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Sony Alpha A700 Preview

by Bob Atkins

Sony's Alpha line of cameras and lenses is built on the legacy of the Minolta system, although Sony is relatively new to the world of DSLRs. The Sony Alpha A700 (12 MP), appears to be the logical successor to the Minolta Maxxum 7D, a high-end prosumer DSLR. The most obvious current competitors are the Nikon D300 (12 MP) and the Canon EOS 40D (10 MP).

Sony A700 PreviewA notable and very useful feature is the in-body stabilization system of Sony Alpha DSLR cameras, which both Canon and Nikon DSLRs lack. The system effectively converts any compatible Dynax/Maxxum/Alpha lens from Minolta or Konica Minolta into image stabilized lenses by moving the sensor slightly to compensate for the movement of the image, rather then moving the image via the lens, as both Nikon (VR) and Canon (IS) have chosen to do. The obvious advantage of in-body stabilization is that it works with all lenses and you only have to pay for it once. The Nikon and Canon systems have the advantage that they stabilize the image in the viewfinder as well as on the sensor, which makes image capturing a little easier, but the disadvantage is that you have to pay for it in each lens. The best of both worlds would be a system with both body and lens stabilization, giving the user the freedom to chose which system to use, though I suspect that may be a long time coming from both Nikon and Canon. Pentax has also chosen "in-body" stabilization.

The Sony Alpha A700 is priced at $1400, landing between the Canon EOS 40D ($1299) and the Nikon D300 ($1799). It does lack the "live view" system, which is present on both the D300 and 40D. It has a slower maximum frame rate (5fps) than either the EOS 40D (6.5fps) or the D300 (6/8fps). Both the Canon and Nikon DSLRs use a 14-bit A/d conversion system. Sony hasn't yet published details on the A/D converter in the Alpha A700, but I suspect it's 12-bits or they would probably have commented on it.

You can preorder the Sony Alpha A700 at amazon.com and help to support photo.net.

Here's what Sony has to say about the new Alpha A700 DSLR:

SONY’S NEW D-SLR CAMERA SETS HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 5, 2007 — Sony is expanding its a (Alpha) digital SLR system with the introduction of the DSLR-A700 camera, which is aimed at photo enthusiasts or serious photo hobbyists.

The new model features advanced imaging technologies and ultra-responsive operation, as well as a lightweight, dust- and moisture-resistant, magnesium alloy construction common to enthusiast-class D-SLR cameras.

Like Sony’s mainstream DSLR-A100 model, the new A700 unit incorporates Super SteadyShot Inside image stabilization in the camera body and is compatible with most Minolta Maxxum mount lenses in addition to Sony lenses.

"Discerning photo enthusiasts will be impressed with the rugged construction and outstanding performance of the A700, said Phil Lubell, director of marketing for digital cameras at Sony Electronics. "We also expect that this new camera will re-define the post-capture experience with HDMI™ output for high-quality playback of images on high-definition televisions."

Picture Quality

The camera’s new 12.2-megapixel Exmor™ CMOS sensor conducts analog-to-digital (A/D) signal conversion and dual noise reduction right on the sensor itself. Noise reduction is applied to analog signals before A/D conversion and the resulting digital signals are then subject to a second round of noise reduction.

According to Lubell, "These digital signals are virtually immune to external noise and interference."

Clean, noise-free digital signals are then sent to the newly developed BIONZ™ processing engine. Lubell said this engine has been optimized to process data-rich picture information at high speeds, and to reduce picture noise in the RAW data stage before final image compression and encoding. The results are high-resolution, detailed images with rich tonal reproduction.

Extraordinary Responsiveness

The A700 camera is engineered to be fast and ultra-responsive so as to become "a virtual extension of your own senses," Lubell said, "capturing fleeting moments as you see them."

A newly developed, auto-focus system features 11 wide-area sensors, including a center dual cross sensor comprised of two horizontal and two vertical line sensors for exceptional AF precision. An F2.8 line sensor leverages the brightness of fast aperture lenses for even greater precision. Lubell said that extraordinary focusing speed has been realized through improved algorithms and a high-torque focusing drive motor.

