Comments on: Sony A100 dSLR: Time to kill the Memory Stick myth

By: Tom Bonner

Tom Bonner — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 01:40:10 +0000

Oliver — I appreciate your clarification. Still, I still think your post implied that the A100 requires a Memory Stick. Saying that the “current Memory Stick preference is a lock out feature” certainly implies that the A100 is locked out of using Compact Flash. In fact it is just the opposite, since the A100 can use both Compact Flash and Memory Sticks (with the supplied adapter). So where is the lock out?

The fact that Sony is manufacturing Compact Flash cards and that the current Alpha as well as the prototype mockups of the future dSLRs feature a CF slot really shoot down your assertion that Sony has a “current Memory Stick preference.”

Still I appreciate your clarification in that you were trying to point out that having a CF slot isn’t something “to differentiate from competition.” I agree with that. However, I am so tired of hearing people claim that the A100 uses MS memory that I was totally exasperated by your post. I still believe that someone unfamiliar with the A100 who read your post would come to the conclusion that the Alpha locks people out of using Compact Flash in favor of Memory Sticks. I know I would.

Thanks again for replying. Give my best to Eddie — he really does look like a cool bird.

— Tom

By: Tom Bonner

Tom Bonner — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 01:16:44 +0000

Jerry — Which lens are you using for your Macro work? The A100 should be able to exceed that of your H5, but it will require a macro lens to do so. The “kit lens” that ships with the A100 only focuses down to about 14″ or so. You could by a macro lens or invest in a set of close-up filters. The macro lens should provide better quality, but a good set up close-up filters will cost much less and achieve nearly the same focusing distance.

Good luck — I hope you can get everything sorted out.

— Tom

By: Oliver

Oliver — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 17:27:30 +0000

Just a few words for clarification, since I think there is a bit of a misunderstanding: I am well aware that Sony already offers the option of using flash card memory. It was not my intention to suggest that they don’t offer CF cards (e.g. ‘memory stick preference’ does not mean that there is nothing else. It only says that they have preferred this option in the past). However, my post doesn’t discuss the features of the existing product line. I was referring to Sonys latest announcements about features of their product lines to come. These features are, among others, CF cards for memory.

All I was trying to say was that this is a basic feature and a must have for all high end DSLR cameras today. It is not something with which to differentiate from competition.

By: Jerry K Hatfield

Jerry K Hatfield — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 17:24:56 +0000

I just purchased this camera thinking it would pretty much do what my other DSC-H5 Cybershot would do out of the box using Macro mode but I am very disappointed and considering returning it. I take pics of dragonflies and other insects and my Cybershot has been superb but I was thinking that maybe a DSLR was the best way to go. So I got the Alpha 100 but have not been able to get any kind of shots even close to the ones from the Cybershot. Most of them come our blurry when I review them.