Sony SLT-A33

[texascbx]

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.

 

[Conqueror]

Have you had any issues with higher ISOs?

What lenses are you plannig to get/use.

It does look a good bit of kit.

 

[Herman]

Congrats on your new Sony A33. A few questions:
Can you post photos ? Which class SD card you use ?
How's dynamic range and ISO compared to the G1 ?
Is the menu friendly and easy to navigate ?

 

[blue]

I'm interested in this Sony system - none yet available in UK so can't even pick one up to handle. Do you still have your G1 or is this a replacment ?

The weight is my main problem with standard DSLRs, so am wondring how the Sony will be, especially with lenses.

Anyone else here tried the A33, A55 out in comparison to 4/3 rds for weight as well as images ?

 

[Conqueror]

Sony a33 appears in stock on various UK webstores/webshops

 

[Pelao]

I went to the Sony store last night and they had an A33 on display. I am more interested in the A55, but they did not have one available.

The A33 was surprisingly small. The control layout seemed good.

The concern I have is lenses. Sony have some really nice ones, but they are seriously expensive. So I would want to play around with that a bit before investigating further.

 

[texascbx]

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.

<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" width="640" height="480" align="" src="http://www.zenfolio.com/zf/code/slideshow/embedded.swf" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="id=949461315&background=0xf5f5f5&delay=5&transition=2&loop=1&random=0&allowfs=1&allowthumbs=1&showlink=1&allowtitles=0&showtitles=1&autostart=1&allowtopbar=1&allowcontrols=1&transparent=0&loop_music=1&frame=0xcccccc&preloader=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zenfolio.com%2Fzf%2Fcode%2Fslideshow%2F002.swf&preloader_params=color%3D0xffffff"></embed>

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[Herman]

Sensor getting too hot

Thanks Ricky. Does the sensor get too hot at capturing video ? Is that a real issue to worry about ?

 

[Ulfric M Douglas]

Nice writeup Ricky.
What do you think of the kit lens?
Show us a picture of both cams side-by-side with their kit lenses on will you?

I had an alpha-450 with the kit lens alonside our e-600 and G1 for a while and didn't rate that Sony lens at all. The Oly and Lumix seemed to be sharper and 'nicer'.

The alpha-450 is quite big though and partly that's what I didn't like.
One crucial thing I'd like to know is how a range of older Minolta AF lenses work on your 33? - the whole point of us getting the alpha was to use a bag of old lenses and they worked great : especially the Minolta 50mm F1.7

 

[texascbx]

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.

 

[texascbx]

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.

<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" width="580" height="386" align="" src="http://www.zenfolio.com/zf/code/slideshow/embedded.swf" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="id=1003178406&background=0xf5f5f5&delay=5&transition=2&loop=1&random=0&allowfs=1&allowthumbs=1&showlink=1&allowtitles=0&showtitles=1&autostart=1&allowtopbar=1&allowcontrols=1&transparent=0&loop_music=1&frame=0xcccccc&preloader=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zenfolio.com%2Fzf%2Fcode%2Fslideshow%2F002.swf&preloader_params=color%3D0xffffff"></embed>

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[inmyeye]

Thanks Ricky. Very interesting development from Sony I think. I would love to see some high ISO shots from the camera. Here are a couple of links for anyone who is interested in these new Sony cameras. (Aimed more at the A55 tho)

Sony Alpha A55 Preview Report

Sony A55 Review ? A Further Evaluation

 

[texascbx]

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.

 

[texascbx]

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

 

[Ulfric M Douglas]

Thanks Texas, those side-by-side pictures are quite good : although a horrendous way of presenting them.

Meanwhile

.. I would rate the 18-55 kit lens as equal to the Panasonic 14-45 as far as sharpness..

When I tested them on the G1 and alpha-450 I found the achievable sharpness to be higher for the Lumix, even taking into account the 12mp v 14mp files.
I shall test again (and differently) when the camera comes back here next time.
Either : your 18-55 is sharper than mine / the 33 has a 'sharper' sensor than the alpha-450 / my Lumix 14-45 is sharper than yours.
Could be a little bit of all three.

 

[Conqueror]

Thanks for the updates / answers.

Be interested to see the in built HDR feature.

The 3 way shootout id like to see is this

Sony A33 vs Pentax K-x vs Panasonic G1

 

[texascbx]

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.

 

[brnmatsumoto]

A very nice series of write ups. One question, I understand that in video mode the Sony will autofocus only wide open--and so the resultant videos are taken with the lens wide open. Is this an issue--or something not to be concerned about?

Thanks

Brian

 

[texascbx]

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.

 

[Herman]

Thanks Ricky, I wonder will you only use the A33 equiped with the all time 18-250 zoom lens ?