Gary, you nailed it here. Ive been shooting Sony for a few years now and love their approach to cameras. The best way to compete is to not compete at all. Some folks that i know that shoot Canon and Nikon especially always talk crap about my camera (the A77), until they actually use it. Lots of misinformation and mistrust among folks that haven't embraced this new technology. This electronic viewfinder in this camera is one of the best things to come to cameras in a long time :)
Renard, light is redirected from the sensor to the other plane of the prism. However, even though you lose light transmission to the sensor, the camera adjusts to give you accurate exposures. You can see how this is the case if you look up my "custom white balance for Sony" video. What you do lose with the translucent mirror is sensitivity, thus you won't see these (yet) doing ISO 64k, etc. But the exposures are adjusted for accuracy to the sensor.
I have an a77 and D7100. I prefer the a77 by a wide, wide margin because of the ability to see the image before you shoot. With the Nikon (and other optical finders) you have to shoot, then consult the screen.
Thanks Gary for you valued info.. I been a alpha user for a last 4 years and was going to upgrade my kit and was tossing around with D5 or A77.... But yesterday i bought a A77.... Again thanks Gary
Hi Joe - I plan on putting up some ISO 800 comparisons. I have not had objectionable noise at 800 in properly exposed areas. I now have an a99 and because of the larger pixels, noise is less of a factor. My initial tests have the a99 responding a bit slower than the mighty fast a77
Brahim, I've actually used the Sigma 50-150 f2.8 as it is the same corrected focal length for the APS sensor. I like it. And don't forget the telephoto option on the a77, which allows you to increase the length from 1.4x to 2.0x length
the a99 has a new firmware upgrade that I believe improves the low light video. I personally haven't tried it, because all of my videos are pretty much of me talking in front of a camera, with a fill LED light.
Brahim, I've been using the Sigma 50-150f2.8 and it's not bad. When you shoot at digital telephoto 2x, I've seen some chromatic aberration, but that is really pushing a lens to the limit. And this is only in highlight areas when overexposed.
I was referring to the 50mm f1.4 Sigma. It is far heavier and with larger elements than my Canon 50mm f1.4. It feels closer to my Canon 85mm f1.2 in heft and build. Plus I love the image quality - for the price.
Thanks Gary! I switched from Canon and got the NEX 7, now looking to add A99. Also looking at the D800. What would you recommend? I shoot low light sports (hockey), portraits to HDR landscapes.
Gary, I was contemplating the purchase of an A77 however I'm concerned about the excessive noise at higher ISOs. Have you found that to be an issue or have you found a work-around for it? I am definitely going to pick up your Gamma Diffuser and the F58AM lens after seeing you use it. :)
Nice video Gary as usual, I'm a sony user, I've got an a 77. I need a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, Is the new (Tamron SP 70-200 f2.8 Di USD) a good alternative to my a77? I need advice.
Hi, nice video as usual, You said that Nikon and Canon don't have phase detection auto-focus, but that was (now with the 650D and 6D not any more) on Live View mode, Because they have phase detection auto-focus n 'normal mode'. Thanks for all the videos about of camera flash, I've learned a lot from them.
Bought an A99 with HVL F60 flash to replace an A900. First wedding we shot, as the bridesmaids started down the aisle to the alter the flash reported Overhead and refused to work for 10 minutes. Fortunately the A900 was ready and we didn't miss the bride and her father. This happened four more times before the night was over, and it wasn't terribly heavy usage on the flash. Any experience with this? Any suggestions? Love your videos, products and advice!
in fact, I begged them to give the presentation there. They didn't approach me, I told them - I've got to explain what your product does (because I don't think they do a very good job of showing what it can do).
Hi Gary, great video. I love my A77 shooting stills. Incredible, but the video looks soft and losing details comparing to Sony Handycam HDR-CX12, even lower models than that. I tried every setting there is, sharpness +3, manual focus. Could not get it as sharp and crisp as video HD recorders. Tried 2 different lenses as well. Any idea, what is going on?
Sony is amazing for making smart cameras that work great with its auto modes. Sony is like instagram were it controls and gives you options for what you think you want. With Canon, and Nikon they are more like Photoshop. They give you the proper tools and leave it up to you to make something. Sony - Great for the auto user and general use Nikon - Best Cameras (I am a Canon shooter) Canon - Best Lenses (Primes Especially)
You might be able to help me Gary. I'm shooting rock concerts. I've got a Sony a77 and a77ii with a Zeiss 24-70 f2.8 and a Tokina 80-200 f2.8 tele. (Just upgraded from the a700 with the 77ii) I'm having problems getting the cameras to focus with the lighting conditions and movement. Any settings suggestions to optimize the cameras for that kind of environment?
