sony's showing off mockups of their flagship DSLR...

OniFactor · 03-20-2008, 09:31 PM

and pentax better catch up.

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elnero · 03-20-2008, 09:38 PM

with as many people that complain about accidently tripping the shutter on the pentax grip, do we really need more buttons?

But honestly, the pentax grip is about $120ish, looks like I could buy a backup body for what I assume that thing is gonna cost. Maybe if pentax released an 'advanced' model with more controls for those who need it, but the grip we have now has enough for most people it seems. I haven't seen any complaints on the forum other than an AF button on the grip. Just my 2 cents

ankit · 03-20-2008, 10:11 PM

The grip is very similar to the one that comes with the A700, and costs around $250. It really is one of the best designed grips and duplicates almost every button you would need in portrait mode. Sony has also had a bunch of promotions where they are "giving away" the grip with the A700. That said, I have never really used a grip with any camera (let alone the A700), so I really don't know what is and what is not useful in a grip :/

davemdsn · 03-20-2008, 10:39 PM

Holy cow! Is it busy enough? Where do you actually hold the camera, and how do you do it without pushing half a dozen buttons? I'm sure it's going to be a powerful camera, but I won't feel any pull to that camp.

lithos · 03-21-2008, 12:27 AM

Originally posted by ankit

The grip is very similar to the one that comes with the A700, and costs around $250.

Does that include Sony Tax™?

It's a good grip. The more buttons, the merrier, I say. But what grips like these need is a "Hold" button, like on any portable CD player, that stops any buttons on the grip from working when you don't want them.

Hell, you could even rig it up to the tilt sensor that orients the photos into portrait mode.

ftpaddict · 03-21-2008, 01:33 AM

Originally posted by lithos

But what grips like these need is a "Hold" button...

I remember the grip for the 350D had an on/off button. There really is no excuse NOT to have such a function on a vertical grip.

Ishpuini · 03-21-2008, 02:05 AM

Well... Like all Sony's until now I find it ugly (compared to the well thought over design of our Pentaxes) and it looks to me like an ergonomic nightmare... Way too many buttons...

Sony fans are welcome to it...

Wim

*isteve · 03-21-2008, 02:23 AM

Originally posted by Ishpuini

Well... Like all Sony's until now I find it ugly (compared to the well thought over design of our Pentaxes) and it looks to me like an ergonomic nightmare... Way too many buttons...

Sony fans are welcome to it...

Wim

Well it would sure be the camera I would pick to bludgeon my way into a press conference, stop a truck rolling down a steep hill, or give me a hernia, but I cannot see myself actually using one to take pictures....

I hope Pentax DONT waste time on such hopeless excess and make cameras that people can actually afford and use every day.

Asahiflex · 03-21-2008, 02:53 AM

This reminds me of the Nikon F4. Why does a professional camera NEED to be bulky and big? Surely they can make a professional camera in a much smaller package?

-=JoN=- · 03-21-2008, 03:12 AM

catch up to what, pro-market?

it's ugly IMO,

i think it's hard to cram a lot of stuff accessible via buttons on a small package.....

*isteve · 03-21-2008, 03:29 AM

Originally posted by Asahiflex

This reminds me of the Nikon F4. Why does a professional camera NEED to be bulky and big? Surely they can make a professional camera in a much smaller package?

There are professionals (who use whatever camera works for them and may own several for different jobs) and then there are professional cameras (which are used by people who want to convince everyone they are professional

).

This looks like a Sony A700 that went to a "pimp my camera" garage and got blinged out. Unfortunately its more of a Lexus than a Jaguar. All spec sheet and no style.

Its almost funny if they werent really serious about it.

user440 · 03-21-2008, 04:01 AM

Originally posted by *isteve

... Lexus than a Jaguar. ....

Definition of Sony right there pretty much. They tend to cram as many gizmos into something while not adding any quality, hence why I hate just about everything Sony makes.

That said, that camera is pretty impressive looking IMO, and in this case I like having the control of the extra buttons.

dopeytree · 03-21-2008, 04:10 AM

This is one of the ugliest cameras I have EVER seen!!!

