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9/08/2014

SONY ALPHA 6000 Review - what do you get if you cross the A7R with the NeX-6?

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With the launch of the Alpha 6000, Sony has introduced what amounts to an APS-C version of the full-frame Alpha 7. At the same time, two old NEX lines, the NEX-7 and the NEX-6, have been discontinued. Sony expects the NEX-7 owner to upgrade to the A7 range, while the A6000 is designed to meet the needs of the NEX-6 owner, sitting at the top of the company’s APS-C enthusiast line.

Small and sleek, the A6000 has a similar look and feel to the A7. It features a newly designed 24.3-million-pixel APS-C CMOS sensor. It competes pretty closely with the likes of the Fujifilm X-E2, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 and the Panasonic Lumix G6.

features
Along with the new sensor, the A6000 is equipped with the Bionz X, Sony’s latest processor, which is also found in the newest full-frames like the A7, the A7R and the A7S. Sony claims that the Bionz X is three times faster than the previous generation. The image sensor has 179 phase-detection autofocus points. There are also 25 contrast-detection AF points for the hybrid autofocussing system. At the time of launch, Sony claimed that the camera had the fastest AF in the world among cameras with an APS-C sized sensor.

On the back of the A6000 is a tiltable LCD screen, which is joined by an electronic viewfinder: the same 0.39-inch, 1.4-million dot device found on the RX10 premium bridge camera. Reflecting the broader trend, the A6000 comes complete with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC. Like several other Sony cameras, it is customisable with apps downloadable from Sony’s cloud-based photo storage service PlayMemories.

As its standard kit lens choice, the A6000 comes with a 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 power zoom – the same lens that is packaged with the A5000. You can also buy it body only, giving yourself the freedom to choose from the large range of different E-mount lenses now available. Perhaps the perfect all-round lens for this camera is the Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 optic, but that comes with a £799 price tag – quite a bit more than the camera itself.

Building And Handling
Those who appreciate lots of dials and buttons will enjoy the A6000. It has plenty of controls available, and, like other Sony cameras, pretty much all of them are customisable to help you adjust the camera to suit the way you take photos.



The grip of the A6000 is ever so slightly more pronounced than on the NEX-6, making it easier to hold. There’s also a nice texture covering the camera. On top of the camera are two dials: one for controlling the shooting mode (such as automatic, semi-automatic or manual), and another for altering the shutter speed or aperture, depending on the mode you’re shooting in.

Setting the autofocus point on this camera is a task that would be speedier with a touchscreen, but it’s not too bad if you set the right custom buttons. To make things quicker, set Focus Area to Flexible Spot. From here, you simply need to press the button in the centre of the scrolling dial on the back of the camera to bring up the focus point selection option. You can then use the directional keys to move around the screen. It’s worth noting that this is the default option for the central button when Flexible Spot is selected: if you’ve got it set to anything else, it won’t work in the same way.

Although it’s not a touchscreen, the screen tilts, which is useful for shooting from some awkward angles, or for shielding the screen from glare. The viewfinder is bright and clear, and doesn’t seem to suffer from any noticeable lag. Setting up Wi-Fi is quick and easy, and makes the A6000 convenient for quickly sharing photos to your smartphone or tablet.

“Those who appreciate dials and buttons will enjoy the A6000. It has plenty of controls available”

Performance
Sony is producing some of the most interesting compact system cameras currently on the market and, pleasingly, the A6000 is another great performer to add to the line-up. Its images are great, with beautifully saturated colours. You can experiment with how JPEGs look straight from the camera by adjusting Creative Styles – a number of which are available as pre-stored settings. Detail is rendered very well b
y the A6000. Generally, image smoothing only starts to become problematic for normal printing sizes in shots taken at around ISO 3,200 upwards. Examining images at 100% from around ISO 1,600 upwards, you will find areas of the image that have a painterly effect, but the overall effect is good.



“Sony has come within touching distance of creating the perfect compact system camera”

The camera’s metering system does a good job with exposure, although it sometimes struggles in high-contrast situations, when you’ll need to dial in some exposure compensation. Similarly, the automatic white balance system is a good performer, although it can be slightly confused by some artificial light sources.

