Camera Labs

To be honest, this camera seems to completely trump the D90's specs. If the ISO performance is up, then it will definitely be of some interest..

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Samsung GX-10, , SA 18-55mm
Canon 5D Mark II, 40D, EF 17-40mm f/4 L, EF 24-105mm L IS, EF 50mm f/1.4

www.flickr.com/glxlr

Thinking more about the HDR function, the press release mentions the joining of two shots and seems a bit ambiguous on how extreme a range it can do. It might be better to see this as dynamic range extension than HDR as we know it.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

It'll probably be similar to the Ricoh CX1's HDR function, which produces gorgeous results and not the overly done HDR that's so common these days.

Come to think of it, wasn't this what the Fujifilm S5 was doing too?

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PhilipGoh.com

The Fuji is the one with the two photosite sizes isn't it? Again I wonder if the HDR term is now bagged with stigma maybe dynamic range extension methods need a different name to separate them. Intelligent tone mapping tends to produce more natural results than the high local contrast adjust of the stereotypical HDR look.

Back on the Sony, we just have to wait for more detailed reviews to see exactly what they have done with it.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

I was a bit disappointed. Although Sony has done some good work here, I was expecting these new cameras to have the new Back Lit CMOS and they don't. no EXMOR R CMOS in these. It would have put these Sony Alpha's as segment killers over the big Nikon's and Canon's and would have forced Nikon and Canon to rethink just how much you have to give the consumer at this price point. Would have been great for us all.

Maybe Sony marketing have done too well on the Exmor R as it isn't the solution to everything. Due to the way the sensors work, the advantage of back lit sensors is much more significant in sensors with smaller photosites (like those in compact cameras) than it is for DSLR class ones. In theory it might still help DSLR sized sensors, but any benefit would be a whole lot smaller.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Here is the Europe commercial for the a500/550/850. This one wasn't as cyber-esque, but still quite nice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXyJcpUVUlM

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a900 | D700

Here's the What Digital Camera preview of the A500 & A550:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdYQxZCc8F0

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

the preorder price for the A550 is $1100 Cdn, the same price for the Nikon D90. at that price point, Sony is in direct competition with Nikon. Sony had better be prepared for the direct comparisons coming their way.

looking forward to the review of A550 vs D90 in High ISO Review.

The new α550 seems to be a good upgrade for α350.

Does anyone know if α550 supports tethered shooting?

If this is the performance of the a550 ISO, then I might buy it over the a850...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eQLWnTU0IRM/S ... 0_a550.jpg

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a900 | D700

Are those comparison pics from jpeg or raw? All I'm thinking is the A5xx have a new jpeg engine that seems to catch up with the competition. I don't think the A900 (or A850) does. On a parallel note, how did the A700 compare against A900 at high ISO? I never paid much attention as I neither were interesting enough for me to consider buying before. I just wonder if that could be used to draw a RAW parallel for A500 vs A850.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

**off topic**

Popo, if I remember correctly you still have your 350.
Do you ever carry it slung over your shoulder/back when walking, and if so, does the protruding LCD screen frame cause any snags, cuts, or damage of any sort to camera or person when walking for miles.
I’m interested to know, as I’m looking at the 500 or 550.

There are no sharp edges on the A350, so it behaves much the same as any other camera there.

The protruding screen surface seems easier to scratch than flush ones, although that is only an impression.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Sample pictures :d

http://www.lenstip.com/1753-news-Sony_A ... mages.html