Do you advise me to go for Sony a77 or Nikon D7100 or Nikon D600 dslr? And why? I own Sony a100 and I need to upgrade but I'm a little bit confused. I appreciate your advice.
i'll take the loss of light (and it's really just 1/3 of a stop) for the 12fps that the A77 offers...getting the fantastic 16-50/2.8 kit lens really makes getting into sony a "no brainer"...if you're shooting events, the OLED viewfinder makes shooting in changing light conditions an advantage over any optical viewfinder...
Thanks for the pretty educative look on why electronic viewfinder is pretty good. But i'm going to stick to my Nikon. Canon users should stick to their camera as well. Here is the one big problem with Sony that you failed to mention. Translucent mirror technology forces you to lose half a stop or more. Your f2.8 lens is now 3.5+ aperture lens. Try to take a test. Take out the lens and shoot a wall. then put the mirror up and shoot the wall. You'll lose light. Thats a BIG no no for me.
Ok so I now have the Sony A77 with both the 2.8 16-50 and the 70-200mm G my problem is every picture except maybe full auto comes out blurry on the top 1/3 and bottom 1/3 of the shot. I can't find any solutions in the manual. HELP !
As a Canon owner, I found your discussion of the advantages of the Sony interesting, particularly regarding the focusing system. But you lost me in the discussion of the advantage of Sigma lenses over Canon. I own two "L" lenses (24-70 and 70-200), which are far superior than the Sigma lenses I've owned.
after i got my sony A330 DSLR with f42am and sam 55-200mm lens in 2009 (i am a Pro BTW ) i use to get so much crap from pros but now i see more and more pros useing a65 a77 a99 at weddings events LOL
The Tamron 70-200 f2.8 has a lower IQ and focus speed then the Sony 70-200, but you are saving $1000+ by buying Tamron instead of Sony since the Sony 70-200 f2.8 is around $2000 as compared to the $800 Tamron. If you don't care much about focus speed or can sacrifice a little IQ the Tamron is a great steal at $800.
Check ebay and amazon. I bought the Sony 70-200 f/2.8G used for about $1,400 vs $2,000 or whatever it goes for new. The lens is phenomenal, it's difficult to get a bad shot with it. Also, if you go on DPreview.com there is a buy/sell/trade section that sometimes puts up some good deals.
I have the same thing, it looks like Sony A77 video is to soft. It shoots greats stills but Video is very disappointing. I my self called Sony 2nd level support and they said that its not a video camera, and the video feature is only a free addition. BTW I have the latest firmware.I found this comparison on RUclips that clearly shows the difference between A77 and cheap video camera that shoots sharper, search under Sony A77 vs Sony Handycam HDR-CX12
Frankly Sony is outperforming Canon in higher ISO performance on most of their SLT cameras. Plus the in body stabilization is getting you back 1-3 whole stops you can't even get with Canon or Nikon on their best lenses. so you go ahead a perpetuate your 1/2 stop myth...
Gary, you nailed it here. Ive been shooting Sony for a few years now and love their approach to cameras. The best way to compete is to not compete at all. Some folks that i know that shoot Canon and Nikon especially always talk crap about my camera (the A77), until they actually use it. Lots of misinformation and mistrust among folks that haven't embraced this new technology. This electronic viewfinder in this camera is one of the best things to come to cameras in a long time :)
Renard, light is redirected from the sensor to the other plane of the prism. However, even though you lose light transmission to the sensor, the camera adjusts to give you accurate exposures. You can see how this is the case if you look up my "custom white balance for Sony" video. What you do lose with the translucent mirror is sensitivity, thus you won't see these (yet) doing ISO 64k, etc. But the exposures are adjusted for accuracy to the sensor.
I have an a77 and D7100. I prefer the a77 by a wide, wide margin because of the ability to see the image before you shoot. With the Nikon (and other optical finders) you have to shoot, then consult the screen.
Thanks Gary for you valued info.. I been a alpha user for a last 4 years and was going to upgrade my kit and was tossing around with D5 or A77.... But yesterday i bought a A77....