In good light, autofocussing speeds are very quick, dropping as the light levels drop, but only struggling to lock on at all in very dark conditions. The 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens is a good all-rounder to get started with, but this is the kind of camera you’ll want to buy additional lenses for. Luckily there are some great ones for the E-mount.

Battery life is better than in the A7, probably due to the smaller sensor, but it’s still worth buying a spare battery if you travel.

Overall
Sony has come within touching distance of creating the perfect CSC. Fantastic image quality and customisable buttons are great to have, but a couple of niggles keep it from greatness.

9/02/2014

Inexpensive Digital Cameras Available For Purchase

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Inexpensive Digital Cameras Available For Purchase


Cheap digital cameras for sale : Here my 5 wish list.

Sony Alpha 3000

The Alpha 3000 has a foot in both the DSLR and CSC camps, with DSLR-esque design yet the inner workings of a CSC.

Verdict

The A3000 seems to be a niche camera without a niche to fit into. It's bettered by most of its entry level CSC rivals, but it must be noted that it's simple and easy to use and produces good results as long as you're not in a rush. It could be popular with those who want more to wrap their hand around, but we'd settle for the smaller NEX-3N instead.

Sony Alpha 3000 Best for : shooting high contrast conditions via the EVF, Those who'd like a battery percentage level gauge, people who'd prefer DSLR styling form a CSC.

Pros
APS-C sized sensor
Nex-style controls
lightweight
Profiled hand-grip
Battery percentage level Gauge

Cons
Build quality
Slow focusing
Screen resolution
Slow start up time
Flexes when squeezed


Pentax Q7

Available in 120 colour combinations, does the Q7 manage to improve on its predecessor, the Q10?


Verdict

The Q7 is a capable camera with a good range of features, great build quality, performance and handling, and image quality that compares well to most high end compacts. While some may look at it as a novelty act, the best camera is the camera you have with you. The Q7 certainly ticks the box but it's dominated by larger, more capable rivals.

Pentax Q7 Best for :travelling when you'd like a camera to fit in a pocket. The option to shoot in the versatile Raw format, Capturing faithful colour and exposure.

Pros
Portability
Handling
Features
Build quality
Small lenses
Supports K-mount adapter

Cons
Limited system
Pricey for what could be argued is somewhat of a novelty camera
Noise above ISO 3200




Panasonic Lumix GF6

Does the GF6 deliver enough features to make an impact in the crowded CSC market?


Verdict

By any standards, the GF6 is a great camera. The excellent build quality, superb finish and impressive image quality all add up to make it a system camera that represents superb value for money. Above all, it's a genuinely nice camera to use and would be a perfect choice for those looking to attain better image quality than a point and shoot compact.

Panasonic Lumix GF6 Best for : Those looking for an affordable step up from a compact. An excellent choice of lenses. Responsive touch-screen interface

Pros
Tilting monitor
Versatile controls
Image quality
Noise controls
Auto white balance system can't be faulted

Cons
Over sharpening of JPEG files
Small touch buttons
Lack of viewfinder or accessory compatibility



Nikon 1J3

Nikon describes its J3 as elegantly minimalist yet full loaded, but is this partnership a winning one?

Verdict

The J3 comes with the sort of features you'd expect to find on a CSC when upgrading on a compact camera, and for the most part it's both fun and convenient to use. The small sensor does present a couple of image quality issues, but it should suffice for family photos and those destined for little more than social networking sites.

Nikon 1 J3 Is Best For : New and inexperienced users seeking improved image quality over a compact, People wanting a simple level of control with auto shooting modes.

Pros
Lightweight and simple design
Inclusion of built in flash
Super fast burst rates
Fun auto modes for new users

Cons
Image quality issues from comparatively small sensor
Small selection of nikkor 1 lenses at present
No grip




Fujifilm X-M1

The X-M1 is one of Fujifilm's smallest and lighters CSCs and is designed to target a wider audience than previous models


Verdict

The X-M1 excels in three key areas over its closes rivals, these being style, feel and results. The beautiful image quality the X-M1's X-trans CMOS sensor delivers is a premium worth paying for, but unlike rival models it does lack a touch-screen and viewfinder. It's also a tad pricey for the features it offers when compared with designs from its competitors.

