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Sony rumors continue to fly. This time some one has revived tales of an A800.

Okay, here we go again. A site called PhotoRumors says that they have “received information” that Sony is prepping a dSLR model to be called the A800. We’ve heard rumors of an A800 before. In fact, so many sites confidently predicted Sony would announce the A800 at PMA last March, that Sony reps went on record saying there would be no new Sony dSLRs announced until sometime after the show. As months have passed with no announcement, the A800 rumors faded.

Now they are back again — with a vengeance. You can read the short A800 post at PhotoRumors yourself, but the high points are: 16.2MP, full-frame, 100-25400 ISO (!), A900 type optical view system with popup flash and the Sony Quick live-View System (!!), HD Video, 3.5 inch LCD (!), 1/500 flash sync, aluminum-magnesium body with dust and moisture seals, built-in GPS, built-in WiFi and more.

“…and if you order now, they will throw in the Brooklyn Bridge as well…”

Call me skeptical, but this has all the makings of a vaporware pipe-dream.

A good rumor needs to sound plausible. Taken on an individual basis, every one of the rumored features of the phantom A800 is technically possible. All of the elements on the list can be found on various dLSRs from Sony or other camera manufacturers. Finding them all in a single camera is another story. There are some high-end dSLRs that incorporate most of the items on the list, but none I know of that retail for less than $2500.

Therein lies the rub. Many people have suggested that the A800 will be positioned as a replacement for the A700. If the Alpha A800 actually included most of these features, it is unlikely Sony will bring it to market anywhere close to the A700 price range. The specs on this super camera are much closer to the A900 than the A700, which currently sells for $999 in body-only trim.

True, the A900 has that incredible 24mp sensor. I also suspect that if Sony did create a dSLR of this nature, the optical viewfinder wouldn’t be as good as the one in the A900. Fitting the Quick Live View system into the A300 series cameras required Sony to make some compromises with the optical viewfinder. I would assume Sony would need the same sort of compromises in this camera.

Even so, the A800 would steal much of the A900’s thunder, especially if it was priced at the mid-range point.

A $4000 dSLR for less than $1500? I’ll take two!

Actually, the proposed specs on this dSLR are very similar to those of the very highly regarded Nikon D3. Similar, except the D3 lacks video and a flip-out LCD. The D3’s LCD screen “is only” 3 inches, a half inch smaller than the published specs for the phantom A800.

That wouldn’t be a huge deal, but the Nikon D3 sells for way over $4000.00. Does anyone really belive that Sony will bring a D3 caliber camera to market at a A700 price? Let’s not forget that such a camera would do a very good job of cannibalizing sales of the A900.

I don’t doubt that sooner or later Sony will offer an A800 model. But if it has these specs, it won’t sell in the A700’s price range. So, either Sony is prepping a high-priced companion to the A900, or the reports are completely bogus.

Either way, that doesn’t offer us a moderately-priced replacement for the current A700. Unless you believe that Sony intends to release an entire new fleet in 2009: new A230, A330, A380, A500, A550, A800 cameras and upgrade the A700 in their spare time.

Ain’t gonna happen. Not this year. Not in this economy.

I want to be wrong about this. I want be able to snap up that incredible A800 for less than $1500. However, my gut tells me Sony wouldn’t offer a camera of this caliber for under two grand. Quite possibly it would list for much more.

Anyone care to convince me that I am wrong?

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May 9, 2009: The rumors of new dSLR’s from Sony continue to swirl about the internet. Many people expected something at the PMA show in February, but a Sony official was quoted as saying no dSLRs would be released until after PMA — fueling speculation that new models would be coming soon after that.

There are several sources speculating that new models would be known as the A230, A330 and A380. There is yet another rumor of an A800. I have heard talk of other models, but I don’t want encourage rumors of cameras that may not be available for months or even years from now — if at all.

It does appear, however, that new models in the A300 and A200 line may soon be introduced. David Kilpatrick of PhotoClub Alpha (in the UK) has some screen captures from a SonyStyle site that contain photos of some of future Alpha dSLRs. These appear to indeed be the A380, A330 and A230.

You can read David’s musing on the PhotoClub Alpha site.

So what can we expect from these new dSLRs? Until now, all the Sony Alpha dSLRS carried names that fit neatly into an even 100 digits: A100, A200, A300, A700, A900. The only exception is the A350, which is more or less an A300 with a denser, 14mp sensor.

Since the new models carry names like 330 and 380, it appears the new cameras may be variants of the existing A300 and A350. If the photos are accurate, however, the new models appear to have newer, smaller bodies.

So other than the bodies, what will the new dSLR’s offer?

Sony hasn’t yet revealed the specs on the new models, so everything said here is pure conjecture.

Several people have suggested that Sony may remove the AF motor from the new bodies. This is bolstered by the recently announced Sony lenses. The new lenses overlap existing glass in the Sony catalog. There doesn’t seem to be a need for the new lenses, unless they have internal motors. These motors could handle the autofocus duties on cameras that lack their own AF motor.

This could produce lighter, more compact camera bodies. That is all well an good, but it breaks compatibility with older glass. Until now, you could use almost any A-Mount lens on any Sony Alpha. Minolta A-Mount lenses. Aftermarket (Tamron, Sigma, etc.) A-Mount lenses. And of course all the existing Sony A-Mount glass.

If the rumor is true, most of these older lenses will not offer full compatibility with the new bodies. I assume you should be able to attach the lenses and shoot using manual focus. Only the handful of older lenses that include internal focusing motors will actually offer auto focus ability on the new cameras.

Which is more important: lens compatibility or overall weight?