Again thanks Gary
Hi Joe - I plan on putting up some ISO 800 comparisons. I have not had objectionable noise at 800 in properly exposed areas. I now have an a99 and because of the larger pixels, noise is less of a factor. My initial tests have the a99 responding a bit slower than the mighty fast a77
Best explanation i've ever heard with regards to all the features the Sony offers.
Brahim, I've actually used the Sigma 50-150 f2.8 as it is the same corrected focal length for the APS sensor. I like it. And don't forget the telephoto option on the a77, which allows you to increase the length from 1.4x to 2.0x length
I have A68 and A99V ...I love them both !
the a99 has a new firmware upgrade that I believe improves the low light video. I personally haven't tried it, because all of my videos are pretty much of me talking in front of a camera, with a fill LED light.
Mark, what ISO? Remember, going from ISO400 to 800 cuts your recycle time in half.
Brahim, I've been using the Sigma 50-150f2.8 and it's not bad. When you shoot at digital telephoto 2x, I've seen some chromatic aberration, but that is really pushing a lens to the limit. And this is only in highlight areas when overexposed.
"lose half a stop or more" From some test I have seen it is about a 3rd of a stop, as stated earlier the sensor sensitivity is boosted accordingly.
I was referring to the 50mm f1.4 Sigma. It is far heavier and with larger elements than my Canon 50mm f1.4. It feels closer to my Canon 85mm f1.2 in heft and build. Plus I love the image quality - for the price.
there is a little adapter hotshoe available from Sony
I shoot at 1600 often, and have not seen objectionable noise even in the shadow areas.
Brilliant - Thanks Gary :) I've a couple of Sony A77-1s' Still a superb camera; and seriously cheap 2nd'-hand.
oh gosh no. My Canon 5D's do not offer focusing at all, and none of the others offer phase detection autofocus. Google PD autofocus for info.
Thanks Gary! I switched from Canon and got the NEX 7, now looking to add A99. Also looking at the D800. What would you recommend? I shoot low light sports (hockey), portraits to HDR landscapes.
Gary, I was contemplating the purchase of an A77 however I'm concerned about the excessive noise at higher ISOs. Have you found that to be an issue or have you found a work-around for it? I am definitely going to pick up your Gamma Diffuser and the F58AM lens after seeing you use it. :)
Nice video Gary as usual, I'm a sony user, I've got an a 77. I need a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, Is the new (Tamron SP 70-200 f2.8 Di USD) a good alternative to my a77? I need advice.
Hi, nice video as usual,
You said that Nikon and Canon don't have phase detection auto-focus, but that was (now with the 650D and 6D not any more) on Live View mode, Because they have phase detection auto-focus n 'normal mode'.
Thanks for all the videos about of camera flash, I've learned a lot from them.
Thanks Gary, well presented.
Bought an A99 with HVL F60 flash to replace an A900. First wedding we shot, as the bridesmaids started down the aisle to the alter the flash reported Overhead and refused to work for 10 minutes. Fortunately the A900 was ready and we didn't miss the bride and her father. This happened four more times before the night was over, and it wasn't terribly heavy usage on the flash. Any experience with this? Any suggestions? Love your videos, products and advice!
in fact, I begged them to give the presentation there. They didn't approach me, I told them - I've got to explain what your product does (because I don't think they do a very good job of showing what it can do).
Hi Gary, great video. I love my A77 shooting stills. Incredible, but the video looks soft and losing details comparing to Sony Handycam HDR-CX12, even lower models than that. I tried every setting there is, sharpness +3, manual focus. Could not get it as sharp and crisp as video HD recorders. Tried 2 different lenses as well. Any idea, what is going on?
Gary, nice presentation! Btw, your baby looks just like you :)
@13:00
Sony is amazing for making smart cameras that work great with its auto modes. Sony is like instagram were it controls and gives you options for what you think you want. With Canon, and Nikon they are more like Photoshop. They give you the proper tools and leave it up to you to make something.
Sony - Great for the auto user and general use
Nikon - Best Cameras (I am a Canon shooter)
Canon - Best Lenses (Primes Especially)
I'm looking at one of these for film, do we get the same features in video mode as we would in the photo mode?
Wait, do most other brands not have continuous focusing? I used that all the time on my a700
did you upgrade to new firmware 1.06?
You might be able to help me Gary. I'm shooting rock concerts. I've got a Sony a77 and a77ii with a Zeiss 24-70 f2.8 and a Tokina 80-200 f2.8 tele. (Just upgraded from the a700 with the 77ii) I'm having problems getting the cameras to focus with the lighting conditions and movement. Any settings suggestions to optimize the cameras for that kind of environment?
