Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
01-17-2010, 08:30 AM   #1
Veteran Member




Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Durban, South Africa
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,052
Sony Alpha 900

Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here.


With regards to Full Frame offerings I have been downloading original files for the the D700 & 5D and thought they were kinda the holy grail re: IQ

After reading glowing reviews of the Sony on the LL site coupled with the 24-70 Zeiss lens I decided to see what the files looked like & how they fitted into "my" workflow.

Most files from the Sony have similar characteristics as Pentax i.e. exposes for the highlights.The Sony requires very little adjustment with re: contrast, saturation etc but requires quite a substantial amount of sharpening with an amount of detail rendering i.e blades of grass etc that I haven't quite seen before - crop ability is quite incredible.

Wow - to be quite honest the detail, tonality, color separation, dynamic range, too be quite honest I haven't really seen anything close in it's price range.

I think if anyone was looking for a landscape/portrait FF dslr - this dslr or the 850 should be top of the list.

Anybody else have opinions/experiences?


Last edited by dylansalt; 01-17-2010 at 08:59 AM.
01-17-2010, 09:15 AM   #2
Veteran Member




Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,911
we had discussed it here before
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/off-brand-canon-nikon-etc-camera-talk/777...-ff-users.html

there have been a few PF members that have moved onto Sony
the amount of resolution and detail for the price is a great combination. i just wonder how long sony stays interested in the DSLR segment
01-17-2010, 09:27 AM   #3
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Colorado USA
Posts: 1,337
Not a900, instead an a850 thread

Not a900, instead an a850 thread

Sony Full Frames seem to require Capture One for better image processing.


Got my Sony A850 and lenses today - FM Forums
01-18-2010, 05:52 PM   #4
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Bridgetown West Australia
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 903
Got my Sony A850 and lenses today - FM Forums

This guy mentions too much noise then states he is using iso 1600+! The light looks ok in the posted shots so why is he using such high iso? I would be using 100-200 max and have no noise. Maybe he hasnt heard of tripods??

01-18-2010, 07:23 PM   #5
Veteran Member




Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,911
i think probably to handhold the tele ... at least for the bird photos
with higher resolution sensors, they are also more acute to shake as well
01-18-2010, 08:34 PM   #6
Senior Member




Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Boston, MA
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 157
QuoteOriginally posted by ozlizard Quote
Got my Sony A850 and lenses today - FM Forums

This guy mentions too much noise then states he is using iso 1600+! The light looks ok in the posted shots so why is he using such high iso? I would be using 100-200 max and have no noise. Maybe he hasnt heard of tripods??
Also in low light, motion blur would be a bigger concern and to keep shutter speed high, one just have to increase iso.
01-18-2010, 08:52 PM   #7
Veteran Member
PentaxPoke's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 1,411
I really have never used Sony DSLR's so I don't have any experience with them. I would think that one of the biggest drawbacks is a lack of lenses isn't it? Compared to Canon and Nikon, the offerings are small. (Unless you go back and count old Minolta glass)

01-18-2010, 09:08 PM   #8
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Colorado USA
Posts: 1,337
B&H offers 29 Sony Lenses

B&H offers 29 Sony Lenses:

SLR Camera Lenses



B&H offers 27 Pentax lenses. No 300mm 2.8, No 85mm 1.4, No 135mm 1.8, No 20mm 2.8, No 35mm 1.4, ect...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?ci=274&N=4293919666+4291284238
01-18-2010, 09:47 PM   #9
Veteran Member
PentaxPoke's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 1,411
QuoteOriginally posted by Samsungian Quote
B&H offers 29 Sony Lenses:

SLR Camera Lenses



B&H offers 27 Pentax lenses. No 300mm 2.8, No 85mm 1.4, No 135mm 1.8, No 20mm 2.8, No 35mm 1.4, ect...

