"Uncle Bob" on the soccer field

[digadv]

Looks like I'll be around a bunch of newbie shooters (affectionately known as "Uncle Bob" for wedding photographers) this weekend at a local soccer tournament. Email from the tournament director ...

SONY HELPS PARENTS CATCH THE ACTION...


WITH ITS ALPHA DSLR-A300 CAMERA


The SONY α (alpha) DSLR-A3000 camera is coming to the sidelines of the 2008 <tournament name here> to arm parents of young athletes with a camera that can capture pictures at lightning speed. SONY teams will set up an interactive, educational kiosk explaining the benefits of the SONY Alpha system. Parents will be able to “test drive” a DSRL-A300 camera during the game by leaving a driver’s license at the SONY kiosk. A roving team of SONY photographers will capture winning moments throughout the game, and parents will be able to take home their favorite game photos by visiting the SONY kiosk to burn pictures onto a CD. Parents who sign out a camera will also receive a discount offer for the Sony α (alpha) DSLR-A300 system.

Maybe I'll take it for a test drive, but I'm not sure what they will think about me and my white lens.

[FlyingPhotog]

Admiral Yamamoto said after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor:

"I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant..."

So here comes Sony. This ought to get interesting.

[prime80]

Wow...that's what I call a grass-roots campaign. Ought to be interesting at least, with all the "Uncle Bobs" holding the cameras out in front of them trying to take pictures. :)

[SOT]

They are just copying what Canon and Nikon have done for years.
Doesn't anyone remember the whole small towns that were given cameras as a promotion?
Or the baseball promotion by Nikon?

[SilverOnemi]

ROFL; i just hope the gym doesn't has bad lightning or parents will be smiling on iso 1600 sony pics xD and we all know how good they realy are.

[digadv]

ROFL; i just hope the gym doesn't has bad lightning or parents will be smiling on iso 1600 sony pics xD and we all know how good they realy are.

No indoor stuff here - outdoor, hot and lots of sunshine. Perfect for the "lightning speed" sales pitch.

[FlyingPhotog]

They are just copying what Canon and Nikon have done for years.
Doesn't anyone remember the whole small towns that were given cameras as a promotion?
Or the baseball promotion by Nikon?

Both were Nikon...

I don't recall Canon ever doing a "grass roots" campaign with any SLR line (Film or Digital...)

Beuler? Anyone? Anyone?

[SilverOnemi]

i've been seen comercials on this camera on the discovery channel or another channel like that ...

makes me smile evreytime i see it tho...

since when to PRO's use sony ?

[dave kadolph]

A smart promotion.

Looking at all the upgrade threads here--the key to future sales is getting people hooked on your system at the entry level.

And as an "Uncle Bob" of sorts being a pro is as much--or more--about marketing as skill or experience.

[SOT]

There were a bunch of Xti "loaners" for a program called Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW), one that I had seen where they did a promotion at some minor league baseball thing in Greensboro, NC. There were a couple others.

[digadv]

A smart promotion.


Absolutely right. I'm very curious to see what lens they demo with the camera. It could make/break the deal with unsuspecting parents.

[FlyingPhotog]

There were a bunch of Xti "loaners" for a program called Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW), one that I had seen where they did a promotion at some minor league baseball thing in Greensboro, NC. There were a couple others.

Seeing as I've perfected "Being an Indoor Guy" (aka BIG), that would explain how I missed that one...

;)

[DDCSD]

I'm not sure its a great idea to give a bunch of people DSLR's at a sporting event. When they get 95% OOF shots, they'll likely decide not to move up to a DSLR, at least not a Sony. Now if it were a band competition, or something with a little less speed and easier to focus on, then maybe.

[rcfury]

Is that the camera that has the same screen as the Nikon D300 and the D3? I think thats what my got from my camera guy. Sony makes the LCD screens for both of the cameras.

[Vascilli]

Rent an 800L and showboat.

[Anders Östberg]

My experience is that most parents with kids on the playing field have no time to be a photographer, they are way too busy cheering their kids on and shouting abuse at the referee and opposing team. :)

[DDCSD]

Is that the camera that has the same screen as the Nikon D300 and the D3? I think thats what my got from my camera guy. Sony makes the LCD screens for both of the cameras.

It is not the same, the D300 is a 3" with 920,000 pixels, while the A300 has a 2.7" with 230,000 pixels. Although Sony might make Nikon's LCD's, I have no idea on that.


I think Sony makes the LCD's for Canon also. I know for a fact thy LCD for the 20D is Sony (says SONY right on it, underneath the plastic shield), not 100% sure on the newer cameras though.