If this is true, I will be a little disappointed with the new models. In the first place, I don’t really like overly-light cameras. Heavy cameras dampen vibration and feel more solid to me. My all time favorite film SLR was the incredible XK-Motor. The camera itself was as heavy as a tank, and that was before you bolted on the battery pack that held ten AA batteries. As heavy as it was, the XK-M was so well balanced that felt and handled beautifully.

I do have a lot of experience in backpacking, and I understand the importance of eliminating extra weight. But if I have the choice between maximum lens compatibility and a smaller, lighter body, I would choose lens compatibility every time.

Kilpatrick also speculates the new bodies may abandon Compact Flash cards. Once again, I hope this isn’t so. Sony has only recently started selling their own line of CF cards. I prefer having a single card type that I can exchange between cameras. If the new digi-SLRs don’t accept CF cards, it will break compatibility with many of the older models. If the new cameras use SD cards, there will be no memory card compatibility with any current Sony Alpha. This might not be a problem if you only shoot with one camera. If you use multiple bodies, however, it will be pain to keep different memory cards for different bodies.

Different strokes for different folks, and Sony may have found that there is a considerable market for smaller, lighter bodies. Considering the limited amount of available lenses, I wouldn’t think the lower weight and smaller size would be worth the trade off. In my opinion, one of the best features of the Alpha is the huge array of Minolta A-mount lenses. Take away the ability to use those lenses and what do you have?

When will Sony offer a dSLR with video capabilities?

The other question is whether any of the new dSLRs will offer video. I’m not all that hungry for video myself, but with both Canon and Nikon offering dSLRs that have video modes, I find it puzzling that Sony isn’t stepping up to compete in the video/dSLR segment.

After all, Sony is a huge player in the camcorder market. The last I heard Sony was a close second to Canon in camcorder sales. So I would expect Sony to enter into the fledgling dSLR with video market with both feet.

Rumors — and remember these are only rumors — say the new Alpha dSLRs will not contain a video mode.

If this is true, I won’t be heart broken, but I want the Alpha to be competitive on all fronts. If the market is moving to onboard video on dSLRs, I want Sony to offer a video dSLR. This has nothing to do with being a Sony “fan.” The stronger the Alpha line becomes, the more aftermarket support we will see. It will also encourage Sony to release new and improved Alpha products.

Then again, it wouldn’t put it past Sony to abruptly release a new model that no one is expecting. After the release of the A700, everyone was expecting the A900 to be the next Sony dSLR. Without warning, Sony suddenly replaced the A100 with the A200. Only about a month later, the A300 and A350 were announced.

So until Sony clarifies the situation, this is all speculation. There is also no indication of when the new cameras will be on the market. The important thing is the Sony Alpha market is continuing to grow. Even if I don’t want to see a video-free dSLR without onboard internal focus motors and no CF slot, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a market for such an animal.

I sure hope folks at Sony has done their homework.

So what is your take on the future the Sony Alpha? Is there room for SD cards and bodies stripped of AF motors? Should Sony add a video mode? What say you?

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This aluminum adapter converts a M42 screw mount lens into a A-mount lens.

May 4, 2009 A few weeks ago, I discussed using an M42 lens with the Sony Alpha. The way you pull this off is with a M42 to A-mount adapter.

The adapter is nothing more than a thin piece of metal with a Sony/Minolta A-mount bayonet fitting and a threaded opening for a M42 lens. The term M42 represents 42mm — the diameter of the threaded lens mount. There are other similar lenses, including M39 and M40 diameter lenses. The M42 mount is the most popular of the”M” mounts, especially when it comes to lenses designed to fit a 35mm SLR.

M42 adapter has an A-mount bayonet on one side and a threaded opening that accepts a 42mm screw in the center.

There is one other screw-mount lens you need to be aware of: the T-Mount. I’m not sure why there was a need for the T-mount, because the screw threads on the T-Mount are also 42mm in diameter. The difference is the thread pitch: the M42 lens uses 1 thread per mm, while the T-Mount uses a slightly coarser 0.75 thread per mm. This is important, because the M42 and T-mount look extremely similar. but they are not interchangeable. You can screw either lens into a M42 adapter, but only the M42 lens will thread fully home. If you try to thread a T-mount lens into an M42 adapter, it will seize up before the lens flange seats properly. The same is true if you try to install a M42 lens on a T-mount adapter.

I’m spending a lot of time on the M42 and T-mount lenses, because most lenses of this type do not have any markings indicating the mount type. You really need to use caution when buying a used screw mount lens. In many cases you will find T-mount lenses advertised as M42, and M42 lens sold as T-mount. There are both M42 and T-mount adapters available for the Sony Alpha, but it is important to know what type of 42mm diameter screw lens you are buying. If your screw mount lens doesn’t thread into the adapter smoothly, do not force it. Mixing lenses and adapters can result in damage to either the lens or the adapter.

Now that we’ve established what an M42 adapter is, lets look at why you would want to use an adapter in the first place.

You can see the 42mm thread on this Vivitar lens. Note the switch next to the red M. Not all M42 lens have this switch. This Vivitar can be switched into a auto mode when used on auto diaphragm cameras like the pre-bayonet Pentax film SLRs. To use the lens on a Sony Alpha adapter, it needs to be switched into the manual (M) mode.

The fact is there are millions of optically excellent M42 lenses available, many at ridiculously low prices. Carl Zeiss actually produced the first M42 lenses in 1938. The mount was used by Practica and became the standard Pentax 35mm lens mount until Pentax switched to a bayonet mount the mid ’70s. Today, Carl Zeiss continues to produce new M42 lenses under the ZS model name. These are manual focus lenses and other than Zeiss quality, have little in common with the AF Zeiss lenses sold by Sony.

The Russian Zenit line produced M42 lenses quite recently. They may or may not be still manufacturing M42 lenses and cameras. In addition, there are countless used M42 mount lens available on ebay, pawn shops, used camera dealers, garage sales and the like.

