Sony Alpha cameras review

I've never done a camera review nor do I plan to start or compete with those websites that do. I do, however, am gaining experience with the Sony DSLR's given to me by the good people at Sony.

Lots of the reviews I've read on different camera lenses, systems, etc...are never made by professional photojournalist or pros who put their gear through the wringer. I mean there have been times when I've dropped any and all parts of my cameras, gotten them soaked in rain storms, covered in red dirt dust, ocean mist, sand, and general dirt. I've had so much soot on my sensors that I had to bite my teeth and shoot just to get a shot and hope photoshop will take care of the final product. I'm not shooting nature, my kids, dogs, friends, wife, or the house across the street. I am shooting assignments for AP, Conde Nast, Sony, and a multitude of clients. I know how to treat my gear and what I can expect from it and what I expect from myself when I use it.

I am currently shooting a tournament for Sony and they require that the photographers hired use only Sony made equipment. Imagine the faces when the Japanese president of Sony and the son of the founder when photogs arrive with Canon and Nikon flashes popping in their faces. How bad is that for their egos?!?!

This year when I was hired again to shoot for Sony, I received a grand package from Tokyo full of bodies, lenses, flashes, and the likes. I got a Alpha 900 and 700 bodies, a 24-70mm F 2.8 lens, a 70-200mm F2.8, and a 300mm F 2.8. Two HVL-F58AM flashes, batteries, etc... Enough gear and stuff to make a job go well.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The cameras are made well. The glass is Carl Zeiss so its heavy and sharp. The bodies seem to mirror all the other camera systems out there with their button/knob placement, card and battery compartments. Nothing really too different. The 900 and 700 do have a type of imagine stabilization built-in the actual camera and after using the camera it does seem to do its magic. Nice feature.

The odd thing is the camera has its own special setting made for Sony. The problem that I find immediately is you actually have to read the camera instructions to understand how to make the camera work well. For me this is my problem but I don't think I am unique. Most people out there don't want to read instructions and camera companies should understand this. Cameras are so common place that it should be something understood universally. P means program, A (AV) means aperture priority, etc... More on this later.

As far as first impressions, the flash is the best flash I have ever EVER seen before.



The flash has tilts up and down like standard flash head but also left and right. ABSOLUTE BRILLIANT. NO NEED FOR BRACKETS TO SHOOT VERTICAL. What an absolute brilliant idea. You can keep the flash head above the lens no matter where you shoot vertical or horizontal. I real piece of work.

This has to be the best surprise of the day to see this feature.

I have much more to write about as this will be a multi post listing.

More to come