The large, bright, viewfinder uses a precision-ground optical glass pentaprism and a high refractive index eyepiece lens to provide 0.9x viewfinder magnification and 95 percent frame coverage. Manual focusing is aided by an interchangeable spherical acute matte focusing screen.

The camera has a high-performance vertical traverse shutter with a maximum shutter speed of 1/8,000th of a second to freeze fast-moving action. A high-power coreless motor charges the shutter and mirror mechanism, allowing continuous shooting at up to five frames per second. In JPEG fine or standard mode, continuous shooting is limited only by the capacity of the media card (sold separately), while up to 18 frames can be captured in RAW.

Expanded Creativity

The new camera features fourteen creative styles, including night view, autumn leaves or vivid, which can be selected to enhance images. These effects can then be fine-tuned by customizing contrast, sharpness, zone matching and other parameters.

Sony’s Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO) function has been updated on this model so users can choose the desired level of detail recovered in areas of shadow. The advanced mode offers the option of five levels of user selectable correction. Additionally, DRO bracketing creates three images from a single capture with three different levels of DRO.

There is an extensive array of customization options to personalize the camera to match shooting styles. The unit’s quick navigation interface can be accessed instantly with the four-way multi-selector, and selected parameters can be adjusted directly by control dials.

Up to 28 camera settings can be stored in one of three user memories for instant recall. The unit’s custom function button can be assigned to 15 frequently-accessed functions.

With the supplied remote capture application, the camera can be controlled from a compatible PC via USB without even touching the camera, and files can be stored on the computer instead of the media card.

High-Quality Pictures on an HDTV

The A700 model features an HDMI output for connection to HDTV sets, putting a high-resolution spin on the conventional photo slideshow.

When connected to a Sony BRAVIA LCD HD television, photos are optimized for viewing with the new "PhotoTV HD" mode. This mode brings the look of actual printed photography to the television, reproducing high-quality digital photos by fine-tuning such image parameters as sharpness, gradation and color specifically for photographs.

The exceptional viewing experience of this camera also extends to viewing photos on its 3-inch LCD screen. The screen’s size and ultra-sharp resolution (921K) makes it possible to check focus and image quality with much greater accuracy.

A Flexible System

The camera will be introduced with two new lenses, bringing Sony’s lens and teleconverter catalog up to 23 models. Supplied as a standard kit lens, the new DT 16-105 mm f.3.5 – 5.6 lens features a distinctive zoom range (35mm equivalency of 24 – 157.5 mm); compact, lightweight design; and internal focusing. The other addition is a powerful and compact high-magnification DT 18 – 250 mm f3.5 – 6.3 lens. Sony is also planning to introduce a specialty 70 -300 mm f4.5 – 5.6 SSM G telephoto lens featuring super sonic wave motor auto focus drive system for smooth auto focusing in Spring 2008.

Sony’s full line of accessories will also expand to include a new vertical grip. Equipped with buttons and switches for the most essential control functions, it offers the same ease of operation and handling as when shooting vertically. It houses two InfoLithium batteries (sold separately), which will automatically switch to the second battery when the first one runs out. Remaining charges of both batteries are displayed on the camera’s LCD screen.

Memory That Keeps Up With The Camera

The model also features separate slots for Memory Stick Duo™ media cards compatible with the Memory Stick PRO-HG™ high-speed data transfer standard, as well as CompactFlash™ Type I/II media cards compatible with the new Ultra Direct Memory Access standard for up to 300x write speeds. Sony is also introducing new 300x high-speed CompactFlash™ memory cards, ideal for high-end photographers requiring fast write speeds. The new models, available in 2GB or 8GB capacity, expand Sony’s current line of CompactFlash cards that also include 66X and 133X speeds, with capacities ranging from 1GB to 4GB.

The DSLR-A700 camera body, DT 16 – 105 mm lens, and DT 18-250 mm lens will be available for about $1,400, $580 and $550, respectively. The DSLR-A700K kit with an 18-70 mm lens will be available for about $1,500, and the DSLR-A700P kit with the 16-105 mm lens will be available for about $1,900. The camera body and DSLR-A700K kit will ship in October and the DSLR-A700P kit in November. All will be available at sonystyle.com, Sony Style retail stores (www.sonystyle.com/retail), at military base exchanges, and at authorized dealers nationwide.