While M42 lenses are plentiful, there are good reasons you can buy them so inexpensively. As a universal style lens, initially designed over seventy years ago, these lenses are devoid of may of the innovations modern photographers take for granted.

Here is a partial list:

• No Autofocus
• No Automatic diaphragm
• You need to use manual exposure on the A200, A300 and A350
• Image stabilization does not work

M42 lenses don’t offer auto focus

The lack of auto focusing doesn’t bother me very much. After years of shooting action sports with manual focus cameras, I am somewhat uncomfortable turning over the focusing duties to a silicon chip. That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate auto focus; but its absence isn’t a deal beaker to me.

Adapters cannot provide automatic diaphragm connections

Not having an automatic diaphragm is more troubling. On the other hand, I am using my M42 lens when I want a fast telephoto. This means when I use this lens, I am nearly always shooting wide open. This negates any concern about the auto diaphragm, since the lens is usually open to the maximum aperture.

The result is the M42 lens becomes a special purpose lens to be used only in low light. If conditions are such that I can shoot at f/4 or higher, I switch to one of my A-mount, auto focus telephotos.

Manual exposure is required with M42 adapters on the A200, A300 and A350

The Alpha A200, A300 and A350 cannot use a lens adapter in the automatic mode. The camera will not not recognize that there is a lens attached, and will not fire the shutter in the auto mode. The only way to use an ordinary adapter on these cameras in the manual mode.

Most of the Minolta Maxxums and other models of the Sony Alpha can use adapters in the aperture priority mode. Different cameras use different methods to allow you to use an adapter in the auto mode. Consult the owners manual if you are unsure of the procedure for your camera.

Shooting with manual exposure outdoors can be a pain, especially if the light is shifty. Since I am using the M42 lens to shoot under fairly constant indoor lighting conditions, this isn’t a real problem either. I shoot a couple of frames and use the LCD to make sure the exposure looks good. Since I’m shooting in a sports arena, the light is not likely to change during a game. So once I have a good exposure on the LCD, I can shoot the rest of the day without changing anything.

Hey I thought in-body stabilization works with all lenses…

Some of you might be wondering about the lack of image stabilization. The whole premise of the Sony in-camera anti-shake system is that it works with any lens right? Well not exactly.

Because the system is built into the camera, technically it should work on any lens you attach to the camera. However, in order to maximize effectiveness, the Steady Shot system needs to know the focal length of the lens. Without this knowledge, the camera doesn’t know how much IS to apply. This isn’t a problem with Sony, Minolta and aftermarket A-mount lenses. These lenses have electrical contacts that let the camera know the focal length of the lens.

There is no way for the Sony Alpha to “read” the focal length of a M42 lens. Since the camera cannot identify the focal length of a M42 lens, SSS can’t operate.

Upgrade to a chipped adapter for SSS and aperture priority exposure

If you are willing to spend a little more money, you can have IS and aperture priority auto exposure. There are M42 adapters that include a “focus confirmation” chip. These adapters attempt to fool the camera into thinking there is a real Sony A-mount AF lens installed.

M42 lens (top) pictured with a T-Mount lens. You can see the threaded portions look very similar, but they are not the same. Make sure you know what type of mount your screw mount lens actually has.

Naturally, you won’t actually have AF, and you still won’t have an automatic diaphragm. Your camera will let you use Aperture Priority automatic exposure, so you can select the aperture and the camera will select an appropriate shutter speed. You cannot use shutter priority, since the Alpha series has no communication with a M42 lens, so it cannot adjust the aperture.

A focus confirmation chip will also return Super Steady Shot functionality, because the camera now knows the focal length of the lens…at least it thinks it does.

The confirmation chip works by convincing the camera that there is a real Sony lens attached. The camera reads the information from the chip and uses that data to determine how to react.

This means you can’t use just any chipped adapter with any particular lens. If the chip in the adapter tells the camera there is a 50mm f/1.7 lens attached and you actually are using a 400mm f/8 lens, Image Stabilization will be less then optimal. In short, you have to match the chipped adapter to the focal length and f/stop of the lens. You can use a plain, non-chipped adapter with any M42 lens, but if you want IS, you will need an adapter matched to your lens.

There are a couple of other things to watch out for. Although a well made Sony M42 adapter should be capable of focusing to infinity, some of the cheaper models are slightly too thick. Even a few thousands of an inch of extra thickness will move the lens too far away from the focal plane, so you cannot achieve infinity focus. I haven’t encountered that problem, but over on the Flickr forums Arkku has set up a nice demonstration of the problem. Arkku solved the thickness problem by sanding the adapter until it brought the lens close enough to the sensor to focus at infinity.

Here a T-Mount lens is threaded as far as it will go into a M42 adapter. Note how much space there is between the lens flange and the adapter. Attempting to thread the lens further onto the adapter would likely result in damage to the lens, the adapter or both. Because the lens doesn’t meet the adapter, this setup will not focus properly.

The second problem involves some poorly made adapters that can jam onto the camera’s lens mount. David Kilpatrick of Photoclub Alpha encountered this problem on an A700 and had to resort to a pipe wrench (gulp!) to remove the adapter. In one of the Sony Alpha foruns on Flickr, another reader reported his adapter had become jammed.

I have had no problem with my no-name aluminum adapter, which I originally bought from a Singapore vendor off ebay. I would use care using the adapter for the first time, until you are confident it won’t jam. If the adapter doesn’t attach the camera easily and smoothly, I wouldn’t use it. The older Amount dSLRs (Sony A100, Minolta 5d, 7D have slightly different lens mount. Sony beefed the mount up on the A700, A200 A300, A350 and the A900, so even if you have an adapter that works OK on the A100, you still need to ensure it works on later Sony dSLRs.

