Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/08/09

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Subject: OT Was [Leica] Re: Pentax K100D, now Sony Alpha vs Nikon
From: hoppyman at bigpond.net.au (G Hopkinson)
Date: Wed Aug 9 21:20:32 2006

Hi Don,
Don't go dampening a good speculation thread with facts. Naturally regarding
the initial reviews, the Sony Alpha gets some very positive spin. Especially
for features vs price. Locally it will be 25% cheaper at retail than the
D70.
The D200 may well be available in quantity in your market now, and via Hong
Kong import.
However still completely absent from dealer shelves here. (total 10 via
official channels for the first import batch!) Guess where we are on that
camera company's priority list? The Vatican probably got more a bigger
allocation per capita than us. In fact, if they got one that would be
literally true by a large margin! 1 per ~1000 vs 1 per 2 million.

Back on the Sony's, I was actually just most interested in a possible FF
model to come. With the CZ designed primes at their native FOV a big
attractant for me. And I want a big bright finder and to be able to focus it
manually and set the aperture manually and meter as I want and have great
glass and I just described an M8.

Never fear, it's all just of interest. I'm still swimming strongly in the
other direction with now an M3 as well and a second Elmar 135 I just
acquired (the Tele version NIB). Also got one of the CV 25mm in LTM.

Cheers
Hoppy


-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Don Dory
Sent: Thursday, 10 August 2006 11:34
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Pentax K100D

Hoppy,
D200's have become fairly plentiful as Nikon has switched production to the
D200 and the D80 and away from the D50.  I bet if you emailed Dr. Yao he
could sell you one at a good price out of Hong Kong.  The D200 is much
better built and has a better focusing screen than the D80 as well as the
ability to use older Ai lenses.

As to the reviews, Sony has some major money to spend on advertising so of
course nothing negative will be said.  Take it from me, high ISO performance
is not so hot and flash accuracy is not very good.  Getting good fill flash
is very hard and autofocus is not up to currrent standards.  No manual
lenses available(yeah, yeah who needs manual lenses with all those fabulous
consumer Minolta  AF lenses out there but the good glass was never purchased
by many so very scarce).  Last, although the reviews say otherwise, I did
not find the stabilisation to be especially good at longer focal lengths say
100mm but I could have had a bad sample.

Instead of lusting for the latest vapor ware or promised land, look to
established companies that have extensive product out there.  In no order,
Olympus, Pentax, Nikon, Canon, and even Leica have cameras with a track
record, large numbers of lenses available new or used, and a history that
can be judged for suitablity of use for you.  In a year or two we can talk
about Sony and their DSLR line.

Don
don.dory@gmail.com


On 8/9/06, G Hopkinson <hoppyman@bigpond.net.au> wrote:
>
> Hi Jeffery, yes I thought the same on the Sony reviews.
> The review just posted on the Nikon D80 is an interesting read, too.
> However, as noted, no metering with the old glass. That would be a big
> strike against for me. Still the D200 is almost impossible to obtain
> locally, so far.
> Just bought a second Elmar 135 to console myself.
>
> I am very impressed that you fitted "futzing" and "cognitive dissonance"
> in
> one paragraph. That's danged fine word smithing; B.D. may feel compelled
> to
> step in ;-)
>
> Cheers
> Hoppy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org
> [mailto:lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
> Jeffery Smith
> Sent: Thursday, 10 August 2006 09:48
> To: 'Leica Users Group'
> Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: Pentax K100D
>
> The impression that I am getting from the "mags" on the Sony is that it is
> knocking their socks off because of the price. And I'm spending a lot of
> time futzing with Rolleiflex TLRs. Causing some cognitive dissonance.
>
> Jeffery Smith
> New Orleans, LA
> http://www.400tx.com
> http://400tx.blogspot.com/
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+jsmith342=cox.net@leica-users.org
> [mailto:lug-bounces+jsmith342=cox.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of G
> Hopkinson
> Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 6:18 PM
> To: 'Leica Users Group'
> Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: Pentax K100D
>
>
> Felix and Jeffery, this looks like the start of a great speculation thread
> on the Sony's FF model, right here.
>
> Since there were so many 35mm format lenses from Minolta and some Zeiss
> repackaged for the Alpha range, you might take that as a hint. Or you
> could
> say that Sony just wanted as big a presence as possible early to get a
> toehold in the DSLR marketplace. The pro magazines here (Australia) that
> attended the Japanese launch said that Sony hinted at a simpler and a more
> professional camera body to be released soon. Rumoured also that the
> (Alpha)sensor is the same as in the Nikon D200. At least we have something
> to talk about until Photokina.
>
> Cheers
> Hoppy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org
> [mailto:lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
> F?lix L?pez de Maturana
> Sent: Thursday, 10 August 2006 01:56
> To: lug@leica-users.org
> Subject: [Leica] Re: Pentax K100D
>
> >
> > If Pentax would make a full frame digital camera for under $5,000, I
> > would be tempted to get one. The Pentax glass I have now is too good
> > to not be using it more often. I have thought about getting one of the
> > fast Sigma primes for digital, but I don't know dick about their
> > quality (other than the build quality being...plastic).
> >
> > Jeffery Smith
> Just you wait Jeffery. Sony has got a full frame sensor ans they are
> testing it. The commercial process seems however some different than
> before as is not Nikon the first Sony customer but ?Sony himself! So
> we'll have in some months a Sony FF that will be able of using Carl
> Zeiss lenses. Not bad even if the first CZ lenses will be Contax N
> lenses modified. After that this sensor will be supplied to everybody,
> Nikon, Pentax, etc.I dream on a Leica R with a full frame sensor back.
> BTW Sigma "plastic" primes are no designed for lasting but optically are
> good lenses.
>
> Regards.
>
> Felix.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>

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In reply to: Message from don.dory at gmail.com (Don Dory) ([Leica] Re: Pentax K100D)