Pre-orders begin online today at amazon.com.

Sony A700 Features

12.24 MP Exmor™ Imaging Sensor

A newly designed APS-C size CMOS imager with on-chip noise-canceling before and after A/D conversion provides over 12 million pixels, drawing out the full image description power of the a (alpha) DSLR-A700’s high-performance lenses and providing spectacular detail for making big prints. Advanced on-sensor A/D conversion yields rich tonal reproduction with high signal-to-noise ratio.

Professional Lenses and Accessories

The a (alpha) DSLR-A700 accepts a superb array of precision optics, including new Sony wide-aperture zoom lenses that perform brilliantly over a broad range of focal lengths, Sony “G” Series lenses with advanced motorized autofocusing, amazingly bright Carl Zeiss T* coated lenses, and over 16 million Minolta a-mount lenses sold worldwide -- plus professional-quality flash units and system accessories to expand your creative horizons.

Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization

Built-in technology moves the image sensor in response to camera shake, enabling every lens to benefit from automatic blur reduction -- and provides an advantage of up to 4.0 shutter speed steps to sharpen images in lower light, for hand-held shots that would normally require a tripod.

Bionz™ Image Processor

At the heart of the a (alpha) DSLR-A700 DSLR camera is the advanced Sony Bionz™ Image Processor, using hardware-based Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuitry that improves camera response time, screens out noise before RAW data conversion, handles Dynamic Range Optimization processing and prolongs battery life.

Dynamic Range Optimizer

To recover details in dark or bright areas of the picture, the a (alpha) DSLR-A700 provides multiple levels of Dynamic Range Optimization: Standard mode, to improve shadow detail using standard gamma curves; Advanced Auto mode, allowing you to select any of 5 DRO correction levels, or DRO Advanced Bracketing, that automatically takes three shots at different DRO levels with a single shutter press.

Continuous 5 Frames-Per-Second Advance at 12.24 MP

The high-speed processing power of its Bionz™ engine, a quick-response coreless motor to drive the shutter, and dual mirror stoppers to prevent mirror bounce -- they all enable the a (alpha) DSLR-A700 to capture action more effectively at either 5 or 3 frames per second, even shooting at full 12.24 MP resolution. You can also shoot continuously to the limit of available memory in JPEG Fine and Standard modes.

Advanced Pentaprism Viewfinder

With a bright focusing matte, an optical glass prism and glass lenses that prevent ghosts inside the finder, the a (alpha) DSLR-A700’s viewfinder image makes it easier to see your subject, compose your shot and adjust focus manually.

Eye-Start Autofocus System

The a (alpha) DSLR-A700 begins its precision autofocus adjustments the moment you bring your eye to the viewfinder -- so you’ll be ready to catch the perfect moment.

11-Point Center Dual Cross AF Sensor

A newly developed Sony AutoFocus system with a large f2.8 sensor improves your ability to frame the subject and capture moving subjects with greater focusing precision -- and a focus drive clutch lets you switch seamlessly between auto and manual focusing by pressing a simple button.

Super-Accurate Exposure Control

A 40-segment honeycomb sensing system provides multi-pattern measuring for superior exposure control accuracy in a wide range of lighting conditions.

Simple Camera Control Menus

Even with all its high-tech features, the a (alpha) DSLR-A700 is amazingly simple to operate -- and a quick press of the Function (Fn) button switches the LCD display from standard menu information to a new Quick Navigation screen for camera setup via joystick and forward-back controls. The menus are easy and intuitive -- and memory function lets you save and recall personalized camera settings.

Creative Custom Settings

The a (alpha) DSLR-A700 is designed to bring out your creativity with a wide range of auto preference settings, including four basic image styles (Standard, Vivid, Neutral and Adobe RGB) and three style-box memory settings for quick setup in special events like weddings and competitive sports.

Easy-to-Use Exposure Mode Dial

The a (alpha) DSLR-A700’s top-mounted dial gives you quick access to Program Auto, Aperture priority, Shutter-speed priority, Manual and full Auto exposure setting modes -- as well as six scene selection modes that optimize camera focus, exposure, brightness, contrast and other settings for Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports Action, Sunset and Night View/Portrait scenes.

