Photo sharing: Sony Alpha

[zackiedawg]

Nice pictures zackiedawg - thanks for sharing! One question about your 18-250. Have you gotten much, if any, vignetting with it? I've read a a couple of comments from people that mention getting it when they use the lens wide open and that may be what's happening with mine. It's subtle enough that I have only noticed it when I've been shooting with sky as the background.

Not really any problems with vignetting - I have seen very faint traces of it at full wide if shooting nothing but blue sky - and even then, it's not really noticeable unless I process the photo, or attempt to clone something out and realize that the sky color is a grade or two different in the far corners.

The first shot I posted, at AK of the view down the river, was shot at full wide with alot of sky - no real vignetting to speak of there...and the shot of the train station at the front of MK is also full wide with all sky at the top...I don't find any vignetting to speak of.

Do you use any filter with your lens? I suppose some filters might create some minor vignetting...but compared to other cameras or lenses I've had, the 18-250 is surprisingly free from vignetting. And I've only experienced low purple fringing in extreme contrast situations, much less than in previous cameras and only in a small handful of photos with bad backlighting. It's a very solid all-round lens.

Otherwise I find it very sharp and like the colors it produces a lot. Unless I'm shooting in low light it's the lens I have on my camera that most! It provides such a great range and is so nice IMO.

Agreed. The lens grew on me. When I bought my camera, I was using the Tamron 200-500 lens alot for wildlife shooting, and hadn't really given the 18-250 a workout. The Tamron was so sharp and colors so excellent, that I didn't appreciate the flexibility of the 18-250. But once I started using it for longer sessions or trips, and got such good, sharp results and used it in far more situations than I ever thought I could (like indoor low light situations)...plus the fact that I can grab wide shots of building or ride facades one moment, then telephoto out to the gorilla's face the next, all in one compact lens...makes it a wonderful all-purpose choice when you can bring only one lens with you.

 

[sherry7]

Hi!

Will fps make any difference to you? Along with the megapixel difference the A300 shoots at 3 fps and the A350 at a slightly slower 2.5 fps which may be what you referred to in mentioning the slower performance of the A350. For me that would influence my decision as I like to do some action shots and being able to get more pictures quickly is important.

Also, you might look at B&H Photo. They have the same deal as the Best Buy option #3 but depending on where you live you may be able to avoid the tax. There would be shipping though. They also have the same A300packages as the ones from Amazon.

Between your 3 options I'd probably select #2 but with the Tamron lens and then take the $90 and pick up a used Minolta 50mm 1.7 for around $100 on ebay or somewhere that sells used equipment. Then you'd have a nice fast prime lens as well!

the live view feature is nice if needed, but keep in mind that to get the sharpest pictures it's best to use the viewfinder,

It is much esier to eliminate camera movement using the viewfinder, than it is using live view..

Thanks for the opinions, Kat4disney and Mickey88. I finally bit the bullet, and ordered the A300 (with just the 18-70mm kit lens) from Amazon for $599. I paid a few bucks extra for 2 day shipping, so I'll have it Thursday...in time to play around with it for the weekend.

I want a decent zoom lens, but I'm still undecided on which to get. I'm coming from a Canon S2 (with 12x optical zoom), so I've been somewhat spoiled by a big zoom. I understand that to get a comparable amount of zoom, I'm going to need a 300mm lens, right?

I'm considering the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD lens, $172 at Amazon. See here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000EXT5AY/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

Does anyone have any opinions on this particular lens? Or, any different recommendations? I'm still very uneducated about lenses. Would this be a good "walk around" lens, or should I consider something else? Like I said, I really, really want the extra zoom power though.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Not really any problems with vignetting - I have seen very faint traces of it at full wide if shooting nothing but blue sky - and even then, it's not really noticeable unless I process the photo, or attempt to clone something out and realize that the sky color is a grade or two different in the far corners.

The first shot I posted, at AK of the view down the river, was shot at full wide with alot of sky - no real vignetting to speak of there...and the shot of the train station at the front of MK is also full wide with all sky at the top...I don't find any vignetting to speak of.

