DSLT Alpha owners: What improvements would you make to your camera?

[p4ult212]

We constantly strive to improve our products, so we’d really appreciate your feedback on what changes you would make to your Sony DSLT camera to make it even better.  Whether it’s to do with the design, usability or specific features just let us know what camera you use and what changes you’d make.

[daz501]

I noticed after reading through all of these posts, that nobody has mentioned the noise issue of the A77.  I 'upgraded' to the A77 from an A500 and in all honesty the new technology has been set in reverse gear, my old A500 had far less noise at 1600ISO than my new A77, the photo's are almost unuseable and above that are just a joke.  I am a nature photographer and NEED good low light performance which is what I expected from Sony's new line up of cameras.  PLEASE can the next version update include improvements to the current noise problems and bring it in line with the A99 higher ISO performance.  Its obviously possible you've proved that on the A99.  Nikon managed it with the D3200 using the same or very similar sensor, and the new D600 is on par with the A99... so its obviously not an SLT hardware issue. 

The last update for me was totally useless, I cant afford any of the lenses you've included, and from what Ive heard and read from the people who CAN afford them, no discernable difference is visible at all.  Also, Micro adjust.... useless for zoom lenses as you can fine tune either the long or the short end separately but not the whole zoom range.  So its only useful for a prime lens. 

The burst rate is excellent, but all too soon is grinds to a halt resulting in the camera locking up until the buffer empties.  On an enthusiast camera this is unacceptable, Canon have improved their very old 7d with a massive firmware update, but yet Sony lag behind them on a brand new camera!  Why so few focus points?  It is supposed to go up against the D300S, and 7D but in no way can it match either on focus points or buffer, nikon and canon can fill a card up, the A77 stops dead after less than 30 seconds.  Ive been a long time Sony fan, but after this kick in the teeth f the A77 Im starting to lok elsewhere, you seem to think we all have huge wallets and can just buy an A99!!  It seems to us all (yes all on Flickr and that is thousands in the UK alone) that all you're interested in is getting our money and leaving us hang until we buy the next model.  PLEASE understand that we wont be loyal forever, at some point if you continue to ignore your loyal user base who are just asking for what you managed to do on the A700, you'll lose us all.  We WANT to keep using Sony, and we WANT to show Canon and Nikon fans what they are missing out on, but how can we do that, when they tell US the truth that Sony just don't care! 

I for one am sick of going out with other nature photographers using Nikon and Canon, and they constantly get far superior photo's.  The proof is in the photo, OK the likes of Gustav Kilberg gets to use the latest multi thousand pound lenses and gets incredible photo's, the normal guy in the street cannot afford to buy such lenses.  And even if we did, the D7000 user laughs in our faces by shooting almost noise free at 3200 ISO.  And Pentax users noise free at 6400 ISO.  It is such a let down to have to consider moving systems after so many years of Sony and before that Minolta cameras.  I still have and use my old Minolta lenses, fantastic they are too!  Don't let Minolta down by letting the big two take over the whole scene. 

Firmware V 1.07 should = all points on this page http://www.flickr.com/groups/a77/discuss/72157631773829538/ but mainly noise at higher ISO's

[Justin13]

Sony's priority must be to ensure that any flash sync issues with the A99 are fixed quickly. Untill this happens no one will take the camera seriously. This reflects badly on all the Sony cameras across the range. The market in the UK is domniated by people who believe that you have to have a canon or nikon in order to be a serious photographer. The flash sync issue adds fuel to that fire.

I would also likre to see more research into flash metering to match the "off the film plane"accuracy of 80's film cameras

[abharti]

Camera Model: Alpha 77

Looking for Tethering Support. I know this has been requested a million time in the past, just want to add my voice here in support of Tethering.

last but not least, DLNA support to DSLT cameras. I have SONY LCD that supports DLNA, a HP laptop and Samsung Galaxy NOTE that supports DLNA. Since DLNA is something that was established by SONY and current used in so many electronic products why did SONY did not provide this feature in the DSLT cameras.

Thanks, Amol

[pallario]

hi

I use my slt camera with a telescope

I wold like that the camera have an assisted manual focus like the nex cameras

thank you so much

[daz501]

I use the Sony a77 for nature photography and was pretty pleased with the EVF and speed of use, however since borrowing an old A700 the optical viewfinder makes it FAR better for nature photography. The contrast is far too harsh on the EVF. For isntance I was last photographing nesting Avocets, now with the A700 I could easily see and count all the eggs, however with the A77 I couldn't see ANY eggs!!! It was just a dark nest as far as I was concerned with that camera. During the day, I noticed and managed to photograph far more interesting things than if Id had only my a77. The photo's were also sharper using the A700 and the same lens! The A700 is also better at 400-800 ISO, the A77 at 800 ISO is almost unuseable as the noise just destroys the fine feather details. Also the colour bit depth seems to be far superior on the A700. The A77 also struggled to keep up in burst mode, the A700 snapped away far longer and more consistently than the A77. The A700 focus also seemed to lock on faster and was far more accurate. Im really annoyed in all honesty that an old model can outperform its replacement. It maybe a different story in a studio portrait situation, but for nature, where speed and focus accuracy is essential, the A700 blows the A77 away.

