Leaked images of the A77...

[OldClicker]

Like others, I'm a little bummed about the USD $ price that it's going to hit the market at initially, but even if it were $200 - $400 cheaper, I'm not quite in a position to jump on it yet anyway... I went out of my way to get the a700 just a couple months after it's release when it was about $1299, and never had any regrets. I'm sure the same will be true with the a77... I just think I'll have to wait until after Christmas this time around...

Anyway, it'll be interesting to see how the RAW files clean-up. There are a lot of folks being critical about the IQ of some of the sample a77 images already (mostly jpeg of course), but they are all from prototypes, and with basic lenses and some odd settings. Diffraction appears to set in earlier with this 24mp sensor based on some of the early samples... Folks are seeing loss in detail starting much earlier, around f8, compared to what we are used to... Dunno... Still looks pretty nice to me...

Now I have to keep my head in the sand and ignore all the normal jpeg and image quality bashing and complaints that everyone already has about the a77 before it even hits the streets...

For those concerned with the 24mp file sizes, I'd be really, really shocked if it didn't have an option for 12mp raws and images as well. The a900 has some options that make managing file sizes easier on you if you don't feel you need it all, all the time... Still, 24mp at 12fps... Impressive engine in that rig... Would love to see how long you could keep 12fps going if you only shot at 12mp... Really, really can't wait for some hands on testing...

Greg

From what I can tell, there is no way to shoot RAW at less that 24mp.

"Diffraction appears to set in earlier with this 24mp sensor based on some of the early samples... Folks are seeing loss in detail starting much earlier, around f8, compared to what we are used to... "

You make that sound like a bad thing.

Terry

[NoKnees]

The diffraction thing is just something to point out when people are looking for the ultra sharp sweet spot, vs mastering the depth of field, and the gray areas between... Mostly for the pixel peepers that try to compare an upsized 12mp full frame image to a 24mp crop sensor to a 24mp full frame with three different lenses, subjects, and lighting conditions... ;)

Basically, hey, this is a new camera. Learn it before you judge it...

Anyway, I'm pretty excited about the new Sony gear, but in a way that makes me want to go out and use what I have more than ever... No matter how awesome the new tech is, it's not likely to make me any better at "seeing" and "capturing" my next awesome photo... That, I need to go out and do myself....

As for the 24mp RAW being the only option, that may be the case... That would be a definite bummer. Just double checked my a900, and yah, as soon as you hit raw it locks it at "Large" image size... Oh well...

[OldClicker]

The diffraction thing is just something to point out when people are looking for the ultra sharp sweet spot, vs mastering the depth of field, and the gray areas between... Mostly for the pixel peepers that try to compare an upsized 12mp full frame image to a 24mp crop sensor to a 24mp full frame with three different lenses, subjects, and lighting conditions... ;)

Basically, hey, this is a new camera. Learn it before you judge it...

Anyway, I'm pretty excited about the new Sony gear, but in a way that makes me want to go out and use what I have more than ever... No matter how awesome the new tech is, it's not likely to make me any better at "seeing" and "capturing" my next awesome photo... That, I need to go out and do myself....

As for the 24mp RAW being the only option, that may be the case... That would be a definite bummer. Just double checked my a900, and yah, as soon as you hit raw it locks it at "Large" image size... Oh well...

In the A900 you can set it for DT (half sensor) lens, even if it's not, and it will only shoot ~12mp files. - Terry

[Photo-John]

It's been a busy week and those were some dense camera announcements. I finally worked my way through my analysis and got some articles done, though. These cameras are a big deal and I wanted to make sure I gave them the attention they're due.

Sony Alpha SLT-A77 Intro >>
Sony Alpha NEX-7 Intro >>

Yes, the A77 looks sweet. Like the A55, Sony picked their competition (Nikon D7000, Canon EOS 60D and Canon EOS 7D) and then ramped it up with the high-resolution sensor and super fast burst rate. Sony may not be leading in DSLR sales (yet), but I believe it's fair to say that they are now leading the way in terms of technology and features.

Although it looks like the A77 is getting the majority of the attention, it's the NEX-7 that got to me - especially when combined with the LA-EA2 Mount Adaptor. I wanna have my cake and eat it, too! Yes, please! If I had to choose right now, hands down, the NEX-7 would be my pick for camera of the year. I wonder if it will stay that way?

If I missed anything in my articles or you guys have speculation to add, please add some comments on the articles pages.

Can't wait to get my hands on that NEX-7!