There are a world of inexpensive, high quality M42 optics available if you are willing to forgo auto-focus, auto diaphragm and other niceties.

There is one other thing to consider if you decide to go the M42 route. If you make a real effort to master using M42 glass on a dSLR, you will undoubtedly become a much better photographer. If you can wring out the best from a screw mount lens, you will find you are a better shooter no matter which lens is on your camera. Since you cannot simply put the camera on full automatic when dealing with a M42 lens, you are forced to think carefully about how to use the lens. The result is that you will be far more comfortable and knowledgeable about your camera and all your lenses

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March 4, 2009: Yesterday Sony has just announced six new optics to the Alpha dSLR lens lineup. They are:

• Super Telephoto Lens

• DT 50mm F1.8
• DT 30mm F2.8 Macro
• DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6
• DT 55-200mm F4-5.6
• 28-75mm F2.8

No word on pricing or when they will be available, but Sony says they are coming.

I find it interesting that four of the six lenses are DT lenses, intended for APS-C sensors. These lenses will not cover a full-frame sensor like the one in the A900. Sony hasn’t promised any further full-frame dSLRs, but as sensor technology evolves, full frame dSLR cameras are becoming more and more common.

I have to assume that Sony will offer more full-frame dSLRs, but based on these new lens offerings, it appears that at least some of the future Alpha lineup will feature APS-C sensors. Why introduce new DT lenses unless you intend to offer further APS-C cameras?

This is significant, when you consider that The A200, A300 and A350 were announced twelve months ago and the A700 is nearly 18 months old. On average, dSLR models are refreshed or replaced every 18 months. That means that at least some of the APS Alphas are due for replacement or a major update in the next year.

You don’t introduce four brand new DT lenses unless you intend to continue selling APS dSLRs. So I expect that Sony has some more APS-C dSLRs up its sleeve.

At the same time, I wonder about the wisdom of buying into these new lenses. If you expect to move into a full-frame dSLR at some point, these aren’t the lenses to buy for the long haul. You can use DT lenses on the A900, but not at full resolution. Basically a DT lens will turn the full-frame camera back into a crop camera, at reduced resolution.

On the other hand, you can use a full frame lens on a crop camera without a hitch. I think I would prefer to buy full-frame lenses so they could be used with either format.

Of course Sony hasn’t given us an indication of the price of the new lenses. Possibly Sony will bring the DT lenses in at an attractive price level. We will need to wait and see.

I also wonder where the new 18-55mm lens fits into the lineup. The standard kit lens has been the 18-70mm zoom. Unless the 18-55 offers a significant improvement over the 18-70mm, I don’t see any reason to introduce a new lens in this focal range. When you already have a solid 18-70mm lens, why replace it with one that lacks 15mm in the telephoto range?

If it is not a replacement, who will buy this lens if the 18-70 is still in the catalog? If the new lens was significantly faster or offered macro capabilities, perhaps I could see its value. As it is, unless it offers superior sharpness or better auto focusing, I don’t understand this lens’ purpose at all.

Also somewhat puzzling is the announced DT 55-200mm F4-5.6 lens. Sony already offers a lens of this exact speed and focal length. Perhaps the new model will offer improvements not available in the current 55-200mm zoom. Still, you would think that Sony would concentrate on filling out its lens line with optics that are not available, rather than replacing one 55-200mm with another.

Sony is also offering a new 50mm f1.8 DT lens. It will obviously be priced lower than the existing f1.4 50mm, but it is a DT lens. I think the old Minolta f1.7 50mm, which will cover a full frame sensor, might offer a better value equation, unless the new Sony comes in at a very attractive price. It will be interesting to see how the new lens affects the pricing of used Minolta 50mm f1.7 lenses, which have steadily increased in value as the Sony Alpha line has expanded.

Some people are already wondering aloud about the 30mm f/2.8 macro, but to me this makes perfect sense. Remember it is a DT lens, so it isn’t really a wide angle macro, as some have suggested. On a APS-C sensor, it will offer the equivalent of a 45mm macro. Since Minolta sold truckloads of 50mm macro lenses, I would guess there is a place for this lens in the Alpha lineup.

That leaves the mystery “super telephoto.” I take the term “super” with a grain of salt. Not that I don’t expect it to be a good lens. It has the appearance of the highly regarded G lenses, so I expect this will be a G lens as well.

Sony has gotten into the habit of calling any lens greater than 300mm a super telephoto. If you look through the Sony lens catalog, most of the G lenses as well as the 500 mirror are listed as super teles. So super doesn’t indicate this is an extraordinary lens — it simply means the lens is probably greater than 300mm.

The mystery lens does have a tripod collar, so I assume it will be fairly heavy or fairly long; or both. The recently introduced 70-400 G lens does not have a collar, so I am banking to this lens being faster or heavier.

If looks are any indication, it will be a fast lens — but what focal length? There is no indication whether it is a zoom or a fixed focal length lens. It appears to be finished in silver, like the other recent Sony G lenses.

About the only thing we can say for sure, it that it will probably be excellent. And expensive!

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DSLRs are technological wonders, but they don’t have to wreck your budget.

Dec 3, 2008: Christmas is the time of the year when digital SLR sales typically ramp up. Of course this year is anything but typical. The state of economy, at least in the US, is on most people’s minds. Many prospective dSLR owners are tightening their belts and holding off buying that new camera, lens or flash unit. I would never suggest spending money you don’t have on photo gear, unless you earn most or all of your income from photography. If you are a hobbyist, you may need to retrench and put off major purchases until the economy improves.

