[Eruditass]

The Canon viewfinder is obviously overexposing the scene. I actually like the Sony one more in that photo.

An undeniable fact is that an EVF will show highlights linearly and a OVF will allow your eye to see them logarithmically (naturally). One is closer to WYSIWYG, one shows you more DR.

[Eruditass]

The worst thing about these cameras is the ghosting. I'm surprised it hasn't been brought up here:




Normal DSLR / New Sony

The worst thing about these cameras is the ghosting. I'm surprised it hasn't been brought up here...

Yes, that IS disturbing. On the other hand, it may not be a problem in most circumstances but rather in night shooting and some flash photography. I wonder how will Sony react to this criticism. Also, I want to see more testing for this problem in controlled conditions.

[WMBP]

I have to agree with Art V and urkeldaedalus here: I think Sony's on a roll.

The A700 was apparently a great camera—frankly, it sounds like it is as good or better than my K20D, which is also a great camera. I know that A700 users feel a bit dissed that Sony hasn't yet released an upgrade for the A700 but I hear rumors that a replacement may be announced before long.

Lenses for Sony? Doesn't seem to be a problem. My impression is that Sony has released a number of very good lenses under its own brand but also Zeiss, Sigma, Tamron and others make Sony-mount lenses; I think third-party support for the alpha mount is at least as good as for Pentax K-mount. And then there are all those Minolta autofocus lenses out there, and from what I've read, some of them are very good too.

As for the new DSLT cameras: The A55 is getting really strong reviews, at Luminous Landscape, at dpreview, and elsewhere. The reviewers understand how the pellicle-style mirror works, and that it causes some light loss. Even so, it sure looks like the A55 at ISO 3200 is way better than my K20D. The EVF sounds awesome, too. Different, certainly, but with its own advantages.

And the Sony full-frame cameras, from everything I've read, heard or seen, are both terrific cameras, especially for the price. The 850 in particular looks like a dream come true, a real no-nonsense camera for purists.

Sony has too many entry-level cameras, or too many cameras of any sort on its menu? This is a bit like the complaint Mac users make about PCs. "Too many options." OK, stick with a brand where there aren't many options. But Sony understands that the game isn't about making cameras, it's about SELLING them. There are significant differences between the A33 and A55, and the most significant is the price. For some users, $100-200 is the difference between a sale and no sale.

I also agree with the sentiment that Pentax users ought to cheer Sony on, because it's doing a better job of keeping Nikon and Canon from completely taking over than Pentax is.

Pentax used to be brand that offered the most value for the least $$. Not sure that's true now. I'm underwhelmed with the K-5's specs. I passed on the K-7 and very well may pass on the K-5 as well.

Will

[WMBP]

As for the new DSLT cameras: The A55 is getting really strong reviews, at Luminous Landscape, at dpreview, and elsewhere. The reviewers understand how the pellicle-style mirror works, and that it causes some light loss. Even so, it sure looks like the A55 at ISO 3200 is way better than my K20D. The EVF sounds awesome, too. Different, certainly, but with its own advantages.

By the way, I should add that, while I'm really tempted to order an A55, if I resist the temptation, it will be simply because it lacks two e-dials, and not because of any other problem I've read about so far (like ghosting).

Will