Since Sony changed the hotshoe for the Sony A99, is the HVL-F56AM flash compatible with the A99?
Thanks, I think I will go with Sony
Thanks Gary for great info.
Do you advise me to go for Sony a77 or Nikon D7100 or Nikon D600 dslr? And why? I own Sony a100 and I need to upgrade but I'm a little bit confused. I appreciate your advice.
Do you recommend sony a77 over Nikon D7100 dslr? And why?
what is the crop factor for sony a77?
I got 330 too and planning to get flash- should I go for higher number HVL 56 or 43 is okay? (for Indoor events) Thanks
Hi Gary, is the phottix ordin flash trigger works with A77? If yes, does it support TTL, HSS? Thanks.
I'm a Sony Shooter! You should really think about getting away from Auto and Auto+ and JPEG. Manual RAW is the way to go!
i'll take the loss of light (and it's really just 1/3 of a stop) for the 12fps that the A77 offers...getting the fantastic 16-50/2.8 kit lens really makes getting into sony a "no brainer"...if you're shooting events, the OLED viewfinder makes shooting in changing light conditions an advantage over any optical viewfinder...
Thanks for the pretty educative look on why electronic viewfinder is pretty good. But i'm going to stick to my Nikon. Canon users should stick to their camera as well.
Here is the one big problem with Sony that you failed to mention. Translucent mirror technology forces you to lose half a stop or more. Your f2.8 lens is now 3.5+ aperture lens. Try to take a test. Take out the lens and shoot a wall. then put the mirror up and shoot the wall. You'll lose light. Thats a BIG no no for me.
Ok so I now have the Sony A77 with both the 2.8 16-50 and the 70-200mm G
my problem is every picture except maybe full auto comes out blurry on the top 1/3 and bottom 1/3 of the shot. I can't find any solutions in the manual. HELP !
Hi Fred. Maybe the "Miniature" effect is on? Go to your Menu/Effects and check. Nice lenses by the way, you just need the 24-70 to fill in the gap. :)
change your aperture.try the same shot using F/4 or higher,play with it.use different apertures and see the difference.good luck
What is the battery life for the A77?
As a Canon owner, I found your discussion of the advantages of the Sony interesting, particularly regarding the focusing system. But you lost me in the discussion of the advantage of Sigma lenses over Canon. I own two "L" lenses (24-70 and 70-200), which are far superior than the Sigma lenses I've owned.
Man i love my Sony's an i keep herein people say there trash but i will never leave my Sony's
my attorney is cph.com - I've used them continuously for over 15 years.
after i got my sony A330 DSLR with f42am and sam 55-200mm lens in 2009 (i am a Pro BTW ) i use to get so much crap from pros but now i see more and more pros useing a65 a77 a99 at weddings events LOL
The Tamron 70-200 f2.8 has a lower IQ and focus speed then the Sony 70-200, but you are saving $1000+ by buying Tamron instead of Sony since the Sony 70-200 f2.8 is around $2000 as compared to the $800 Tamron. If you don't care much about focus speed or can sacrifice a little IQ the Tamron is a great steal at $800.
Check ebay and amazon. I bought the Sony 70-200 f/2.8G used for about $1,400 vs $2,000 or whatever it goes for new. The lens is phenomenal, it's difficult to get a bad shot with it. Also, if you go on DPreview.com there is a buy/sell/trade section that sometimes puts up some good deals.
I have the same thing, it looks like Sony A77 video is to soft. It shoots greats stills but Video is very disappointing. I my self called Sony 2nd level support and they said that its not a video camera, and the video feature is only a free addition. BTW I have the latest firmware.I found this comparison on RUclips that clearly shows the difference between A77 and cheap video camera that shoots sharper, search under Sony A77 vs Sony Handycam HDR-CX12
thanks gary, i should of bought a sony first instead of spending thousands on nikon stuff
Before buy check this out
sonyalpharumors kom sr4-new-a77-successor-to-come-in-late-2013
Sony has no intention to fix these issues.
1.5
Frankly Sony is outperforming Canon in higher ISO performance on most of their SLT cameras. Plus the in body stabilization is getting you back 1-3 whole stops you can't even get with Canon or Nikon on their best lenses. so you go ahead a perpetuate your 1/2 stop myth...
Nothing against Sony but i don't believe you're not paid to talk there.