Is there a Sony SLT a77 mk II thread?

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18247987
Some great wildlife grabs there Mickey!
which Tamron? 1st gen or the newer one?

Thank you, I just keep thinking about the ones that got away or that were horribly botched. It is amazing that these big birds nest so high up in the trees. They look very awkward attempting to navigate the branches with their huge wings!

I saw the gen 2 Tammy on pre-order at lens rentals, so that's definitely great news. I also read somewhere, maybe the a99ii forum, that you tried the gen2 on one of your Canon bodies and you didn't feel the need to upgrade your a-mount version. With as many examples you've posted of your Tammy and what you've said about it in the past, I think the gen 1 will do nicely.

This pond is going to be my version of your backyard at your house, I think. The assortment of birds and wildlife there is pretty great, given that it is just a small pond in the middle of a residential neighborhood like a mile from downtown.

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chapman2

I went with the family on a tour of the Wakulla River over the weekend and it was fantastic. My toddler son didn't complain as much as he could have, but my daughter was loving it. I gave her the a6000/kit lens to shoot with and put her on the nearest the water. She was a shooting machine, although I'm not sure how much is usable--LOL!

At any rate, the gentleman behind me was one of two people with a D500 rig. He was renting his, but loved it as a more responsive solution for birding than his D750. I couldn't believe how many people showed up with big-time gear on the boat. My A77ii/Minolta 200 HS/2xTC was middle of the road!!! (supposedly!)

I don't have CS5 installed on this computer yet, but the images were touched up in DXO but not sharpened . . . would have been a nice touch on some, but oh well.

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I got out to what will probably be my only Spring Training game of this year, and got lucky with this series. Mets shortstop Jose Reyes had just dove for a grounder in the hole, and got to his feet. Somehow, he got enough on his throw to first base to catch the speedy runner.

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Equestrian anyone?

This was taken at the Red Hills International Horse Trials in Tallahassee, FL.

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Do you do a lot of color work on your photos or is that just the "minolta magic?" I have the 35-70 f/4 and it has really nice colors.

I've been torn between getting the FE 85 or the A77 II. Used prices for the A77 II are similar and I would really prefer the better ergonomics and AF system for wildlife photography. I'm currently using a 70-400 G lens with the LAEA4 on my a7. It gets the job done, but is a little bit lacking in the AF department and the ergonomics aren't great. It's a tough call because I prefer the smaller a7 for all types of photography except for wildlife, so I would be getting it to use with one lens.

Have any of you done a comparison on noise performance between a generation old full-frame and this camera? Wildlife photography can be somewhat demanding when it comes to noise, so I just want to make sure it is up to par. I had several Canon Cameras in the past and was always limited by the APS-C sensor noise characteristics. This was especially true of the original 7D. I could never get along with that sensor and tried to avoid going over ISO 800. I'm not looking for a low light monster, just a good ISO 1600 would leave me satisfied. I was also wondering how many "real world" stops of IBIS you can get with a long lens. Anything is an advantage over the a7 Mark I, but I'm just curious.

KayakPhotos wrote in post #18319508
Do you do a lot of color work on your photos or is that just the "minolta magic?" I have the 35-70 f/4 and it has really nice colors.

I've been torn between getting the FE 85 or the A77 II. Used prices for the A77 II are similar and I would really prefer the better ergonomics and AF system for wildlife photography. I'm currently using a 70-400 G lens with the LAEA4 on my a7. It gets the job done, but is a little bit lacking in the AF department and the ergonomics aren't great. It's a tough call because I prefer the smaller a7 for all types of photography except for wildlife, so I would be getting it to use with one lens.

Have any of you done a comparison on noise performance between a generation old full-frame and this camera? Wildlife photography can be somewhat demanding when it comes to noise, so I just want to make sure it is up to par. I had several Canon Cameras in the past and was always limited by the APS-C sensor noise characteristics. This was especially true of the original 7D. I could never get along with that sensor and tried to avoid going over ISO 800. I'm not looking for a low light monster, just a good ISO 1600 would leave me satisfied. I was also wondering how many "real world" stops of IBIS you can get with a long lens. Anything is an advantage over the a7 Mark I, but I'm just curious.

Minolta Magic is real. The colors my a7r brings out in it floor me at times.

That said, I do some PP work--especially at high ISO.

Since adding DXO Optics 11 Elite to my PP routine, my pictures generally turn out better in every way. I think the original 7D and the original a77 were very close in the high ISO noise department, and the a77ii is slightly better. With the Prime denoising of DXO software, I can shoot 1 1/2 stops higher than I would normally feel comfortable with all my bodies. Medicine Man turned me on to it, and I hope he chimes in here.

The handling of the a77ii is very good IMO, and I think it is a must-have for a-mount birders/sports shooters who don't want to pony up for the a99ii just yet. However, there is a rumor the a77iii is around the corner. WHo knows?

ISO 1600 will look markedly worse than your a7, but better than the 7D--if that makes sense. At ISO 200 or below it is as good as my a6000--and that's saying something. Very good IQ.

