Comments on: Will you buy a Sony A100? — First Alphatracks poll

By: Pete Rodgers

Pete Rodgers — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 06:34:36 +0000

My A100 is due the 30th of August from Sony style. I would not purchase iit without Sony’s NO QUESTIOND ASKED 30 DAY RETURN POLICY. As soon as I get it I am comparing it to my Konica Minolta 7D using the same lenses, and CF media. I am going with the A100 instead of the NIKON D80 since I have a number of lenses that fit Minolta. I know a real no-brainer. I am dissapointed inthe 7D underexposure problem. I have heard the Alpha may have the same issue. I hope not. I will post the results og my tests when I get the A100. FYI I have a mate in New Zealand who takes his A100 to bed with him every night he likes it so much. His Mrs is a photographer also and the has the 8MP Canon Rebel. She indicates her Rebel images pale in comparisnon to common images with the A100.

By: Tom Bonner

Tom Bonner — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 00:27:05 +0000

David —

Sorry to hear about your disappointment with the A100. Is there any way you could post some of your shots so we can look at them? If you don’t have anywhere you can post the full resolution images, e-mail me and I’ll figure out a way to post them on Alphatracks. It would be really good to compare some of your 5D shots to images from the Alpha.

Many of the reviews I have read have indicated that noise in the higher ISO settings is noticiable with the Alpha. Most seemed to feel it was an acceptable amount of noise. It is also a given that a 10MP camera will probably exhibit more noise than a 6MP at higher ISO settings. That doesn’t excuse the Alpha — there are other 10MP dSLRs that offer quite acceptable noise at high ISO. That’s why I would like to see samples of your images, so we can judge just how bad the noise is from your camera.

— Tom

By: David Lemieux

David Lemieux — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 03:15:39 +0000

Had my Sony A100 since 7/18 (Direct from SonyStyle). Have been VERY DISAPPOINTED by pictures compared to my Maxxum 5D. Noise in ISO 400+ (ISO 400 = ISO 1600 on the Maxxum 5d). Exposures have been 50/50, about the same as the 5D. Dusk and low-light pictures are SUPERIOR on the 5D….anyone else having this problem?

Maybe I have a defect….bummed out…was first to order/receive. 🙁

By: Tom Bonner

Tom Bonner — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 04:01:26 +0000

Great to see you got your Alpha already, Pat!

Some nice depth of field on some of the flower shots. Where they taken hand-held? Was the SSS (Anti-Shake) enabled?

From your blog, I assume you are in Cleveland. Did you preorder direct from Sony or another outlet?

Thanks for sharing! — Tom

By: Pat

Pat — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 23:40:49 +0000

Thanks Tom!

My first test pics with my new Alpha are here:

http://www.patweitzel.com/gallery/v/alphatest/

Just got it today! I’m thrilled…

By: Tom Bonner

Tom Bonner — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 21:51:25 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Pat. Hope you get it soon. I’m thinking about adding a reader’s gallery — so check back and submit some pics.

— Tom

By: Pat

Pat — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 20:46:43 +0000

Mine’s on preorder. Hoping it ships soon!

I’ve been looking to move up to a digital SLR for some time now, and the Sony looks to have the best price-to-features ratio. Checking it out at the SonyStyle store last week solidified my decision, and I’m really looking forward to using it.