Sony A55: 16 MP, HD Video and 10 FPS w/AF, Built in IS, GPS, Swivel Screen

After seeing the results from the Sony NEX range including the new Handycam, I really cannot say Canon and Nikon will have it all. The new sensor range from Sony has really made some progress and for what it packs for price, I can see it doing well.

Although I have to admit that this camera is pretty sweet. I see this completely different that most of the comments here.

If you are already invested in a system. More then likely you will not change. So many pro's and amateurs will not move to Sony since they have a big investment in glass.

But for people moving from P&S to a system. This camera could make them go for Sony. I suspect Sony is making this as inexpensive as possible to get into peoples homes. It could work very well. Think about it, if you are a new buyer and you see all these cool features you would think its a good value.

Most people do not understand all the techno babel about camera details. But when they see it has IS built in, GPS, fast focus during videos. They could easily be sold.

This is a Canon forum so there is certainly some bias. But no one knows what the future holds. I give Sony props for taking a broken Minolta company and turning it around big time.

I thought Sony would be a bit of a joke for years and years in the digital camera realm. I do not question their video stuff, we all know that's good. But wow have they caught up. I can only imagine the A950 or whatever.

Photon Phil wrote in post #10785010
I thought Sony would be a bit of a joke for years and years in the digital camera realm. I do not question their video stuff, we all know that's good. But wow have they caught up. I can only imagine the A950 or whatever.

Yeap! They are starting to look like a real power house. An that Zeiss label is going to get a lot of people as well.

I can't wait for the super-bowl commercial were the passer byer unintentionally walks into a movie set (walking right by the super expensive movie camera with the prominent Ziess lens) and getting the shot the movie director is trying to get. Ha.

Photon Phil wrote in post #10784913
Oh boy, I don't even think video should be in "Click Camera" and this is insanely good results above David. So does this do away with most of the need for those huge focusing rigs?

Of course there will still be need for pull focus mechanism. I'm not a videographer, but I can easily come up with a couple of examples:

1. Conversation Pan: The camera pans from the speaker to the listener who is standing about the same distance from the camera -- you don't want the camera to focus on the horizon then back to the 2nd person during the panning motion.

2. Rate of refocusing: Sometimes for dramatic reasons, you want the focus to gradually shift forward (or backwards), rather than "jump".

While a continuous-focus toggle switch may be able to handle the first scenario (provided that the 2nd person is identical in distance from the camera as the 1st), only a manual pull-focus can allow you to control how fast you want the focus to shift.

Obviously, same thing with zoom -- manual zoom will be preferred over powerzoom.

I don't know why anyone new to SLRs would buy a rebel or entry level nikon over this. Can't think of a single reason, None, whatsoever.

mikekelley wrote in post #10798035
I don't know why anyone new to SLRs would buy a rebel or entry level nikon over this. Can't think of a single reason, None, whatsoever.

Back when they came out with in-body stabilization, people were saying it's game over for Canon and Nikon.

However, smarter consumers will always do their research before spending their money, and those who can see the benefits of having a bigger system to grow into will still gravitate towards Canon and Nikon. I know I did.

This weekend I'm renting the 70-200 Mk II and the 24L II for my sister's wedding. It'll cost me <$150. Try doing that with Sony or Pentax or Olympus.

RetroBlader wrote in post #10798055
This weekend I'm renting the 70-200 Mk II and the 24L II for my sister's wedding. It'll cost me <$150. Try doing that with Sony or Pentax or Olympus.

Sony:
http://www.lensrentals​.com …ny-70-200mm-f2.8g-apo-ssm
http://www.lensrentals​.com …ide-angle/sony-35mm-f1.4g (it's a 35 G, the 24mm zeiss won't be out for a couple weeks.

Olympus:

f2 zoom pair is the closest parity:
http://www.lensrentals​.com …photo/olympus-35-100mm-f2
http://www.lensrentals​.com …olympus-14-35mm-f2-ed-swd

Pentax:
http://www.cameralensr​entals.com/item.asp?it​emid=104 OR http://www.cameralensr​entals.com/item.asp?it​emid=150
http://www.cameralensr​entals.com/item.asp?it​emid=99

Yeah the lens rental thing should be a non issue, if at most like what, twenty bucks?

This thing just stomps canon and nikon in the entry level game. They make the rebels look like overpriced turtles (which today, is what they are, in all honesty, nothing has changed except video from my 2.5 year old XS). If this had been around when I was starting out, I would have swooped.