If I were closer to where you lived I would let you try mine out. I'll be in Tallahassee for the next month and part of the summer, and then back to Vero Beach until September.

Thanks for chiming in. It sucks that I have no "real" camera stores in the local area to try one out. I might see if Best Buy carries them....

KayakPhotos wrote in post #18319980
Thanks for chiming in. It sucks that I have no "real" camera stores in the local area to try one out. I might see if Best Buy carries them....

Good luck regarding BB. Our store in Vero barely carries DSLR anymore. Only four years or so ago they were carrying the A77 and A55, D7000, 7D, 60D . . . . Now just Rebels, D3400. The mirrorless section is separate.

Here are a few higher ISO shots, if this helps out at all.


ISO 6400 in some truly awful, uneven lighting. Run through PS, very minor work, and before I bought DXO.

Photo from mickeyb105's gallery.

Photo from mickeyb105's gallery.

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rcjn0117

Photo from mickeyb105's gallery.

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reperin7

Photo from mickeyb105's gallery.

mickeyb105 wrote in post #18320111
Good luck regarding BB. Our store in Vero barely carries DSLR anymore. Only four years or so ago they were carrying the A77 and A55, D7000, 7D, 60D . . . . Now just Rebels, D3400. The mirrorless section is separate.

Here are a few higher ISO shots, if this helps out at all.

ISO 6400 in some truly awful, uneven lighting. Run through PS, very minor work, and before I bought DXO.

Gallery photo:
posted by mickeyb105 originally in forum: Sony Digital Cameras

Compare it to a shot taken at ISO 3200 with A6000.

Gallery photo:
posted by mickeyb105 originally in forum: Sony Digital Cameras

ISO 6400, run through DXO Prime denoising software.

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rcjn0117 by Michael Bielecki on Flickr

ISO 3200, terrible lighting run through PS. Again, before DXO Prime . . .

Gallery photo:
posted by mickeyb105 originally in forum: Sony Digital Cameras

ISO 2500, maybe some curves applied here but took this before I bought DXO.

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reperin7 by Michael Bielecki on Flickr

ISO 2000, same vantage as pic above and same post-processing.

Gallery photo:
posted by mickeyb105 originally in forum: Sony Digital Cameras

I really think that the $150 I spent on the DXO software was a great investment. I shoot at ISO 3200 and feel pretty good about it now, and can even pick my spots with ISO 6400. Medicine Man's ISO 6400 look like my ISO 3200, so he clearly has a better grasp on the software--LOL.

If you go to DXO Mark and compare the high-ISO numbers given, the 7Dii scores a 1082 and a77ii gets a 1013. Not great scores compared to Sony and Canon FF cameras, but the 80D--which has been praised for its low-light ability, scores an 1135. The a77ii beats both Canon cameras in DR and Color depth.

Put it up against a D500, and the a77ii is edged out in overall score--but its a close fight.

I'm not sure what you've found the a77ii being sold for, but I picked mine up about a 14 months ago for $729 refurbished on Secondipity via eBay.

Thanks. It's an underrated camera for sure. Used copies are going for $650 right now on FM.

KayakPhotos wrote in post #18320190
Thanks. It's an underrated camera for sure. Used copies are going for $650 right now on FM.

$650 is a fantastic price for sure. That's a lot of camera for the money IMO. That's close to the same price I got mine for after applying eBay Bucks last year.

Here's another shot of interest. I took this at the Brevard Zoo, and it was a really rushed shot. The kids were hot and done being there, no mommy backup. The pic was horribly underexposed at ISO 320. I can't remember how far I pushed it in PS, pretty sure it was four stops, but I was pretty floored it even came out at all. Not a great pic, but usable in the right application.

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zoo1016

I love the Sony dynamic range. At low ISO's it is amazing what you can do with a file. This really stuck out to me when I switched from Canon to Sony.

I'm glad Canon is catching up though.. I'm not one of the haters rooting for them to lose.

KayakPhotos wrote in post #18320445
I love the Sony dynamic range. At low ISO's it is amazing what you can do with a file. This really stuck out to me when I switched from Canon to Sony.

I'm glad Canon is catching up though.. I'm not one of the haters rooting for them to lose.

My attitude as well--competition is good for the consumer! If Canon somehow tanks I don't think it would be good for photography.

My SLT a77ii has semi-died.
It will still operate fully with Minolta lenses but
not with newer lenses
Evidently some little diode of a chip on the mother board has given
up the ghost.
Will call Sony next week and get it in the pipeline for repair.

I wonder if they will be able to tell you why it failed?

There is a problem with the sensor that tells the LCD on my a7r to turn back on after I pull back from the EVF. After some of the negative things I have heard about Sony's repair process, it is tough for me to be optimistic.

Just Bumping this thread (yes I know its several years old) I am hoping to pick up one of these next week with a Tamron 70-300 VC, to replace my Nikon gear thats now long gone.

P.