Quick Setting Recall

The “C” button allows you to make changes more quickly by calling up Creative Style settings, Exposure compensation, Flash compensation and many more operating modes and camera functions.

Stamina Power

To give you confidence for long shooting sessions in the field, the a (alpha) DSLR-A700 can take up to 650 shots on a fully charged NP-FM500H InfoLithium battery -- with indication in percentage of about how much battery power remains.

Built-In Flash

The a (alpha) DSLR-A700 flip-up flash covers a wide focal range, synchronizes at 1/250 sec., supports red-eye reduction and slow flash features as well as manual flash mode to set flash intensity. A wireless flash signal is available for external flash synchronization.

Anti-Dust Technology

Changing lenses in a DSLR can allow dust to enter the camera -- so to help keep the CMOS imager cleaner for better pictures, the a (alpha) DSLR-A700 utilizes both static-free anti-dust coating on the CCD filter and anti-dust vibration that automatically shakes the CCD to dislodge dust each time the camera is shut off.

Rugged Magnesium Alloy Body

The a (alpha) DSLR-A700 is built to very high standards of durability and performance -- so you can shoot on location in difficult conditions with confidence that your equipment can handle the challenge.

XtraFine™ 3.0”LCD Screen with 921k Pixels

With almost 1 MP performance, it’s like having a high-resolution photo viewer built into your camera -- and the a (alpha) DSLR-A700’s amazing photo-quality screen displays sharp, bright images even outdoors with a wide viewing angle so you can share photos more easily.

PhotoTV HD Viewing with HDMI™ Output

The a (alpha) DSLR-A700 provides direct HDMI™ output to your Bravia HDTV and other compatible HDTV screens, so you can view and share photos in breathtaking clarity and detail. You can choose between standard 3:2 and widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio -- and with new Bravia HDTV models, photos are automatically optimized in sharpness, gradation and color reproduction for HD display.

Wireless Remote Control

For shooting as well as viewing convenience, Sony supplies a multi-function wireless remote control with the a (alpha) DSLR-A700 -- allowing you to control HDTV photo viewing and trip the shutter by remote to put yourself in the picture.

Versatile Recording Formats

Images can be captured in RAW, cRAW (optimized for fast action), RAW+JPEG and three JPEG modes (Extra Fine, Fine and Standard), for greater versatility in every digital photo application.

Powerful Supplied Software

The a (alpha) DSLR-A700 comes with a powerful RAW conversion and image management system and newly developed RAW software that gives you the power to handle large volumes of RAW data while taking full advantage of the sophisticated imaging capabilities of the a (alpha) DSLR-A700.

Dual Media Options

For image capture with optional media you may already own, the a (alpha) DSLR-A700 has built-in slots for both CompactFlash™ Type I/II media and Memory Stick Duo™ media or high-capacity Memory Stick PRO Duo™ media.

 

Sony A700 Specifications

Imaging Device

  • 12.24 (effective) APS Exmor™ Sensor; 23.5 x 15.6 mm; RGB primary color filter

Megapixel

  • 12.24 MP

Bionz™ Engine

  • Yes w/ Dynamic Range Optimizer. DRO Modes include Off, Standard, Advanced Auto, Advanced Manual, Advanced 3-frame bracketing. Advanced Manual include 5 adjustable levels.

LCD

  • 3.0" TFT (921k pixels) LCD with Clear Photo™ design

Microphone

  • No/ No

Viewfinder

  • Optical: TTL, 0.9x, 95% coverage

White Balance

  • Auto plus 6 Modes (Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash); +/- 3-step adjustable Kelvin temperature control (2500-9900k w/19-step Magenta/Green compensation.

Self Timer

  • Yes (10 seconds, 2 seconds, Off)

Burst Mode

  • Selectable Hi (5 FPS), Lo (3 FPS); JPEG Standard/Fine ? Unlimited to capacity of media; JPEG Extra Fine ? 8; cRAW (compressed) ? 24; cRAW+JPEG ? 12; RAW ? 17; RAW+JPEG ? 11.