DSLR photography will always involve a substantial outlay of cash; that is the nature of the beast. You can’t eliminate that cost, but with a little creative planning, you can reduce it. If budget constraints are forcing you to postpone that new dSLR or lens purchase, these suggestions might help you stretch your photography dollars.

Choose a lower-price camera body

There is a famous old saying: “…if wishes were cameras, then we would all be shooting with the A900..” Or something like that.

If you have A900 tastes, but your budget is more along the lines of the A200, there is nothing to be ashamed of. The Sony Alpha A200 or A300 can produce excellent images, and both cameras offer a wealth of features. Don’t be afraid to start out with one of the less expensive models. Most professional photographers, if they are on a budget, will opt to cut corners on the camera so they have money to spend on what really matters: high quality lenses. A great lens on a inexpensive camera can create wonderful images, but even the best camera cannot overcome an unsharp lens.

If you are one of those people who only buy the best so it will last, remember the digital SLR market is still evolving. Only a few years ago, most professional dSLRs were 6 megapixel, APS-C sensor models. Today, full frame, 20+ megapixel dSLRs like the A900 are blurring the distinction between portable single lens reflex cameras and medium-format studio units. Live-view and video capabilities will soon be considered mandatory on any dSLR.

Today’s full-featured camera will undoubtedly fall short of the cameras of the near future. Don’t put off purchasing a camera while you save for a top-of-the-line model. Buy a dSLR that you can afford now and work hard to create great images.

Consider buying used equipment

Buying a used dSLR is an iffy proposition. I have bought two used high-end digital cameras that have worked flawlessly. That said, dSLRs are packed with miniaturized electronics and are sensitive to moisture, dirt, cold and heat. Problems can hide unseen inside the camera for weeks or months before they show up. Unless you know the seller and the history of the camera, I would be leery of buying a used dSLR unless it came with an ironclad warranty.

You can still save money with used equipment, however. Second-hand lenses, flash units and accessories offer a much safer opportunity to save cash. Do your homework and make sure you know what to look for in a used item. You can often save more than 50% by buying used.

Try your local pawn shop

Online auctions and used camera stores are popular places to seek pre-owned camera gear, but don’t overlook your neighborhood pawn shop. You can often find great deals, especially if you know what to look for. Pawn shops are no longer shady enterprises hiding out on the outskirts of town. Pawn shops have moved into the mainstream and now serve a respectable clientele. Pawn shops offer several advantages when buying used equipment. Unlike an online auction, you can actually see and handle the item before you buy. Even better, many reputable pawn shops will offer you a 24-48 hour trial. These shops will allow you to use and return an item within a certain period of time if it doesn’t perform correctly.

Rent camera equipment that won’t be used often

You might be surprised to discover that many pro photographers rent most or all of their equipment. A pro needs to consider the ROI (return on investment) of every piece of gear. If an item will be used infrequently, it is much better to rent it when needed, rather than drop a bundle of cash on something that will sit on the shelf most of the time.

You can use the same technique, even if you are just starting out. Short term (daily or weekly) rental prices can be quite affordable, even for high-quality lenses and flash units. Some rental operations rent camera bodies, so you don’t even need to actually own a dSLR to start taking great images. In addition to saving money, renting is a great way to preview a piece of equipment you are thinking of buying. Spend a week with an expensive lens or camera before you buy. You could save yourself from making an expensive purchase you later regret.

Until recently, it was difficult to find places prepared to rent Sony/Minolta dSLR gear. Alpha Lens Rental in Minnesota offers a very good selection of A-mount lens and equipment. They even have the Sony Alpha A900 (Yes the one with 24.5 mega-pixels) available for rental. They will Fed-Ex to your location within the USA. Hopefully, we will see more A-Mount lens rental operations in the near future.

Skimp on accessories, not the camera and lens

There are some things you shouldn’t compromise on, such as lenses. There are many other items that could offer temporary savings. It is nice to own a top-of-the-line camera bag, but the type of bag you use will not have any effect on your images. Make do with a padded cooler or gym bag until you can afford the real thing. You can shoot wonderful images with inexpensive “clamp-on” lights from the hardware. You can find free plans online for DIY light modifiers and camera stands.

Use your creativity and you will find many household items that can be pressed into service in place of higher priced photo gear.

Save money with manual lenses and flash units

While I don’t recommend wasting money on cheap lenses, my concern is with lenses that cannot produce sharp images. Don’t overlook the wide variety of manual aperture, manual focus lenses on the market. Some of these lenses have wonderful optics, but they sell for far less than a fully automatic lens of similar length and aperture.

You can find millions of very good M42 and T-mount lenses on the used market, some selling for only a few dollars. You will need an inexpensive adapter to mount them on your Sony Alpha dSLR, but if you choose wisely you can find some razor sharp bargains. They will require additional work on your part, but they will force you to develop your photography skills. You won’t be able to rely on your camera’s automatic settings with this equipment. Still, a few weeks of shooting with a manual lens will develop skills and techniques it would take years to learn shooting in the program mode.

How about it? Anyone else have suggestions for reducing the high cost of entering the dSLR market?

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The Sony Alpha hot shoe is the best in the business…but where is the radio trigger to fit it?

Nov. 6, 2008 Last time I discussed the A900’s lack of a popup flash and the need for a $500 HLV-F58AM flash unit if you want to trigger the Sony Alpha wireless flash system. The hope is that Sony may offer another method to wirelessly trigger remote flash units with the A900.

Sony could offer some sort of less expensive optical trigger, which would be capable of serving as a master for the Sony wireless system. But why optical? True, the Sony wireless system, derived from the original Minolta optical wireless system, is excellent. Maybe more than excellent. But optical flash systems have limits, which is why most top pros choose wireless radio triggers.