Do you use any filter with your lens? I suppose some filters might create some minor vignetting...but compared to other cameras or lenses I've had, the 18-250 is surprisingly free from vignetting. And I've only experienced low purple fringing in extreme contrast situations, much less than in previous cameras and only in a small handful of photos with bad backlighting. It's a very solid all-round lens.

It's only jumped out at me on 3 photos - all sky shots. After asking the question I finally decided to do a couple of quick tests and it does only happen when I'm shooting wide open and disappears after stopping down 1-2 aperatures. I don't have a filter on so it's just the lens. Here's two examples...

Considering all the pluses of this lens it doesn't bother me- it just surprised me a bit b/c it happens at 18mm or 250mm and I thought I'd see if you had experienced it.

I had originally purchased the 18-200mm when I bought my camera and it was nice but it wasn't spending as much time on my camera so I returned it after finding this 18-250mm. I'd recommend it without hesitation and now that I've finally figured out the vignetting that does occur on my copy I'll know what to expect.

 

[zackiedawg]

I'll have to test it wide open at 18mm - that's probably part of the factor why it's never bothered me. When shooting in good daylight, I'm rarely at a very wide aperture, so it probably hasn't popped up on me for that reason.

I'm certainly willing to accept some vignetting - I'd actually expect some flaws at one end or the other of this lens...it's just hard to believe any SLR lens can cover such a huge zoom range without suffering some issue!

Having shot with a superzoom P&S for years, I loved having that massive range from normal/wide to supertele...I just didn't expect to be able to come respectably close with a single lens on a DSLR. The 18-250 is quite a piece and a bargain considering how versatile it is. It's probably on my camera 70% of the time.

When I get a chance to shoot a few wide aperture 18 and 250 shots, I'll let you know if I see any vignetting.

 

[MICKEY88]

It's only jumped out at me on 3 photos - all sky shots. After asking the question I finally decided to do a couple of quick tests and it does only happen when I'm shooting wide open and disappears after stopping down 1-2 aperatures. I don't have a filter on so it's just the lens. Here's two examples...

Considering all the pluses of this lens it doesn't bother me- it just surprised me a bit b/c it happens at 18mm or 250mm and I thought I'd see if you had experienced it.

I had originally purchased the 18-200mm when I bought my camera and it was nice but it wasn't spending as much time on my camera so I returned it after finding this 18-250mm. I'd recommend it without hesitation and now that I've finally figured out the vignetting that does occur on my copy I'll know what to expect.

have you tried a test shot withut a lens hood, to see if it's the hood causing it

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

have you tried a test shot withut a lens hood, to see if it's the hood causing it

Both of these shots were without hood or filter. But that makes me think that I ought to try a couple of tests with the hood and see if that adds anything more.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

When I get a chance to shoot a few wide aperture 18 and 250 shots, I'll let you know if I see any vignetting.

I'll be interested to hear what you find out. Both of these shots were taken at the same venue, but different events that started early in the evening so I was pushing the lens to use the lowest ISO's possible. Not exactly the typical situation I'd use the lens for, but it was very convenient for being seated higher up in the stands and just having one compact lens along.

 

[Code]

Lens hoods don't contribute to vignetting unless they are the wrong size and physically blocking the image.

Also, pretty much all superzooms have increased vignetting wide open at both ends of the zoom range. Easy enough to correct in post

 

[MICKEY88]

Lens hoods don't contribute to vignetting unless they are the wrong size and physically blocking the image.

true..some have petal shaped hoods with 2 petals being smaller , and can actually be put on wrong, that's why I asked..

 

[zackiedawg]

true..some have petal shaped hoods with 2 petals being smaller , and can actually be put on wrong, that's why I asked..

The lens hood for the 18-250 is pedal shaped, as you mentioned.

I keep mine on all the time, and it hasn't contributed any vignetting.

 

[MICKEY88]

 

[oogieboogieman]

Just playing with some photos taken with the old A100 from our August trip. I love the colors!!!