Color Mode(s)

  • Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Adobe RGB, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night view, Autumn, B/W, Sepia (Except for Adobe RGB, all other color modes use the sRGB color space)

Red-Eye Reduction

  • Yes: On/ Off

Memory Stick PRO™ Media Compatibility

  • Tested to support up to 8GB media capacity; does not support Access Control security function

Red-Eye Reduction-2

  • On/Off (all modes)

Scene Mode(s)

  • Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports, Sunset, Night view/portrait

Movie Mode(s)

  • N/A

AF Illuminator Light

  • Yes, On/Off Select

Multi-Pattern Measuring

  • 40-segment honeycomb pattern; Multi-segment, Center Weighted, Spot

Histogram Display

  • Yes; RGB display; Playback only

Output(s)

  • Video: Yes, NTSC/PAL Selectable

USB Port(s)

  • Yes, Supports USB 2.0 Hi-speed

Flash Mode(s)

  • Manual Pop-up: Auto, Fill-flash, Rear flash sync, Wireless off camera flash (with Flash HVL-F56AM, F36AM)

Flash Effective Range

  • Manual popup; Approx. GN 12 (in meters at ISO 100); Coverage of up to 16 mm (in focal length); Approx. 3 sec. recycling time; Flash-ready indicator.

Shutter Speed

  • 30 ~ 1/8000 sec 55 step, Bulb

Exposure

  • Manual Exposure: Yes, w/EV indicator

EV Compensation

  • =+/-3.0 EV, 0.3 EV / 0.5 EV steps selectable

ISO

  • Auto/160/200/400/800/1600/3200/4000/5000/6400

Lens Type

  • Interchangeable A mount

Focus

  • Auto Focus: TTL Phase Detection

Focus-2

  • Multi-point: 11 Area, 11 Line, 5 center twin-cross lines

Focus-3

  • Auto Focus Mode: Yes

Focus-4

  • Wide focus area (Auto, 11 areas), Spot focus area, Local focus area (11 local areas selectable)

Focus-5

  • Visual Focus Confirm: Direct via VF Matte Screen

Exposure-2

  • Manual Exposure: Yes; Aperture/Shutter Priority, Manual

Exposure-3

  • Program Shift: Yes, Command Dial

Battery Type

  • NP-FM500H Lithium-ion rechargeable battery

Battery Capacity

  • 7.2V, CIPA standard: approx. 650 pictures3

Limited Warranty

  • 1 Year Parts & Labor

Supplied Software

  • Image Data Converter SR ver.2.0, Image Data Lightbox SR ver.1.0, Remote Camera Control ver.1.0 (all Windows & Macintosh), Picture Motion Browser Ver.2.1.02 (Windows only).

Operating System Compatibility

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, XP Home and Professional, Vista; Macintosh OS X (v 10.1.3 or later). OS must be installed at the factory.

Original text ©2007 Copyright Bob Atkins

Article created September 2007

Readers' Comments


Add a comment



Richard Harris , September 07, 2007; 05:22 P.M.

http://www.quesabesde.com/noticias/sony-a700-fotos-prueba,1_3619

This gives an idea of the cameras excellent noise performance!

iso 100-6400 SHOWN HERE ^^^

Sean Garrick , September 07, 2007; 05:25 P.M.

Its a shame that Sony didn't keep Minolta's dual dial on top, but that may be due to the challenges of weather/environmental sealing. I'm looking forward to seeing some images at ISO 1600, 3200 and 6400.

Sam Thompson , September 07, 2007; 07:12 P.M.

"landing between the Canon EOS 40D ($1299) and the Nikon D3 ($1799)"

There is an error in the preview. It should read D300 not D3.

Ignacio Feito , September 08, 2007; 10:53 A.M.

No use in repeating yourself Sam. The A700 does land precisely between the 40D and the D300 (The D3 will retail for about $5K)

Ignacio

Bob Atkins , September 08, 2007; 05:01 P.M.

My error, it shouldof course be D300. I'll put that in the queue for corrections.

Mike Kalcevic , September 10, 2007; 10:04 A.M.

It's too bad they didn't use the same battery. I guess that's a small nitpick though. So they added another slot for Memory Stick media, does this mean automatic backups are possible, like some of the high-end canons?

Artur Cansino , September 10, 2007; 06:11 P.M.

'Dynamic Range Optimization'...will this be based on the much talked about and used HDR images and required software that are now appearing....as well as the Image Merge in Photoshop?.