[SMP_Homer]

I've actually bumped into some parents that had bought a Nikon D40, Canon 400D or something along those lines (and with kit lenses - nothing else) and have asked for assistance. I've actually loaned a lens to a parent while I was there to shoot another kid, and he was quite pleased, and then satisfied that he couldn't throw $$ to take his own pics as good as someone else dedicated to this task.
I do try to not let others handle my gear... but it was a lens I wasn't planning on using that day, and it was a huge step up from what he was using... and it earned me some extra business...

[qtfsniper]

The D300 screen is the same as the A700 one. After going to the A700 screen, there's no going back for me. (unless it is for the D700)

[digadv]

I've actually bumped into some parents that had bought a Nikon D40, Canon 400D or something along those lines (and with kit lenses - nothing else) and have asked for assistance. I've actually loaned a lens to a parent while I was there to shoot another kid, and he was quite pleased, and then satisfied that he couldn't throw $$ to take his own pics as good as someone else dedicated to this task.
I do try to not let others handle my gear... but it was a lens I wasn't planning on using that day, and it was a huge step up from what he was using... and it earned me some extra business...

That's a great idea if the parent looks trustworthy. Then they know that the barriers to entry of really good shots is high > $2K. I see parents on the sideline all the time with undersized lenses, but I guess they are happy with the photos they take.

[tim]

ROFL; i just hope the gym doesn't has bad lightning or parents will be smiling on iso 1600 sony pics xD and we all know how good they realy are.

Don't Sony make the sensors for the D3?

[SilverOnemi]

Don't Sony make the sensors for the D3?



err i'm not shure, i've discussed this actually but it was along time ago...

besides, i've shot with the alpha 350, and you shure don't wanna go up to 1600.

[qtfsniper]

err i'm not shure, i've discussed this actually but it was along time ago...

besides, i've shot with the alpha 350, and you shure don't wanna go up to 1600.

it really isn't that bad. to be fair, it would be up against the canon XSI (both are entry level so we aren't going to see D3 stuff here)
http://www.anandtech.com/digitalcameras/showdoc.aspx?i=3304&p=10
Here is an iso comparison with full crops included up to ISO3200. Up to ISO800 they are comparable, iso 1600 is only a little worse for the Sony. This is to be expected though because of the sensor.

[SilverOnemi]

it really isn't that bad. to be fair, it would be up against the canon XSI (both are entry level so we aren't going to see D3 stuff here)
http://www.anandtech.com/digitalcameras/showdoc.aspx?i=3304&p=10
Here is an iso comparison with full crops included up to ISO3200. Up to ISO800 they are comparable, iso 1600 is only a little worse for the Sony. This is to be expected though because of the sensor.

hmm yeah it doesn't seem that bad, althought not a fair comparision, since the sony shot looks a little bit underexposed when i compare it to the Xti one, and also the toning is a lil bit diferent.

kind of suprised me, it looked like horrible noise when i tried it out.

[qtfsniper]

hmm yeah it doesn't seem that bad, althought not a fair comparision, since the sony shot looks a little bit underexposed when i compare it to the Xti one, and also the toning is a lil bit diferent.

kind of suprised me, it looked like horrible noise when i tried it out.

the iso 1600 shot was, according to exif data (still embedded):

XSI, 1/8" f/4
a350 1/13" f/4

I didn't even notice they weren't exposed the same slightly. i think the toning is just how each camera renders its colors. if you are really curious though just read the exif data. They both are pretty good cameras. I'm a little biased because a own an A700 (huge leap from the 350 with a price to reflect it, it competes with the D300). But I see where you are coming from.

[Persephone]

Rent an 800L and showboat.

I think that's obnoxious. 800mm? What are you going to do, stand about 100 feet back and shoot action? They're going to think you're a creep. Trust me, the 70-200mm is already meancing enough, and you can be close enough to the parents to be able to chit chat with them. Although telling them that the 800mm costs $11,000 is sure to open their eyes a lot more than $1,500.

[SilverOnemi]

yeah, the canon EOS loses here specially when it comes to WB, and maybe even my 40D loses if im dumb enought to use wb in tungsten lightning.

but if you think right, the EOS has its advantage since the shot is slight overexposed... also take a look at how the EOS has some CA.

also the shot from the sony looks weird, take a look at the nvidia thing... it has some weird " pixelation " into it.

[Bobster]

Don't Sony make the sensors for the D3?
i believe that all Nikon sensors have been made by Sony..

its just that Sony have moved away from CCD to CMOS in the DSLR market

[Mike R]

I'm not sure its a great idea to give a bunch of people DSLR's at a sporting event. When they get 95% OOF shots, they'll likely decide not to move up to a DSLR, at least not a Sony. Now if it were a band competition, or something with a little less speed and easier to focus on, then maybe.