[DesignDef]

Some interesting points Daz. I've had the A77 for a few weeks now and generally am very happy with it's performance. I think you're right, the EVF does have some down-sides, one is the 'video jittering' (my term:) when using a long lens like the 70-300G at the 300 end, it does tend to make you go a bit dizzy which wouldn't happen with an optical finder. Also the contrast level is high with little shown in the shadow areas. I tend to get over this by taking a shot and pressing the 'review' button to see what I've got. In fact I rarely use the screen at all, there aren't many cameras that you can manage totally through the viewfinder, a real boon if you wear glasses as I do.

In terms of upgrade, naturally I'm looking at A99 but also considering A900 (Sony marketing shreeks in horror!) Maybe in order to grab the upper end of the market, Sony need to offer a viewfinder option on the next flagship? Think I'll be going for a A99 still, see this comparison is interesting:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/sony-a99/sony-a99IMAGE.HTM

[DesignDef]

Improvements to A77 (A99) please:)

I ditched my Nikon D7000 and lenses for Sony A77, sadly, implementing some of these items would only bring the A77 up to the D7000 level! But here goes...:)

1. Embed and make viewable the camera Serial Number in EXIF data. Sony are the only(?) company that hide this. It is used for tracking stolen cameras and so needs to be available.

2. Embed and make viewable the Shutter Count in EXIF data. When I go to sell my high end Nikon on Ebay, shutter count is what sets the price. When I want to upgrade my Sony, how can buyers judge how much it's worth?

3. Allow me to add my copyright and creator details into the EXIF data.

4. Allow me to change the file names from DSC.... to whatever I want.

5. Allow me to chose the size of the metering circle in Center Weighted metering.

6. Allow me to chose the JPEG compression in JPEG + RAW mode.

7. Make less movement between body and lens please.

8. Become the first manufacturer (?) to use GPS / Wi-fi to push location info of camera to a website for tracking lost or stolen cameras. (Why has no-one taken this on board?)

9. Stop the flash popping up when I take a picture in Landscape Scene mode (that's just weird isn't it?)

10. Consider trashing IDC and linking up with another provider who can offer a better RAW converter, maybe give a basic version with the camera and offer a paid-for upgrade option? (you do want to show a profit this year don't you:)

That's all for now, thanks Paul.

Message was edited by: DesignDef

11. Optically upgrade the Standard (not CZ or G) lens rage. Surely there are some improvements that can be made for digital since 2006?

[fotowolf61]

Good morning!

If this thread is still alive and watched by Sony staff, I had following recomendations to the next firmware upgrades of SLT-A77 and SLT-A99. I need to mention that all the features I mention here are already realized in different models.

A77

1) Feature: Auto-ISO mode in M-exporsure mode (same as in A99)

2) Feature: A viewfinde mode (switchable) for owners who wear glasses. (same as in A57)

3) Feature: Turn off noise-reduction in menu (same as A99)

4) Feature: MF assist and MF assist time support in DMF mode (same as in NEX or RX100)

5) Feature: better jepeg engine or better tuned parameters for existing engine with less artefacts (same as in A57 or A99)

6) Bug: Fix remote flash delay timing bug

7) Feature: AF-range mode (same as A99)

A99

1) Feature: A viewfinde mode (switchable) for owners who wear glasses. (same as in A57)

2) Feature: MF assist and MF assist time support in DMF mode (same as in NEX or RX100)

3) Bug: Fix remote flash delay timing bug

4) Feature/Bug: AF-D support for extended for telelenses using SAL14TC and SAL20TC

5) Bug: Fix flash over exposure bug

6) Bug: Fix AWB bug (AWB on A77 and A99 deliver differnet values)

I hope that helps and many of the mentioned issues find its way into the next firmware update proposed for August 2013.

Regards, Wolfram

[mikeyp2000]

Wolfram - I'm interested in the "VF mode for people with glasses".   I don't own the a57 so I don't know that is.  Could you describe it?  (I have an a99 and wear glasses)

Also, a99 does not have a WB bug.   IMHO, it has the best AWB of all the cameras I have ever owned!  I would rather see the a77 AWB changed to match the a99 😉

Also, a99 flash exposure seems very good and consistent.  Again, it's the a77 that has a problem.

[silawre]

Hi mike,

+1 on the AWB it is a marked improvement over all the cameras before the A99. I've owned the A230, a290, a450, a580, a850 and a77 and the a99 is by far the best DSLR / SLT they have produced.

Si