 

[sherry7]

Hello all,

I bought a Sony A300 a couple of weeks ago. However, I'm not sure if there is a problem with the camera or not. The LiveView is VERY blurry. It's considerably blurry in normal light, and nearly impossible to see in low light. Now, I realize the LiveView is still a developing technology, but is it supposed to be THAT bad? I'm trying to figure out whether or not it's normal, or I got a defective camera.

Thanks for your advice!

Forgot to mention: I am letting the auto-focus engage (pushing the shutter button half way).

 

[zackiedawg]

Doesn't sound normal at all! I've had no such issues with my A300. It can be harder to see sometimes in very bright sunlight - but that's more of a reflection issue and brightness issue, as opposed to blurriness - the image when focused is still sharp and crisp.

In order to check if it's the camera focusing improperly, or the live view display having a problem, try holding the camera still on a tripod or laying flat on a surface - then switch from the optical viewfinder to the live view while focusing on the exact same spot, with all the camera modes the same. If they are both blurry, then it would seem to be a focus or lens issue...if the live view is blurry but the optical viewfinder is crisp, then you may have a live view focus or live view sensor problem or display problem.

I also frequent Sony camera message boards, and this is not a problem I've heard anything about with the A300 or A350 - so if you do have a problem...at least you know it's not a common one and hopefully you can get it replaced or fixed...it shouldn't be a problem you're likely to encounter again, just a one-time bad-luck issue. Best of luck.

 

[sherry7]

Doesn't sound normal at all! I've had no such issues with my A300. It can be harder to see sometimes in very bright sunlight - but that's more of a reflection issue and brightness issue, as opposed to blurriness - the image when focused is still sharp and crisp.

In order to check if it's the camera focusing improperly, or the live view display having a problem, try holding the camera still on a tripod or laying flat on a surface - then switch from the optical viewfinder to the live view while focusing on the exact same spot, with all the camera modes the same. If they are both blurry, then it would seem to be a focus or lens issue...if the live view is blurry but the optical viewfinder is crisp, then you may have a live view focus or live view sensor problem or display problem.

I also frequent Sony camera message boards, and this is not a problem I've heard anything about with the A300 or A350 - so if you do have a problem...at least you know it's not a common one and hopefully you can get it replaced or fixed...it shouldn't be a problem you're likely to encounter again, just a one-time bad-luck issue. Best of luck.

Thanks for the reply. I have done that test, and only the LiveView is blurry, not the optical viewfinder. I'm still within my return period at Amazon, so I'm going to do go ahead and return it, and buy another.

Honestly, I'm rather glad to know that it's a defect. For awhile, I honestly thought the LiveView was just a lousy feature.

 

[oogieboogieman]

It was really hard finding this thread, so I will add some photos to bump it up... Taken w/ Alpha 100 and 70-210

Look at the size of the hawk's talons.

 

[eleventhletter]

I'm a little late in posting. I had just picked up the A300 a couple weeks before our trip in August so most of my pics were just on automatic but thought I'd share.

I'm still working on the fireworks, I used I think the auto and tried I think the bulb mode. It's a work in progress. I didn't have a tripod with me for the trip.

 

[tazdev3225]

I just bought an Alpha 300. I will post pics as soon as I am able to use it. I tore ligaments in my thumb and cannot grip anything at the moment. I am glad to see that there are a few other Alpha users on the boards.

 

[DisneyDreamerK]

Hello all,

I bought a Sony A300 a couple of weeks ago. However, I'm not sure if there is a problem with the camera or not. The LiveView is VERY blurry. It's considerably blurry in normal light, and nearly impossible to see in low light. Now, I realize the LiveView is still a developing technology, but is it supposed to be THAT bad? I'm trying to figure out whether or not it's normal, or I got a defective camera.

Thanks for your advice!

Forgot to mention: I am letting the auto-focus engage (pushing the shutter button half way).

Mine is the same way! If you do happen to exchange it for another, could you let me know if it fixes it? lol I bought mine for my trip on Sunday...

I also have some kinda scratch or something on my sensor...I'll have to ship it back to Sony after my trip because I wouldn't be able to get it fixed before my trip I have to make sure I don't shoot anything important in the top left corner so I can edit out the little blur it makes in all my photos...

 

[AmyRF25]

Hi, These were taken in October with my a350