Artur

Gustavo Orensztajn , September 14, 2007; 02:42 P.M.

Isn't the A/D convertion bit a stupid race? Pentax has a 22 or? Why is 14 better than 12? This do make the quality of the image better S/N ratio does.

Carl Wakefield , September 15, 2007; 05:16 P.M.

I heard that the new censor in the Nikon D300 is using the same censor that Sony have used in the A700 can anybody comment on that?

d g , September 15, 2007; 08:37 P.M.

yep... same sensor as the nikon d300 and the d3 the image processing is double layered for better noise control... the number 1 gripe of the a100 after frames per second and pc sync

Andrew Lossing , September 18, 2007; 02:05 A.M.

Different sensors

The A700's sensor is not the same as the D300's... the A700's is a 12.2 MP, while Nikon's is 12.3 MP. Besides, as different manufacturers use different firmware and make all kinds of modifications on the sensors they use, I don't think it's correct to say that the A700 and D300 share the same sensor, even if both are made by Sony. Look at the difference in performance between the A100's sensor and Nikon's D80. Both 10 MP Sony CCDs, but the end result is much different.

And the D3 sensor is full frame. Much different from either the D300 or the A700.

Douglas Ferling , September 26, 2007; 05:46 P.M.

I just bought this camera, and I'd have to say it's the best handling DSLR that I've come across, and the noise is very low. It looks like Sony has a real winner, and I'm thankful that all of my Minolta glass has a home (now it's time to buy Sony 70-200 2.8 SSM!)

Jack Crossfire , September 27, 2007; 02:21 P.M.

This review had no experimental results. It was a reprint of the marketing release.

Suspect this camera is a basic point & shoot with interchangeable lenses. It probably has basic 10 bit A/D conversion.

Sony products tend 2 B very poor value covered with a lot of new words like Exmor, Bionz, Bravia, Durabis. There are still people who like Sony's emphasis on symbolism and style on top of basic technology. Suspect we'll see more of this trend as dollars lose value.

Douglas Ferling , September 27, 2007; 10:34 P.M.

Sony is a legitimate contender

Wow, what an asinine blanket statement about Sony. This camera happens to be incredible. Do not forget that Sony makes nearly every DSLR sensor (aside from Canon's.) People unfortunately relate Sony to $90 mp3 players, rather than to the $100,000+ HD/video cameras that nearly every movie on the big screen is filmed with. They've taken over where Minolta left off, and have put pressure on Nikon and Canon in a little over a year. I'd take the A700 over the 40D in a second. Wait, I already did! I can't wait for A900 next. Bring on the 5D killing full-frame!

Jeff Pittman , September 29, 2007; 05:26 P.M.

I agree with Douglas. The A700 is a terrific camera and Sony will likely surprise a lot of people who think it is targeting only the low end market. They are dedicating a lot of resources to building up the professional and serious amateur line of cameras and lenses. The A700 and coming A900 will give Sony a couple of very competitive DSLRs in the marketplace along with the recent Zeiss lenses, new G lenses and more. Building back up the Minolta A mount franchise.

Clive Schaupmeyer , October 06, 2007; 08:09 P.M.

I'm on side with Jeff and Doug. Jack's comments are nonsense. I was a Minolta guy for nearly 40 years and left my Maxum 7 for the 7D two years ago -- and 38,000 pictures ago. Yesterday, I took delivery of the a700 -- clearly the son of 7D, just better -- and am thrilled with the technology in this serious camera that will raise some eyebrows over at Nikon (Sony sensors) and Canon. Hey, N&C make great gear but Sony will do serious battle with the big two with their entry into high-end SLRs. Will Sony ever be N or C? Probably not, but they are in the business of serious camera making.

The a700 is quiet, noise free to 1600, fast to focus and images are crisp.

Rosita Herrick , October 11, 2007; 11:30 A.M.

I am a proud owner of the A700 (have used Minolta since 1985). the A700 is replacing the D7. I am impressed with the fast and quiet image capture, the incredible detail I get in the picture and the capability to use all my Minolta and Sigma lenses. I definitely agree with Clive, Jeff and Doug. TheA700 is a serious camera and the fact that you don't have to pay Canon/Nikon prices for Image Stabilization lenses is a definite plus.