Radio triggers work at longer distances, don’t need to be in line of sight of the camera and work reliably in brightly lighted conditions.

Unfortunately, as as far as I am aware, there are no radio triggers that will attach directly to the Sony Alpha flash shoe. Nor are there receivers designed to attach directly to any of the Sony or Minolta dedicated flash units that are fully compatible with the Alpha dSLRs.

No radio trigger for the Sony hot shoe?

Most(all?) of the radio triggers on the market are designed to attach to the standard, old-style hot shoe employed by the majority of cameras not manufactured by Sony. The receivers either attach to the foot of the older style flash shoe, or plug into the old-style PC sync port. That leaves Sony Alpha users out of luck, unless they attempt to cobble up a home-brew solution utilizing adapters. Setting up a radio trigger system with adapters isn’t rocket-science and I always encourage users to experiment with modding their gear. Still, it is disappointing that no “off-the-shelf” radio trigger is available for the Alpha.

Am I the only one who is flummoxed that Sony hasn’t stepped up to address this deficiency? I mean, this is Sony we are talking about. How many radio engineers do they have on their payroll? They may not be the be-all and end-all when it comes to radio technology, but they come pretty close. Walkman personal stereos, clock radios, component stereo equipment, car receivers, boom boxes, cordless phones… you name a piece of radio equipment; and Sony has probably produced a version of it.

Except, of course, radio triggers to accompany their line of Alpha dSLRs.

It’s not that there isn’t a market out there. The A100 was said to sell 360+ thousand units in the six months it was available in 2006. I don’t have exact sales figures for 2007, but with an entire 12 months to work with and the introduction of the outstanding A700, I have to believe the numbers well exceeded 2006. We are still in 2008, of course, so figures aren’t available, but with the A200, A300, A350 and A900 all joining the A700, it wouldn’t be surprising if Sony dSLR sales easily exceeded both 2006 and 2007 combined. That is a lot of Alphas.

Then there are the Minolta Maxxum dSLRs. The Maxxum 5D and 7D sold well and most of them are still in service. Minolta also sold truck-loads of the non-dSLR Dimage 7 variants, which begat the similar Konica-Minolta Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) cameras; the A1, A2 And A200 (not to be confused with the Sony A200). These units share the same hot shoe and flash circuitry as the Minolta Maxxums, making them fully compatible with the latest flash units from Sony.

There are still millions of Maxxum film cameras hanging around. Film may be all but dead, but the Maxxum 9 film SLRS are still trading for well over $100 - $600 on ebay. Maybe those are being bought by collectors, but I have to believe at least some photographers are buying those used film SLRs to use, not sit in a display case.

Of course, not all of the owners of those millions of cameras are potential flash trigger buyers. Some photographers never use flash, especially off-camera flash. Others are satisfied with the current optical wireless flash available with the dedicated Sony flash units. Still others will fire their off-camera flash with sync cords, or use adapters to use standard radio wireless flash.

Even so, there are have to be a good percentage of users who would be eager to add a Sony brand wireless trigger on their Alpha or Minolta cameras. And don’t forget, Sony is in this dSLR thing for the long-haul. Which means millions more Alpha cameras will appear in the future. How many of those new Alpha owners will be looking for a radio trigger solution?

Radio flash triggers — why aren’t there any to fit the Sony Alpha?

Sooner or later, someone has to step up to the plate and offer a comprehensive radio trigger solution for the Alpha series. I don’t really care who it is…if the PocketWizard folks or Metz, Bowens, Quantum, MicroSync or someone else comes forward with a reliable solution, I would be happy.

But consider Sony’s clear advantages in this area.

In addition to the radio engineering experience I alluded to earlier, Sony owns all the specs, the pin-outs and the internal technology of the Alpha system. The third-party makers have to disassemble off-the-shelf cameras and flashes to determine this information, and they have to hope they don’t miss something significant.

Sony also has access to all the special components: flash shoes, dedicated sync connectors, etc. If you are a third-party vendor, you have manufacture your own components, since you can’t just order a package of components from a supplier somewhere.

Finally, Sony has a huge built-in advantage in brand recognition. When the third-party makers create a radio trigger for the old style flash shoe, they can sell the same basic unit to Canon, Nikon, Pentax and other shooters. If Nikon or Canon were to develop their own trigger, the third party vendors would still have plenty of other customers. If they develop an Alpha shoe radio trigger, the only people they can sell it to are Sony (and Minolta) shooters. That is fine…unless Sony steps up with their own branded solution.

Could any radio trigger maker compete with Sony?

If Sony enters the fray, how does a third-party trigger maker compete in the Alpha arena? Sony’s Alpha components are generally excellent, so you probably won’t be able to beat Sony on quality or performance.

Sony will probably also beat the third-party makers on appearance. True, the look of a radio trigger device has no impact on it’s performance, but you can’t argue that a trigger with a matching finish and a big orange Alpha logo won’t be more appealing to the majority of Alpha shooters.

That leaves price as the only way a third-party maker could compete against Sony. But here Sony holds all the cards. Sony generally prices their stuff on the high side, but if they wanted to compete against a third-party interloper. all they have to do is come in somewhere close to the other guy’s list price.

I don’t have any hard figures, but I would guess that if most Alpha users had their choice, they would buy a Sony brand trigger, even it it was ten or twenty dollars more expensive. Even if the Sony product was thirty or forty dollars more, Sony would probably still outsell it’s competitors. To compete against Sony in the radio trigger arena, you would probably have to price your trigger at least $50 less than Sony.

Sony, of course, is in the driver’s seat. They could bring their mythical product in at a price point where no high-quality aftermarket trigger could compete.

Of course, this is simply my own musing. I have no idea if or when Sony will offer an Alpha radio trigger. I don’t know if any of the third-party makers are really taking a look at offering a dedicated Alpha radio trigger.