OniFactor · 03-21-2008, 06:52 AM

Originally posted by lithos

Does that include Sony Tax™?

It's a good grip. The more buttons, the merrier, I say. But what grips like these need is a "Hold" button, like on any portable CD player, that stops any buttons on the grip from working when you don't want them.

Hell, you could even rig it up to the tilt sensor that orients the photos into portrait mode.

they've got that in everywhere but the EU (EU nickel ban prevents their hand sensors from being installed on the units). also the hold switch is a turn knob on the right side there, so it's not going to get knocked about on accident, either.

Originally posted by Ishpuini

Well... Like all Sony's until now I find it ugly (compared to the well thought over design of our Pentaxes) and it looks to me like an ergonomic nightmare... Way too many buttons...

Sony fans are welcome to it...

Wim

it's not so many buttons, as so many labels for the multiple features of the buttons that are there. i only count 7 buttons on the back, not including the jog dial, 3 position switch for metering modes, and SR switch. they're positions are just duplicated in the grip

Originally posted by *isteve

Well it would sure be the camera I would pick to bludgeon my way into a press conference, stop a truck rolling down a steep hill, or give me a hernia, but I cannot see myself actually using one to take pictures....

I hope Pentax DONT waste time on such hopeless excess and make cameras that people can actually afford and use every day.

i'm not sure how much it's going to cost, but i'm sure it'll be fairly reasonable. it'll be meant to contend with pro segment cameras, D3, 1Ds, stuff like that, it's not marketed to entry level consumers.. their 3 entry level SLRs are (the 200, 300, 350)

Originally posted by Asahiflex

This reminds me of the Nikon F4. Why does a professional camera NEED to be bulky and big? Surely they can make a professional camera in a much smaller package?

it's going to be full frame, i think, and that's also a small asian woman's hands on it, so it's kind of misleading on size, i should've pointed that out.

Originally posted by *isteve

There are professionals (who use whatever camera works for them and may own several for different jobs) and then there are professional cameras (which are used by people who want to convince everyone they are professional

).

This looks like a Sony A700 that went to a "pimp my camera" garage and got blinged out. Unfortunately its more of a Lexus than a Jaguar. All spec sheet and no style.

Its almost funny if they werent really serious about it.

actually, i quite think this camera is going to be all that the spec sheets make it out to be. i don't know if you've used an A700, but the UI is as smooth as butter, the ergonomics are decent (they've got minolta blood in them, so they better be!), and.. well.. they've got the money to throw at getting it perfect in R&D.

codiac2600 · 03-21-2008, 08:01 AM

The Sony line puzzles me... They make an ok entry level (a100-200) an awful midrange (a700) and now an ugly beast of a camera in this mockup.

Has anyone tried to shoot the A700? You can't see the AF points when you switch them because they are so tiny, the UI is ok, but too hard to figure out how to switch the essentials like AF points and base modes. The noise reduction CANNOT be turned off and makes the images look like water colors from ISO 3200 and above. Not too mention its AF is fast but very inaccurate in low-light unless you only use the center point, which is pointless for what I shoot.

This beast of a camera has only one camera in it's competition and thats the Canon 5D and with the lack of any reasonably priced full frame lenses I don't see how this camera will succeed. You'd have to buy only the Zeiss stuff to compete with Canon and thats only a handful of lenses. Sure it has what 22MP, but at what cost? I think that Sony really has to make a perfect sensor for this to sway any pros to the Sony camp because the 5D, 1Ds series and Nikon D3 are perfectly proven full-frame cameras with a large assortment of lenses and abilities.

Pentax does not need something like this, but rather an above the K20D model with same sensor but further refinements and feature sets. Make the camera functional and people will shoot it. Make the camera look like a computer and the tech geeks will buy it cause it says Sony and fills their lust for buttons.

BTW, I can see why no other sony has a top LCD... that thing looks like crap and a half.