Conrado Henriquez , October 14, 2007; 12:34 A.M.

Sony A700 Would like to have kept the two dials on top. The single dial Aperture looks flimsy it will probably move out of place when taking the camera out of the bag, the Turn on off switch should be on the right side of the camera,is just faster that way one hand ready and for Pet's sake put an Aperture control on the base of the lens Remember the maxxum 4000. The left hand is under use,other wise I like the improvements

Douglas Ferling , October 15, 2007; 06:30 A.M.

Conrado, you've really got to handle this camera. The top dial has been replaced with a much better interface. There are three, oversized buttons on top that are easily accessible with thumbs (and gloves on.) You can assign the rear control wheel to adjust EV compensation, and those that aren't comfortable with all of the buttons can just use the Quick Navi interface that allows you to access all of the functions on the LCD via joystick. This is bar none the best handling camera I've ever used, and it's built like a brick. The aperture dial is very stiff, and doesn't move accidentally, plus you can lock the control wheels when not in use. I'm afraid the real advantage of this camera over its competitors (SSS aside,) the handling, is gonna be overlooked, because so many of the reviewers use Canikon that they are used to the poor ergonomics :( All of the users I've listened to coming from the 7D aren't going back after handling the A700.

Anthony Peterson , October 16, 2007; 01:54 A.M.

Jack is probably just still pissed off about Nintendo.

I shoot Canon and I am absolutely happy that someone is coming along to knock both Canon and Nikon down a notch. I hope they take over the market.

It's about time you can get a decent camera for a decent price.

Steve Kellar , October 19, 2007; 02:09 P.M.

I've been with Minolta for two decades, film then digital. Passed on the A100 and was seriously thinking about the big change to Nikon or Canon. Just tried out the A700 and it is so much like my beloved 7D, but better! And I don't have to give up my LCD screen for the inferior design of a top-mountd LED screen -- a big deal since I shoot a lot of performance events in dark concert halls. So I give up the "prestige" of the Canon/Nikon nameplate? (Hey, I drive a Saab!) I'll live with that.

George Givens Jr. , October 21, 2007; 03:25 P.M.

Sony Alpha A700

Does the A700 have a sync cord connection?

I have been a Minolta user for many years with the 700si, HtsiPlus, M9, and 7D. I passed on the Sony A100 because I didn't feel the jump from the 6MP of the 7D to 10MP of the A100 warranted the $ and I was waiting to see if Sony was serious about making high end cameras. When the 7D came along I was just about to make the jump to Nikon and I thought about it again right before the A100 but decided to wait to see what Sony's next camera would be. Everything I'm reading here on pnet about the A700 is encouraging. I am now trying to decide if I should go ahead and purchase the A700 or wait for what I am reading will be the A900. Can anyone post anything they have heard about the A900?

I hope you don't mind but it's not often I find several knowledgeable Minolta/KM users in one place so I'd like to ask a question.

I truly loved my Minolta and KM cameras. The only issue I have with the 7D is the difficulty I am experiencing with understanding how to use my 5600HS (D) flash. When I have the 7D in P mode (not full auto P), Fill Flash, ADI or Pre-Flash TTL the 5600 on TTL the flash never seems to want to be the main or primary light source. In fact in using the previously described settings the flash does not give the audible signal that the flash used full power. I have to put the flash in M mode and the camera in M or A mode to get the flash to be the main or primary light source. Using these settings the flash does gives the audible signal that the flash fired full power and I then hear the flash powering back up. I hope I have described the situation well enough so that anyone reading this who is willing to respond might be able to give some insight into what is going and whether this is normal behavior for the 5600 and 7D combination or if there is something wrong the equipment or with me.

Bill Barnard , October 21, 2007; 04:44 P.M.

Enjoyed reading all the comments on the new Minolta A700.

How about coming on over to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/minolta

and keep the rest of the group informed. We are the old MUG Minolta Group from way back.

George Givens Jr. , October 21, 2007; 07:52 P.M.

Hi Bill Barnard, I used to belong to the MUG but there wasn't much going on. I see the interface has been updated. I'll check it out again.

Douglas Ferling , October 22, 2007; 01:56 P.M.

