Sony SLT-A33

I bought one of these new cams the other day. With kit lens it was $750, not bad. Compared to the G1, the EVF is just slightly better. Maybe the refresh rate is higher, not sure. The burst rate is 6fps and it will do it again after about two or three seconds. The biggest difference is the c sensor. There is just no comparison between it and the G1 in high ISO shots. It's like bringing a machine gun to a knife fight.

Size of the cam is about the same as the G1. The battery is tiny so I figure it can't last long. The EVF extends from the back further so I don't smash my nose against the LCD like with the G1. I like the G1's LCD swivel better on the side than the Sony's bottom swivel.

The focus on this Sony is lightning fast though. At least as far as a comparison to the G1.

 

High ISO is where this camera beats the G1 hands down. It can take 1600 ISO images that are just great. Weight is about the same. The grip is even tighter than the G1 but nothing I can't get used to. Menu is completely different so I'm still learning it. The menu is really easier than the G1, it's just that I had a FZ50 and then the G1 and they are very similar so I'm used to the Panasonic menu. I only have the kit 18-55 lens but ordered a Tamron 18-250 for it. Apparently Tamron discontinued this lens so I had to order it from overseas as most places don't stock the 18-250 Tamron. Video is great.

I just ran these through Lightzone to make them smaller, but they are out of the camera straight.

Code:

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I have not shot any video over ten minutes so I can't rate the overheating. The overheating is related to the sensor shift stabilization so if the stabilization is off, it will shoot for thirty minutes. The GH1 does not overheat because the stabilization is in the lens.

You can hear the lens focus during video as it tries to focus. I would rate the 18-55 kit lens as equal to the Panasonic 14-45 as far as sharpness. Focus accuracy is better than the 14-45, but that is probably due to the contrast detect focus rather than contrast detect focus on the Panny.

I really have had a bad attitude about Sony products and all the proprietary stuff the push off on consumers with their memory sticks and the like, but this cam takes SD cards. I have a 8Gb Sony SD class 4 card in it. I'll post a side by side image of the two cams later.

 

These were taken with my DROID X so they are not too good.

The pics are misleading as the cams are not that different in size. The lens is what makes the Sony look so big. The Sony is actually very compact. and with the APS-C sensor, has a 1.6 crop factor compared to the Panny's 2.0 factor. So the 18-250 I ordered for the Sony will have the same reach as the Panny's 200mm lens. I found a 18-250 Tamron for 310 bucks new. Tamron quit making them and they are hard to find unless you buy the rebadged Sony version for around 550. Apparently Sony owns a percentage of Tamron. I understand any Minolta lens back into the eighties will fit the Sony and many will still auto focus.

I'm probably going to keep the G1 and two lenses since I'm a digital packrat and like the G1's looks and Japanese build quality. The Sony cam and lens are both made in Thailand, but they are similar in build quality to the Panny.

Code:

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I'll post some later. If you leave it on auto, it is not shy about hitting 1600 ISO if you shoot in any place it considers less than perfect light.

 

Sweep panorama

The cam has a very interesting feature that works well I guess. It stitched these multiple shots into one shot automatically while discarding the shots it used to make it. Going from light to dark messed it up, but still it stitched them pretty good. It even tells you if it was unsuccessful and discards bad panorama stitches. This image is straight out of the cam and is 5.5Mb.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Here is the original file. It's dimensions are 8192 x 1856.

http://speedbump1.zenfolio.com/img/s6/v5/p797341662.jpg

 

I've never thought my 14-45 was all that sharp. Even manual focus. May be my cam or lens. I was always impressed with the 45-200 lens though.

Sorry about the slideshow. Some incompatibility with Zenfolio and some forum software and I can put it in a code box and it works and it's much easier to just post a slideshow.

I have tried the HDR mode and it just does not work worth a hoot hand held. I imagine it can work well with a tripod. The low light mode, which is similar, is the same. Needs tripod or it comes out blurry.

Another thing that I don't like about the Sony is the distance between the grip and lens is tighter than the Panny. If you have big fingers, you will not like the Sony because they just made it too tight right where your fingers go.

And if you get the cam with the kit lens, they don't provide you with a lens hood. That's just not right. Sony will sell you one for about 18 bucks. I ordered a clone off of ebay.

 

Not sure about that question since I've only taken a couple of videos just to see if it works. I'll be doing more video when I get the 18-250 lens.