A couple of questions

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James
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A couple of questions

Post by James »

Hello!

(I'm guessing that this is mainly for Pam!)

I decided that I wanted to go full frame as I much prefer the ability to manipulate the depth of field when I am playing with the camera. I had decided to go and do this by selling my Sigma DP1 (which I barely use as it's still too large and impractical to be a carry everywhere pocket cam (I don't have a handbag or it would be in there all the time!) and my Fuji s5 and replacing them with a Nikon D700. However, I thought as I was looking at selling I would see what else is out there - I had a look at the Canon 5d2 but didn't really like it - then I played with Dad's Sony a900 and fell in love pretty quickly!

To me it seems that I should sell all of my kit and go back to Sony/Minolta as I couldn't see anything that I would be losing by going that way (I know high ISO performance, but the a900 actually seems OK up to 1600 if you process using Capture One and is helped if you downsize to a 12mpix equivalent output to make it a fairer comparison). The focus system is not as good for me so I would need to relearn focus and compose, but the viewfinder is pretty awesome going back to FF vs APS, and the other alternative is to use the centre sensor and crop the image from there as you have so many pixels.

So my questions really are - am I missing anything by switching away from Nikon to Sony and what is going on with the metering here are a couple of shots that I took back to back both in A mode that really scared and surprised me - have you exeprienced this? I saw about a stop and a half difference in the one that had more of the bright window in the shot, very very weird!

Image

Image
Leen Koper
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Re: A couple of questions

Post by Leen Koper »

My opinion, for what it is worth.

There is a difference, of course, between full frame and APS sized sensors. (Sony A850 is FF too) There is a difference between the price tag too between the various offers on the market. There is undenyably a difference in quality too between the offerins of Nikon, Sony and Canon.
It all depends on what you use it for, if the difference in quality and how often you use it that will be decisive for how much extra money you want to pay (and can easily afford to pay) for it. Not just the camera body costs money, the lenses will have a price too you will have to take in account.

So my conclusion is to look at the different price tags and decide for yourself.
A poor advice, I know, but keep in mind that the latest and greatest will not always make you happier compared to the price you will have to pay.

I am sorry, but that is all I have to offer.
James
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Re: A couple of questions

Post by James »

Hey Leen,

Thank you for your sound advice (as usual). In terms of lenses I have access to most of the Sony/Minolta/Zeiss equivalents already so that is not really an issue :) I would also be able to get the a900 and at least one (hopefully 2 or 3) stand out lenses and a flash for the amount of money that I will get for the rest of my kit. So I've taken those factors into account. I also played with it to check that the autofocus would be quick enough for the sports I shoot and that although the AF is not to my liking as much it was fine, especially if I use the middle sensor - but then I can crop for composition and still have as big an image as I do with the D300 or Fuji (which is definitely going as I do not use it enough and it seems to be going for a lot more on ebay than I paid new!)

So in real terms changing system will actually cost me less real money than upgrading within Nikon!

My other concern was the High ISO noise (which from my playing isn't bad at all as long as you are not using an adobe product for RAW conversion, especially if you downsample the image to 12MP...)

So the only real questions I have left are what have I missed (other than I will be selling on some fine lenses - Zeiss, Voigtlander and the wonderful 70-200VR I just bought from Stany :( ) and is the issue I noticed with exposure something that other users actually have an issue with day to day or was it something I was doing or was it the fact that my Dad had dropped his camera the week before :)

I think that the thing that is swinging me this way most is that the images look like I wanted them too straight away and other people noticed a dramatic change (enough to comment that they didn't think that they would really see a difference but can see a huge one and they were very surprised)

Here's the gallery I put together of my test/play shots (sorry if you are bored of pictures of my son!). I am not expecting the camera to make me as good a portrait photographer as you (I do REALLY think that your portraits are exceptional) but it will get me using my camera even more and I do improve the more pictures I take :)
http://jamestux.zenfolio.com

Back to that point - I do have stuff published every now and again and I did recently sell some pictures and I know that I don't *NEED* new kit and that new kit will not make me a better photographer, but if it makes it easier to achieve the results I want then it makes my hobby more fun :)
pam.meier
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Re: A couple of questions

Post by pam.meier »

Hi James,
if I were in your situation, I would also have a hard time deciding. I´m in the happy position to have both the D3 and the A900.
To me both are essential. The D3/D700 would always be my first choice. Or the new rumored D900 would be the camera I would go for, if I could only have one system.

The A900(850) is a great camera, but not an allround one. The file size is too big for everyday use. I cannot comment on the metering or AF much as I only use it in the studio or on a tripod in the field where I will bracket. High ISO is just not what it is made for, it shines at ISOs until 320.

I would always buy the A900 again because of the Zeiss 135/1.8 and the hope that other lenses like this may come out in the future. There is no equivalent in the Nikon/Canon lineup I was told and I believe that as I see the results as being spectacular. On dpreview.com someone who pp´s fashion shots from MF backs said that my A900 shots are in the same league if not better tonalitywise, but I guess that is because MF backs have also reached resolutions where tonality suffers.

Hope I could help you ;)
Pam
James
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Re: A couple of questions

Post by James »

Hi Pam,

That has helped thanks, I also posted on dpreview and got slated for using matrix metering :D

I've made my mind up and the Nikon kit is on ebay as we speak.... I just wish paypal did not hold onto funds for 3 weeks - hopefully I will have my Sony system before the end of February, I feel a bit lost now without my camera equipment!

I look forward to joining you on the Sony side :)
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