Fujifilm X-M1 Is Best for : Auto shooting modes will appeal to those upgrading from a point and shoot. Impressive resolution of detail. Macro photography

Pros
Excellent results from the X-trans sensor
Styling
Build Quality
Consistent metering system
Auto shooting modes

Cons
No touch-screen
Prices
Lack of connection for an optional viewfinder
No panoramic mode
Range of optics




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Reviewed By Amateur Photography

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9/01/2014

Sony’s Alpha 77 II Review | best | lowest | body best | lenses | Prices

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A fter the announcement of the full-frame E-mount Sony A7, A7R and A7S compact system cameras and the demise of the NEX brand, you could be forgiven for thinking that Sony might not continue with its A-mount SLT (single lens translucent) cameras. However, the arrival of the Sony Alpha 77 II indicates that this isn’t the case.

As you might guess, the Alpha 77 II replaces the Alpha 77, which is now discontinued, and it has an almost identical shape and design. As before, the new camera is aimed at enthusiast photographers who want a step up from an entry-level model. It sits under the full-frame Alpha 99 in Sony’s SLT line-up.

FEATURES
Like the Alpha 77, the A77 II has a 24-million-pixel sensor, but this is a new device that benefits from the progress that has been made with sensor design in the two-and-half years since the A77 first arrived. Also, for the first time in an A-mount camera, the sensor signal is processed by a Bionz X engine. This has given Sony the confidence to allow sensitivity to be set in the native range ISO 100-25,600 for still images, with a low expansion setting of ISO 50 also available.

One of the benefits of the SLT design is that there can be full-time phase-detection autofocus during movie shooting and when composing images on the rear screen. Sony has used a newly developed phase-detection sensor with 79 AF points (15 of which are the more sensitive cross-type) in the Alpha 77 II. Sensor development means that the A77 II’s CCD AF sensor produces less electronic noise than previous devices and this helps with autofocusing speed and accuracy, as well as boosting low-light performance.

Spot AF performance is also claimed to have been improved, with weighting given to the centre of the spot. There’s a collection of AF-point selection options including Wide, Zone, Flexible Spot, Local, Expanded Flexible Spot and Lock-on AF. In Expanded Flexible Spot mode, you select one AF point and the camera supports this with the surrounding eight points, which is useful when shooting a moving subject.

It’s also possible to adjust the AF tracking duration across five levels via the menu. The low settings are useful when the subject distance isn’t expected to change quickly, while high levels suit shooting subjects at different distances. In addition, a new AF Range Control option allows you to restrict the AF to working within a specific distance range – useful when there are objects between the camera and the subject.

According to Sony, almost all of its A-mount lenses are compatible with the 79 AF points, although only 61 are available when you’re shooting at 12fps. Sony’s 500mm f/8 lens is a notable, but not surprising, exception: it will allow only the centre AF point to be used.

As suggested above, the A77 II can shoot a maximum rate of 12 frames per second with AF tracking, and the buffer has capacity to allow up to 25 raw and JPEG images to be captured in a single burst, but aperture is locked at the start of the sequence.

Other pleasing additions to the A77 II’s featureset include an HDMI port, which can supply clean video output to external storage devices, and Wi-Fi connectivity. As the A77 II has an NFC chip, owners of NFC-enabled smartphones and tablets can connect to the camera by touching the two devices together. Interestingly, despite the presence of Wi-Fi connectivity, the A77 II cannot make use of Sony’s PlayMemories Camera apps.

BUILD AND HANDLING
Sony has given the Alpha 77 II the same tough feel, overall shape and control layout as the A77, and the vertical grip that was produced for the original model can be used with the new camera. There are a few differences, however: there are 27 features that can be assigned to one of the 12 slots in the Function menu, for example. It’s also possible to customise the function of many of the buttons, but the default settings work well.

If you like using Picture Effects (Toy Camera, Pop Color, Posterization, Retro Photo, Soft High-key, Partial Color, High Contrast Mono, Soft Focus, HDR Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome, Miniature, Watercolor and Illustration are provided), it’s worth assigning this and image quality to the Function menu so that you can quickly turn off raw recording “Almost all of Sony’s A-mount lenses are compatible with the A77 II’s 79 AF points” Zooming in on the… sony Alpha 77 II Sony’s made important changes from the A77 The hotshoe has changed from the Sony (Minolta) proprietary shape to the more common universal style. It also has contacts for a wide range of accessories.