03-20-2008, 09:31 PM	#1
OniFactor Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Binghamton, NY, USA Posts: 643	sony's showing off mockups of their flagship DSLR... and pentax better catch up. yPIE2008zƒ\ƒj[Aƒtƒ‹ƒTƒCƒYƒtƒ‰ƒbƒOƒVƒbƒv‹@‚ð“WŽ¦

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03-20-2008, 09:38 PM	#2
elnero Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: NC Posts: 58	with as many people that complain about accidently tripping the shutter on the pentax grip, do we really need more buttons? But honestly, the pentax grip is about $120ish, looks like I could buy a backup body for what I assume that thing is gonna cost. Maybe if pentax released an 'advanced' model with more controls for those who need it, but the grip we have now has enough for most people it seems. I haven't seen any complaints on the forum other than an AF button on the grip. Just my 2 cents

03-20-2008, 10:11 PM	#3
ankit Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cambridge, MA Posts: 140	The grip is very similar to the one that comes with the A700, and costs around $250. It really is one of the best designed grips and duplicates almost every button you would need in portrait mode. Sony has also had a bunch of promotions where they are "giving away" the grip with the A700. That said, I have never really used a grip with any camera (let alone the A700), so I really don't know what is and what is not useful in a grip :/

03-20-2008, 10:39 PM	#4
davemdsn Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413	Holy cow! Is it busy enough? Where do you actually hold the camera, and how do you do it without pushing half a dozen buttons? I'm sure it's going to be a powerful camera, but I won't feel any pull to that camp.

03-21-2008, 12:27 AM	#5
lithos Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Brisbane, QLD, AUS Posts: 3,261	Originally posted by ankit The grip is very similar to the one that comes with the A700, and costs around $250. Does that include Sony Tax™? It's a good grip. The more buttons, the merrier, I say. But what grips like these need is a "Hold" button, like on any portable CD player, that stops any buttons on the grip from working when you don't want them. Hell, you could even rig it up to the tilt sensor that orients the photos into portrait mode.

03-21-2008, 01:33 AM	#6
ftpaddict Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Yurp Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,666	Originally posted by lithos But what grips like these need is a "Hold" button... I remember the grip for the 350D had an on/off button. There really is no excuse NOT to have such a function on a vertical grip.

03-21-2008, 02:05 AM	#7
Ishpuini Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Antwerp, Belgium Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,727	Well... Like all Sony's until now I find it ugly (compared to the well thought over design of our Pentaxes) and it looks to me like an ergonomic nightmare... Way too many buttons... Sony fans are welcome to it... Wim

03-21-2008, 02:23 AM	#8
*isteve Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: London, England Posts: 1,187	Originally posted by Ishpuini Well... Like all Sony's until now I find it ugly (compared to the well thought over design of our Pentaxes) and it looks to me like an ergonomic nightmare... Way too many buttons... Sony fans are welcome to it... Wim Well it would sure be the camera I would pick to bludgeon my way into a press conference, stop a truck rolling down a steep hill, or give me a hernia, but I cannot see myself actually using one to take pictures.... I hope Pentax DONT waste time on such hopeless excess and make cameras that people can actually afford and use every day.

03-21-2008, 02:53 AM	#9
Asahiflex Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Netherlands Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,795	This reminds me of the Nikon F4. Why does a professional camera NEED to be bulky and big? Surely they can make a professional camera in a much smaller package?

03-21-2008, 03:12 AM	#10
-=JoN=- Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NYC Posts: 999	catch up to what, pro-market? it's ugly IMO, i think it's hard to cram a lot of stuff accessible via buttons on a small package.....

03-21-2008, 03:29 AM	#11
*isteve Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: London, England Posts: 1,187	Originally posted by Asahiflex This reminds me of the Nikon F4. Why does a professional camera NEED to be bulky and big? Surely they can make a professional camera in a much smaller package? There are professionals (who use whatever camera works for them and may own several for different jobs) and then there are professional cameras (which are used by people who want to convince everyone they are professional ). This looks like a Sony A700 that went to a "pimp my camera" garage and got blinged out. Unfortunately its more of a Lexus than a Jaguar. All spec sheet and no style. Its almost funny if they werent really serious about it.

03-21-2008, 04:01 AM	#12
user440 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: St. Louis, MO Photos: Gallery Posts: 349	Originally posted by *isteve ... Lexus than a Jaguar. .... Definition of Sony right there pretty much. They tend to cram as many gizmos into something while not adding any quality, hence why I hate just about everything Sony makes. That said, that camera is pretty impressive looking IMO, and in this case I like having the control of the extra buttons.