Sony will set the cameras for the people. They will think that they're taking great shots and when they buy the camera, they'll wonder why their shots are now terrible.

[DDCSD]

Sony will set the cameras for the people. They will think that they're taking great shots and when they buy the camera, they'll wonder why their shots are now terrible.

I doesn't really matter what the settings are when they can't keep the focus point on the player. :lol: And I'll bet more than one will turn a dial or push a button and get 100% horrible shots.

[digadv]

Tournament starts this weekend so I'll try to post some "spy" photos :)

[qtfsniper]

I doesn't really matter what the settings are when they can't keep the focus point on the player. :lol: And I'll bet more than one will turn a dial or push a button and get 100% horrible shots.

They'll probably set the camera to AF-C, so it follows them.

[SilverOnemi]

They'll probably set the camera to AF-C, so it follows them.

i'm shure it will xD

[Mike R]

I doesn't really matter what the settings are when they can't keep the focus point on the player. :lol: And I'll bet more than one will turn a dial or push a button and get 100% horrible shots.

I know I would lose that bet! :lol:

[DDCSD]

They'll probably set the camera to AF-C, so it follows them.

It'll only follow them if they keep them underneath an AF point.



This is taken from this thread on dpreview.com:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=28549860

Seems that AF-C isn't very good for 2 year olds in inexperienced hands.

Hi, my A300 continuous AF doesn't seem to work very well on a running 2 y/o kid.
my daughter is very happy when she's running on the field. all i wanna do is to catch some good moment.
i also tried pre-focusing(reset to AF-S) and anticipated where she's running to. however, most of the shots are out of focus.
btw, i got plenty of speed (around 1/500 more or less) and i used sony 55-200 lens for this kind of situation.
maybe the entry-level dSLR+ cheaper lens is impossible to do this. sigh...

appreciate any shooting tip or lens suggestion :)

--
Jack
so-so A300 jpeg shooter
kit lens + 55-200
tamron 28-75/f2.8 (on the way)

[DDCSD]

I know I would lose that bet! :lol:

I've got whole rolls of film from when I first got my Rebel 2000 that I almost threw up when I saw the results. :lol:

[Mike R]

I've got whole rolls of film from when I first got my Rebel 2000 that I almost threw up when I saw the results. :lol:

I go back to 1981 when I got an AE-1. I thought my first shots were good untill I started to learn about photography.

[mson]

I'm not sure its a great idea to give a bunch of people DSLR's at a sporting event. When they get 95% OOF shots, they'll likely decide not to move up to a DSLR, at least not a Sony. Now if it were a band competition, or something with a little less speed and easier to focus on, then maybe.

Most of these people will probably be people currently using P&S cameras. Yes, they will have a hard time getting a sharp shot but compared to what they are used to I'm sure the alpha is MUCH faster.

I think its a good promotion for Sony. If you were just getting into photography how cool would it be to play with a xsi or 40D for free!?

[digadv]

Ok, here are a few shots of today's event. Very nice tent setup with over 100 cameras loaned at the event - there were snap happy people everywhere. I even took it for a spin. Here is the configuration below. They included an upgraded lens, their 18-250, f/3.5-6.3 - total package was around $1000. The hood was a great addition since it made the P&S parents feel like pros.

The first thing I noticed was the constant whirring of the autofocus as it constantly tried to maintain focus on anything in the viewfinder. It must really burn through the batteries. Also, my copy produced some rather noticable vignetting.

[digadv]

Here are a few more taken with the Sony in the hut. You received a camera to use for an hour by simply leaving your license. They put it in "sports" mode for you and gave you a quick lesson if you needed it. Once you brought your camera back, they loaded an onsite machine that transfered your CF photos onto a CD, which was place in a very robust marketing piece/sleeve.

I hate to admit it but this thing was working. You could buy one right on site and they actually hooked one of our unsuspecting parents, dispite my encouragement to do some research.

[mson]

I hate to admit it but this thing was working. You could buy one right on site and they actually hooked one of our unsuspecting parents, dispite my encouragement to do some research.

I'm not sure I would be so quick to say they were hooked. Sure all of us would say get a Canon but most of these people will buy the body and one lens and not think about buying another camera for five years. We are not their target market. IMO, Sony needs to do things like this to try and create excitement about the alpha. It looks like they had a nice setup, if Sony is serious about competing with Canon and Nikon it will ultimately benefit all of us.

[qtfsniper]

Oh wow - that's an impressive tent. I'd buy those Sony Alpha shirts if they sold them in black!