Interestingly enough, two separate Alphatracks readers: Paulo Rodrigues and a reader named Dave, commented on my earlier post to explain how they rigged up a wireless radio flash system for the Alpha hot shoe. You can see their DIY flash trigger notes here. I have been considering an attempt at something similar. If I do, I will do a full report on Alphatracks.

I am convinced that the market is there and the A900, with it’s lack of a built-in optical trigger, creates a real need for this sort of product. Sooner or later, someone has to address the need.

Are you listening, Sony?

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Will Sony provide a way to trigger the wireless optical flash system other than with the HLV-F58AM?

Nov. 4, 2008: At long last, the A900 is starting to wind its way into the hands of eager photographers and it looks to be every bit as sweet a camera as we hoped. Of course it is hard to miss with a 24.6mp full frame dSLR, but it appears that Sony has exceeded most people’s expectations.

There are plenty of other sites discussing the A900, and I will be offering up my 2 cents as well. Today, however, I want to talk about options for triggering a remote flash with the A900.

This post came about because, as expected, the new A900 doesn’t not have a popup flash. Not a big concern, as the top level dSLRs from other makers don’t include a popup flash either. Pros seldom, if ever use flash units located directly above the lens axis, so why design a pro-level camera with a popup that will never be used? Besides, the flash might not fit so well with the A900’s impressive looking pentaprism.

There is just one fly in the ointment. All the past Sony dSLRs, as well as the dSLRs from Minolta were equipped with a popup flash. All these cameras use the popup as a trigger for the Sony/Minolta wireless flash system. It is a good thing those cameras had the popup, because until recently, the popup was the only way to trigger the wireless flash system. Some of the older external Minolta flashes could act as trigger for other flash units in the wireless mode, but that only worked with film cameras. In the dSLR arena, the only trigger for Sony or Minolta wireless flash units was with the built in flash. Which as I already mentioned; the A900 is lacking..

Fear not, the A900 supports wireless flash, when equipped with the brand new HLV-F58-AM flash unit. The 58AM can serve as a flash trigger for any flash in the Sony Alpha system.

The HLV-F58AM lists just south of $500, and since it is brand spanking new, you will probably have to pay the full sticker if you want the privilege of using wireless flash with your new A900.

That isn’t to say the HLV-F58AM isn’t worth the price, but who wants to shell out all that cash just to use that top-of-line flash unit as a lowly flash trigger?

Consider the poor guy who already has a collection of Sony and Minolta D series flash units. To use them wirelessly, he has to buy yet another flash unit. The kicker is the F58AM specs make it hands-down the best flash available for the Sony Alpha. If you use it a s a flash trigger, however, you don'’t get the benefits of all that power and multi-jointed flexibility. With the Sony wireless system, if you use the trigger to fire two or more remote flashes, the trigger fires before the exposure so that the trigger’s light doesn’t spoil the lighting setup. That’’s all well and good, however, it means if you buy a HLV-F58AM to trigger multiple wireless flashes from your A900, your newest and very best flash can’t be used to light the scene. it can only be used as a trigger. Unless you are sufficiently well healed to be in a position to acquire an A900 and multiple copies of the F58AM.

Now I fully expect to hear from someone pointing out that: “If you can afford a new A900, I guess you have enough cash to add a F5AM or two.”

That isn’t how it works in real life. Sure, there will be some people who have a fat enough wallet that they can afford three A900s; one for the summer house, one for the winter house and another one to use while traveling between the two. But there are many shooters who have to scrimp and save to snare a copy of a A900, For these photographers, digging up another half-grand for a flash trigger represents somewhat of a hardship.

Of course pro photographers can shell out for any piece of equipment they need, right? In reality, pros have to watch their expenses just like anyone else. There is an old joke that “only wealthy amateurs can afford pro photography equipment.” It is simplistic statement, but there is more than a grain of truth there. Working professionals have a whole raft of stuff to spend their cash on. In addition to cameras and lenses, there are any number of things like computers, software, marketing, studio rent, lighting equipment and much more that can eat up the budget. What’s another five bills on top of that overhead? For some pros, it’s a lot.

It is possible that Sony could offer develop some optional, less-expensive way to trigger the wireless flash system, but for the moment it appears its the HLV-58AM or nothing.

Hmm… maybe there is another option. That will be the topic of my next post….

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We spent a couple of days in Winston-Salem (North Carolina) recently. One of the highlights was a visit to Old-Salem Village. Established by the Moravians in the 1700s, the village is an interesting mix of modern shops in a historical setting. Unlike most attractions of this type, the town is freely open to everyone, with no admission. A Ticket are required to enter some of the buildings, but you are free to wander about and enjoy the setting without paying an admission.

Old Salem Village Image Gallery.

We only had a couple of hours to spend in the village, but the light was grand for photography. I had the Sony Alpha A350 with me, and since there wasn’t much time I decided I didn’t want to lug around a camera bag. So I selected my Minolta 28-85mm lens, figuring it would provide the best combination of focal lengths for a quick tour.

There was no shortage of subjects to shoot, and even though it was late in the afternoon, I found the long autumn shadows were quite interesting.

I used between a half and one and half stops exposure compensation to open up the shadows many of the buildings. I shifted between aperture and shutter priority for most of the shots. Everything was shot in RAW.

The lens revealed the famous “Minolta Colors” in many of the images. All in all, I was pleased with what I shot. I was somewhat surprised, however that my favorite shot was the front of a couple of buildings lining a side street. There was nothing especially noteworthy about the buildings and I the resulting photo was pretty much a simple grab shot. When I first looked at the image on my Mac, I thought it was okay, with pleasing colors.