It used to be a lens thing, but now everything Sigma and Tamron are available in Sony, too and Sony has some good consumer/Prosumer options now. IN the last year they have released several really cool primes - 50mm f1.8, 30mm f2.8 macro, 35mm f1.8, 85mm f2.8 - all under $300. They have a sweet 70-200 f2.8, and the cheaper Sigma and Tamron ones benefit from in body IS, so that saves you a bundle. The have the Zeiss 16-80, they have some new Zeiss and G primes for the low $1000s if you are into higher end stuff. They have a great portrait/landscape FF body in the A850.

They are lacking in a good action cam, but I think that will change. 7D/D300s competition is coming. Pro sports may be a long time, if ever, but they do have a 300mm f2.8 SSM and a new 500/4.5 is supposed to be coming.

RetroBlader wrote in post #10798055
This weekend I'm renting the 70-200 Mk II and the 24L II for my sister's wedding. It'll cost me <$150. Try doing that with Sony or Pentax or Olympus.

tkbslc wrote in post #10798139
Sony:
http://www.lensrentals​.com …ny-70-200mm-f2.8g-apo-ssm
http://www.lensrentals​.com …ide-angle/sony-35mm-f1.4g (it's a 35 G, the 24mm zeiss won't be out for a couple weeks.

Olympus:

f2 zoom pair is the closest parity:
http://www.lensrentals​.com …photo/olympus-35-100mm-f2
http://www.lensrentals​.com …olympus-14-35mm-f2-ed-swd

Pentax:
http://www.cameralensr​entals.com/item.asp?it​emid=104 OR http://www.cameralensr​entals.com/item.asp?it​emid=150
http://www.cameralensr​entals.com/item.asp?it​emid=99

mikekelley wrote in post #10798173
Yeah the lens rental thing should be a non issue, if at most like what, twenty bucks?

Sorry I didn't make it clear that I do not live in the US.

Neither Lensrentals.com nor CameraLensRentals.com operate outside the US.

Locally, both LensRentalsCanada.com and Vistek.ca only rent Canon and Nikon equipment.

But rentals aside, there are many other benefits associated with using the Big 2. Wide variety of lenses/accessories to choose from, size of used market (easier to find people to buy from but also to sell to), ease of sharing equipment with friends, etc.


Or if I want to play dirty, I can simply ask: "if Sony/Pentax/Olympus are so great, why are you still using Canon?"

Because I am not an entry level consumer anymore.

If I was starting out, things would be different. That was kind of the point of my post. I don't get why someone would buy a rebel over this, other than fierce brand allegiance.

And who knows- I also use pocketwizard products extensively - which are mostly optimized for Canon (I have a slew of minis and flexes).

Maybe I will consider Sony in a few years, if they have (and I have no idea) tilt shifts. That would be the big draw for me. Also I can't take a month to sell all my gear and switch to Sony - I use it every day to make a living. That would take a lot of time and, as we all know, time is money, and I'd be losing it switching systems at this point.

RetroBlader wrote in post #10798247
Or if I want to play dirty, I can simply ask: "if Sony/Pentax/Olympus are so great, why are you still using Canon?"

That's a lame argument. Is the only brand of car you can compliment the one you drive? Can I find a certain lady attractive without filing for divorce from my wife?

I know my Canon system. Switching to Sony would be a risk and involve spending some money. Maybe I will do it, maybe I won't. Either way if you actually look at their system with an open mind you will see it is really good except for the super-high end stuff from Canon/Nikon that most of us can't afford.

And honestly, part of me wants to go outside the Canon and NIkon cloud just to be different from the crowd.

RetroBlader wrote in post #10798055
However, smarter consumers will always do their research before spending their money, and those who can see the benefits of having a bigger system to grow into will still gravitate towards Canon and Nikon. I know I did.

mikekelley wrote in post #10798256
Because I am not an entry level consumer anymore.
If I was starting out, things would be different.

Entry-level consumers who are serious about their hobby and plan to grow it over time would (or should) choose the brand based on the complete system it offers, not how fancy any one body may be. Bodies come and go, lenses last a lot longer.

Sure, many entry level consumers are too short-sighted to consider that far down the road, but they are probably the same ones who never buy another lens after the kit lens and maybe a superzoom all-in-one.

RetroBlader wrote in post #10798273
Entry-level consumers who are serious about their hobby and plan to grow it over time would (or should) choose the brand based on the complete system it offers, not how fancy any one body may be. Bodies come and go, lenses last a lot longer.

But who can predict what happens in the future? People that had planned on a certain segment of body being there just got blindsided by the new 60D. Canon seems to be getting rid of mid-level lenses, too. Nikon went FF after telling people for years that FF was dumb and they wouldn't do it. The system changes!