The vari-angle mechanism on the rear LCD screen seems a little over-complicated. As SLTs have a fixed translucent mirror, the A77 II has an electronic rather than optical viewfinder. The mode dial has been updated with a lock button to prevent it from being knocked out of position. Strangely, Sony has continued with having the 12fps shooting option located on the mode dial. FOr TEST IMAgES AnD rESOlUTIOn CHArTS, vISIT WWW.teCh rADAr.COM/ CAMerAs Canon eOs70D Price £849 / $1,099 This 20.2MP SLR has a responsive vari-angle touchscreen, and captures great images. reviewed:Issue 144 Meet the rivals… There’s a choice of SLRs and CSCs at this price point Fujifilm X-t1 Price £988 / $1,299 This SLR-style CSC has an excellent electronic viewfinder and traditional exposure controls. and access the effects. As with other Sony cameras, the Creative Style options (Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night, Autumn, Black & White and Sepia), which give JPEG images a particular appearance, can be used when shooting raw images simultaneously.

While the three-inch 1,229k-dot vari-angle screen is useful for composing images from awkward angles, the articulating hinge seems unnecessarily complicated, and it takes a while to get used to its quirks and limitations. The hinges on cameras such as the Canon 70D and Nikon D5300 are much more straightforward.

As on the Sony A7 and 7R, the 2.3-million-dot electronic viewfinder (EVF) is bright and clear, with plenty of detail visible. As usual with an EVF, this brings the benefit of seeing the image as it will be captured. However, when the brightness is set to Automatic rather than manual, the extra gain applied in dark conditions can mean that the viewfinder image looks significantly brighter than the final image, so it’s best to set the brightness to Manual.

PERFORMANCE
Even at the highest selectable sensitivity setting of ISO 25,600, noise is controlled well in raw files, having a fine texture with no banding or clumping visible at 100% on-screen. With careful processing, it’s possible to conceal most of the coloured speckling in raw files and produce an image with just luminance noise giving some grain. Simultaneously captured JPEG files look softer than their raw counterparts, and close examination reveals a painterly texture with slightly sharpened edges. They generally look acceptable viewed at A3 size, but we prefer the slightly sharper, grainer look of the raw files. As you’d hope with a 24MP sensor, the A77 II is capable of recording a high level of detail at the lower sensitivity setting.

While the A77 II’s AF system struggled a little more than the Canon 5D Mark III in the low, flat light of an unlit music gig, there were no such problems with a fast-moving subject in good light. It was positive, fast and accurate. In continuous AF mode with AF selection set to Expanded Flexible Spot, it got rowers sharp in a flash and was able to keep them sharp by using the surrounding points when panning. When AF selection was set to Lock-on AF: Flexible Spot or Lock-on AF: Expanded Flexible Spot, it also tracked them around the frame if the original AF point wasn’t kept in the correct location.

As usual, AF performance varies according to the lens that’s mounted, and a good optic is required to get the best from the Alpha 77 II. It performs very well with the 70-200mm f/2.8, for example, but is a little more hesitant in low light with the 85mm f/2.8 – which also has a much noisier focus mechanism.

We used the Multi-segment metering system almost exclusively during this test. Although we shot in a wide range of conditions, there were only a few when a little exposure compensation was required. The system isn’t easily thrown by large bright or dark areas within the scene. Colours are also good straight from the camera, and the white balance system general does a good job when set to the Automatic setting.

VERDICT
While the changes made to the Alpha 77 II may not seem dramatic, Sony has worked on the most important aspects – the sensor and processor – to boost speed and image quality, as well as the autofocus performance. Many will recognise that it’s sensible to stick with the same pixel count as with the Alpha 77: 24 million pixels capture enough detail for most purposes and allow big prints to be made. The files are large without being unmanageable by the average modern computer.

The AF system improvements and the A77 II’s ability to control noise at high sensitivity levels, combined with the general high quality of the images, makes it a versatile camera that will be attractive to enthusiast photographers who want to shoot a wide range of subjects in a variety of conditions.

OVERALL

We sAY: The A77 II’s image quality is excellent, even at high sensitivity settings, and the autofocus system is fast and accurate. It’s a great choice for enthusiasts who want versatility from their camera.