There is more to this building in Old Salem Village than meets the eye…

Then I looked closer and started to notice dozens of small, but interesting details. The architecture and construction drew me deeper and deeper into the photo. This has nothing to do with me as a photographer. Well, maybe a little..:). I did see the potential in the shot, but I never noticed the details while we were in Old Salem. My true appreciation of the building’s construction details didn’t come until several days later, sitting at my computer. An even then, it didn’t jump out at me as something special. It wasn’t until I went through the images in Lightroom a few times that I started to see the things that make the image special.

I’ve put together a small gallery images from my visit. You can view it here: Old Salem Village Image Gallery. As I said, all images were shot with the A350 and the Minolta 28-85mm lens.

As I said, we spent less than two hours at the village. My appetite has certainly been whetted to go back when I can spend more time. I am sure Christmas time would be an excellent time to return. I imagine tons of Moraivain stars everywhere, steaming cups of hot chocolate…and of course; Moravian cookies! Yes, Christmas time should be an excellent time to go back.

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I’m back….

I haven’t abandoned Alphatracks…although it probably seemed like I had.

In actuality, I have been wrapped up finishing the Sony Alpha DSLR-A300/A350 Digital Field Guide
 for Wiley Press. It was a lot of work, with many late nights and more than a few weekends spent rewriting text and editing images. I really enjoyed the process, however, and I am happy to say the completed manuscript is the printer and the book should be shipping by early December. My only regret is that I had to neglect this blog for so long. I hope to make up for lost time in the coming months.

The new book is part of the Wiley Digital Field Guide series, each of which focuses on a specific dSLR camera. As you may have inferred from the title, this particular book is for users of the Alpha A300 and Alpha A350 dSLRs. I found the A350 a truly fun camera to work with, and I attempted to convey that in the book.

Following the patten of all Wiley Field Guides, this book includes a full description of the A300 series, exploring the menus, controls and features of both cameras. The A300 and the A350 are nearly identical, the only difference being the A300 has a 10.2mp sensor, while the A350 utilizes a 14.2mp chip. Because files from the A300 are smaller, the Alpha 300 offers a slightly faster continuous frame rate, while the A350 cranks out massive 4592 x 3056 pixel images. Otherwise, the controls and operation of both cameras are the same, so this book covers both cameras in depth.

There are chapters on compatible lenses and flash units, including a look at compatible Minolta AF lenses. There are also chapters on basic photography, lighting, camera troubleshooting and image editing workflows. All the Digital Field Guides include a large section comprised of photo exercises designed to elevate your skills in a wide variety of photographic pursuits; including sports, travel, event photography, animal photography, portraiture and many other specialty disciplines.

My goal for the book to create a resource that can be tossed into your camera bag to provide help, instruction and inspiration when you are shooting in the field. That is the field guide portion of the book. At the same time, I hope readers might find it useful to curl up with these pages on a rainy day and immerse themselves in the operation of the Sony A300 and A350.

Sorry if this sounds like a commercial, but I have been living with this book for the last several months, so I have to talk about it here.

One final thing. The book won’t be available until December. It is however, available for pre-order on Amazon now. If you buy it in advance, Amazon will knock $6.40 off the list price, so you can get it for $13.59. That represents a 32% savings. After the book is published, Amazon will raise the price back to $19.99.  So, if you’re interested, you can save almost a third by buying in advance. The book qualifies for free shipping from Amazon, however there is a $25 minimum, so you will have to combine the order with something else to qualify.

If you’re interested, there is an Amazon link on the sidebar that will take you directly to the book’s Amazon page. It is also available through must online sellers; Books-A-Million, Barnes and Noble, Borders, etc. Once it is in print, you should be able to find it at most brick and mortar bookstores as well.

Although this book is aimed at the A300 series, Alphatracks will continue to look at all the full range of Sony Alpha and Minolta SLRs. If your camera uses A-mount lenses, you’re always welcome here!

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Sony has just announced their “flagship flash unit” the HLV-F58AM. You can’t buy yet, but it will be on dealer shelves in September.

We knew it was coming, but details were rather sparse. Now we know the new flash unit will have a guide number of 58 (when the head is zoomed out to 105mm).

Sony says the new HLV-F58AM will arrive in September.

Speaking of the zoom flash head, the new flash knows whether it is illuminating a full frame sensor (think Alpha A900) or a APS-C size sensor and will zoom accordingly.

The big display on the back looks easy to read, and there is a mini joy stick controller to change settings. Naturally it offers TTL, HSS and ADI, as well as manual settings. Sony says the High Speed Sync on the HLV-F58AM can use shutter speed os /500 to 1/4000 second.

The HLV-F58AM features Sony’s new quick shift bounce feature, which allows the entire body of the flash to orbit like a fan to the left and right, in addition to the usual bounce and swivel capabilities.

The flash also includes a modeling light and a stroboscopic setting that will fire multiple times during an exposure, creating an in-camera multiple exposure of moving subjects.

Sony also claims the new unit will recharge 55% more quickly than the older HLV-F56AM. There is also a claim that the electronic whine has been done away with. Sony apparently thinks that is a good thing, but I always relied on that high-pitched whine to know my flash was charging properly. I guess I will get used to it, but to me, that whine was a feature, not a bug!

Like all Sony flashes the HLV-F58AM supports wireless flash — and apparently it can serve as a controller as well as a slave. (More on that next time.)

Like the dSLRs it will be matched with, the new flash will have a large, easy to read LCD and a joy stick controller

Finally, Sony has also announced the price. Earlier this week I brought you news that the price of the older HLV-F36AM flash unit dropped to $199. Sony gives and takes it seems. The new flagship flash will be priced at $500 — not outrageous for a flash with all these capabilities — but much higher than the HLV-F56AM.

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