Hey George, I'm not able to answer your question about the 7D and flash, but I've been using my Sigma 500 flash with the A700, and I haven't had any problems. And, yes, the A700 does have a pc synch socket, as well as the built-in wireless flash.

Arno Dienhart , October 22, 2007; 10:47 P.M.

To be honest, this 30-year Minolta photog would have waited for the D300, had he not been invested in Minolta glass already. It looks like the best of the three new cameras, and Nikon lenses are beyond doubt. That said, I had some A-mount glass already, so the a700 was the logical extension--and now that I have it, I'm very happy I stayed. Actually, my eyes are happy too that they don't have to deal with another small LCD display like on my old Minolta 7000 (or Canikon's newest).

Unfortunately, Rosita Herrick's comment on not having to pay for IS is a bit naive, seeing Sony non-IS lens prices significantly above IS lenses from C or N. But who said high end hobbies are cheap! Now that all ten lenses are at home and paid for, I don't care how much they cost. I do care that the camera they go on every time is a pleasure to use.

PS: George, Sorry, I can't help. I don't use flash. I prefer ISO 6400.

Tobias Stærmose , October 23, 2007; 04:42 P.M.

Just tha fact that more than just canon and nikon i comming up i god for us in the end.. lower prices and better cameras:)

Josh Laverty , October 28, 2007; 12:47 P.M.

Hey George, there is also a significant minolta presence at www.dyxum.com Home of the Alpha/dyxum mount

Having handled the a700, witha 300mm 2.8 prime, heh heh. It is defenitely a big step up from the a100. I found it significantly headache free when placed against much of the competition.

Junce Martin , December 20, 2007; 12:12 P.M.

Coming over to the A700 from the 7D was very easy and I do not miss the 2nd dial. In comparison the A700 is faster with more accurate exposure than the KM 5D, 7D, and Sony A100. The added shooting modes and color profiles along with DRO give the photographer may options to express themselves. Image quality may be better once adobe fixes ACR, but the includes raw converter does a acceptable job. Sony A700 video reviews is a good place to pick up some more features. Problems: raw conversions with 3rd party converters. This should be fixed in the future by the 3rd party software programmers.

Itai Danan , December 30, 2007; 11:20 P.M.

FYI there is a detailed review of the A700 at Neocamera, including samples and crops at each ISO. The performance at high-ISO is excellent except at long shutter-speeds. It is still relatively good at long shutter-speeds but images get more softness due to noise-reduction.

Steven Moseley , January 09, 2008; 08:38 A.M.

"Suspect this camera is a basic point & shoot with interchangeable lenses. It probably has basic 10 bit A/D conversion.

Sony products tend 2 B very poor value covered with a lot of new words like Exmor, Bionz, Bravia, Durabis. There are still people who like Sony's emphasis on symbolism and style on top of basic technology"

....ignorance is bliss.....

Jeremiah Andersen , January 31, 2008; 11:07 P.M.

I just bought this camera about three months ago. I have had such a great experience with sony products that I thougt I should try the sony A700. Well, I feel that sony has gone above and beyond the call of duty. Several features that I find myself using more than I thought were the remote control, Image stabilization technology, and the Anti-dust feature. Also, the 5 shots a second comes in real handy for your sporting events. Overall, there are a lot of good things with this camera and very few bad; I would highly recommend this camera!

luciano capitanio , February 27, 2008; 05:52 P.M.

Yes, the on body anti shake system is a definitive plus of Minolta/Sony cameras. But why the Sony 70-200/2,8 without anti shake is much more espensive than Canon or Nikon with this system into?

Nick Strocchia , March 18, 2008; 12:43 P.M.

What are you guys primarily shooting, RAW or JPEG? I've noticed that the RAWs aren't coming out as I would have expected. I'm using CS2 and still getting some "nominal" results, and I don't feel comfortable moving on to another conversion program, thoughts?

Mark Bond , May 18, 2008; 04:43 A.M.

You have to try the Sony 70/200 f2.8 with the Sony A700 to see why the lens is so expensive, and at $2,500 you will not be disappointed, however, Sony has recently dropped the price $700 down to $1,800 on its website sonystyle.com, so now the lens is underpriced in my opinion.


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