SLR Camera Lenses
True, but B&H sells 125 Canon lenses. (and 121 Nikon) That was my point, that if one wanted to move into FF photography, I would think that Sony's limited lens selection would be a negative. If I were going FF, I would go with the Canon 5D MkII. $200 less than the Sony, and all that available Canon glass!
01-19-2010, 01:38 AM   #10
Senior Member




Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 253
QuoteOriginally posted by PentaxPoke Quote
True, but B&H sells 125 Canon lenses. (and 121 Nikon) That was my point, that if one wanted to move into FF photography, I would think that Sony's limited lens selection would be a negative. If I were going FF, I would go with the Canon 5D MkII. $200 less than the Sony, and all that available Canon glass!
What about the old Minolta AF glass (from the 35mm Maxxum days)? Can these lenses be used on the new Sony bodies?
01-19-2010, 04:00 AM   #11
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Bridgetown West Australia
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 903
Wot 29 lenses aren't enuff?? And we are talking CZ here! (yeah I know they arn't all CZ but Ive heard that the some of the Sony ones are damn good!)
01-19-2010, 05:28 AM   #12
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Colorado USA
Posts: 1,337
Yes Old Minolta AF lenses work on Sony too

Yes Old Minolta AF lenses work on Sony too. And Minolta pro lenses are far more abundant so they cost less on used market in comparision to Pentax.

Here's a link from a seller I do biz with in Japan and their recent Minolta at ebay lens sales. Note the 300mm 2.8 sold for $1,000 less than similar FA 300mm 2.8 Pentax sold at pentaxforums last month. FULLY $1,000 less and Sony has two full frames with inbody image stabilization to drive it:


http://completed.shop.ebay.com/matsuiyastore/m.html?LH_Complete=1&_nkw=minol...&_sop=16&_sc=1


and the direct link to 300mm 2.8 Minolta sale:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400093735029


QuoteOriginally posted by photogerald Quote
What about the old Minolta AF glass (from the 35mm Maxxum days)? Can these lenses be used on the new Sony bodies?

Last edited by Samsungian; 01-19-2010 at 05:53 AM. Reason: added link
01-19-2010, 05:29 AM   #13
Veteran Member




Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 581
Certainly as a high resolution landscape camera (where you're using ISO 100 and fps don't matter) it seems like an excellent package for the money, it did cross my mind as a reasonable FF route for landscaping.

The only thing bothering me is the high ISO noise that's much talked about, deffo seems far behind the EOS 5D MK2 on that front.
01-19-2010, 05:32 AM   #14
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Colorado USA
Posts: 1,337
CZ glass in Nikon and Canon mounts are highly coveted

CZ glass in Nikon and Canon mounts are highly coveted.

Sony full frame platforms offer inbody shake reduction too.

Sony current system has some serious pluses and some minuses too. There are more and abundant used lens choices than Pentax offers & Sony has NO plastic mount lenses either And I've yet to read about ANY lens motor failure in Sony glass thats so common with Pentax SDM.

Sensor noise is a drawback, but with right software its usable.

a850 at $2000 to start is compelling and many say its sold as a loss. I'm not sure that Sony subsidizing their full frame buyers thesedays is a bad thing? Kinda makes up for premium cost of pro caliber CZ Glass?





QuoteOriginally posted by ozlizard Quote
Wot 29 lenses aren't enuff?? And we are talking CZ here! (yeah I know they arn't all CZ but Ive heard that the some of the Sony ones are damn good!)

Last edited by Samsungian; 01-19-2010 at 09:00 PM.
01-19-2010, 01:38 PM   #15
Veteran Member




Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Durban, South Africa
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,052
Original Poster
The CZ 24-70 2.8 is a tweeny bit more expensive than the N/C counterparts but has zero barrel/pincushion distortion & zero CA & vignetting at all apertures and FL's.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
amount, detail, dslr, files, i.e, range, re, sony
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
is there a Sony Alpha lens to Pentax body adapter? N155 Pentax DSLR Discussion 8 08-02-2010 08:31 AM
Favorable Review @ Alpha Mount World Compared with Sony A700 hans4 Pentax DSLR Discussion 5 04-11-2010 07:17 AM
M42 Takumar 55/1.8 on Sony Alpha A700 ?? aCIDfire Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 2 12-11-2009 07:18 AM
For Sale - Sold: HUGE Minolta AF/Sony Alpha Gear Collection, Going Cheap :) wallyb Sold Items 2 12-31-2008 05:08 PM
Sony Alpha dSLR-A200 deejjjaaaa Pentax News and Rumors 52 01-09-2008 03:30 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:35 PM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top