03-21-2008, 04:10 AM	#13
dopeytree Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 619	This is one of the ugliest cameras I have EVER seen!!!

03-21-2008, 06:52 AM	#14
OniFactor Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Binghamton, NY, USA Posts: 643 Original Poster	Originally posted by lithos Does that include Sony Tax™? It's a good grip. The more buttons, the merrier, I say. But what grips like these need is a "Hold" button, like on any portable CD player, that stops any buttons on the grip from working when you don't want them. Hell, you could even rig it up to the tilt sensor that orients the photos into portrait mode. they've got that in everywhere but the EU (EU nickel ban prevents their hand sensors from being installed on the units). also the hold switch is a turn knob on the right side there, so it's not going to get knocked about on accident, either. Originally posted by Ishpuini Well... Like all Sony's until now I find it ugly (compared to the well thought over design of our Pentaxes) and it looks to me like an ergonomic nightmare... Way too many buttons... Sony fans are welcome to it... Wim it's not so many buttons, as so many labels for the multiple features of the buttons that are there. i only count 7 buttons on the back, not including the jog dial, 3 position switch for metering modes, and SR switch. they're positions are just duplicated in the grip Originally posted by isteve Well it would sure be the camera I would pick to bludgeon my way into a press conference, stop a truck rolling down a steep hill, or give me a hernia, but I cannot see myself actually using one to take pictures.... I hope Pentax DONT waste time on such hopeless excess and make cameras that people can actually afford and use every day. i'm not sure how much it's going to cost, but i'm sure it'll be fairly reasonable. it'll be meant to contend with pro segment cameras, D3, 1Ds, stuff like that, it's not marketed to entry level consumers.. their 3 entry level SLRs are (the 200, 300, 350) Originally posted by Asahiflex This reminds me of the Nikon F4. Why does a professional camera NEED to be bulky and big? Surely they can make a professional camera in a much smaller package? it's going to be full frame, i think, and that's also a small asian woman's hands on it, so it's kind of misleading on size, i should've pointed that out. Originally posted by isteve There are professionals (who use whatever camera works for them and may own several for different jobs) and then there are professional cameras (which are used by people who want to convince everyone they are professional ). This looks like a Sony A700 that went to a "pimp my camera" garage and got blinged out. Unfortunately its more of a Lexus than a Jaguar. All spec sheet and no style. Its almost funny if they werent really serious about it. actually, i quite think this camera is going to be all that the spec sheets make it out to be. i don't know if you've used an A700, but the UI is as smooth as butter, the ergonomics are decent (they've got minolta blood in them, so they better be!), and.. well.. they've got the money to throw at getting it perfect in R&D.

03-21-2008, 08:01 AM	#15
codiac2600 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 2,027	The Sony line puzzles me... They make an ok entry level (a100-200) an awful midrange (a700) and now an ugly beast of a camera in this mockup. Has anyone tried to shoot the A700? You can't see the AF points when you switch them because they are so tiny, the UI is ok, but too hard to figure out how to switch the essentials like AF points and base modes. The noise reduction CANNOT be turned off and makes the images look like water colors from ISO 3200 and above. Not too mention its AF is fast but very inaccurate in low-light unless you only use the center point, which is pointless for what I shoot. This beast of a camera has only one camera in it's competition and thats the Canon 5D and with the lack of any reasonably priced full frame lenses I don't see how this camera will succeed. You'd have to buy only the Zeiss stuff to compete with Canon and thats only a handful of lenses. Sure it has what 22MP, but at what cost? I think that Sony really has to make a perfect sensor for this to sway any pros to the Sony camp because the 5D, 1Ds series and Nikon D3 are perfectly proven full-frame cameras with a large assortment of lenses and abilities. Pentax does not need something like this, but rather an above the K20D model with same sensor but further refinements and feature sets. Make the camera functional and people will shoot it. Make the camera look like a computer and the tech geeks will buy it cause it says Sony and fills their lust for buttons. BTW, I can see why no other sony has a top LCD... that thing looks like crap and a half.