking for a second DSLR and was considering Sony Alpha 100 so that I can continue to use the lenses that I have and am happy with. I have done some research. I understand that upgrades are comming up both by the end of 2007(for the Prosumer) and also March of 08 (for the pro camera). I am considering just waiting for March of '08. Just looking for some additional input on my consideration.

[pisco]

yeah, everybody's waiting for the new cameras to come... Maybe Sony is waiting for Canon and Nikon go to first...
Personally I'm very happy with the A-100, I avoid high ISO (as everybody does with other brands), and I'm just curious about the new models, but I won't upgrade, I better save same money for the 16-80 Zeiss lens.

[mwfanelli]

Question-Advise: I started with a Minolta HTSI 35mm SLR. I am now using a Minolta 7d. I am looking for a second DSLR and was considering Sony Alpha 100 so that I can continue to use the lenses that I have and am happy with. I have done some research. I understand that upgrades are comming up both by the end of 2007(for the Prosumer) and also March of 08 (for the pro camera). I am considering just waiting for March of '08. Just looking for some additional input on my consideration.

Yeah, I would wait. The A100 is over a year old and about due for a replacement. The A100 does have high noise at 800 ISO and above (not a given for many other cameras) and noise reduction that can't be shut off. Hopefully, these and other problems will be fixed in the new models.

I would suggest that, unless you have lots of expensive Minolta modern glass, to give some other companies a look as well. Pentax, Canon, and Nikon all have great models to choose from.

[pisco]

[QUOTE=mwfanelli]Yeah, I would wait. The A100 is over a year old and about due for a replacement. The A100 does have high noise at 800 ISO and above (not a given for many other cameras) and noise reduction that can't be shut off. Hopefully, these and other problems will be fixed in the new models.

Wrong about NR. The A100 has NR only for SP longer than 1 sec, and yes, you can turn it of.

[Photo-John]

I don't think the noise at ISO 800 is too bad. Sure, it's higher than lower ISO settings and it might be a bit worese than some other cameras. But I made 8.5x11 test prints at ISO 800 when I was doing our Sony A100 Pro Review, and I didn't think they looked bad at all. It's too easy to compare at 100% on the computer monitor. But I don't think that's an accurate real-world measure of noise. You have to actually use the images the way you would in real life. And that means prints or displaying them at normal Web size. Right now, I think pretty much all current digital SLRs are good up to ISO 800. It's ISO 1600 where they start to fall apart. If you want to judge for yourself, here's a link to our Sony Alpha A100 Pro Review, and here's a link to all of our high-res digital camera studio tests.