Graffiti Wall outside Area 15 for Bar Camp 7. Shot on Kodak Max 400 with a Minolta SR-T MC II and 58mm lens.

2012 is shaping up to be quite a year. There have been dozens of events commemorating the centennial of the sinking of the Titanic; and if you subscribe to the whole Mayan calendar hysteria (personally I don’t), there is the coming end of the world to look forward to.

On a more personal level, 2012 marks the first year in recent memory that I actually shot some 35mm film. That might not seem to be all that earth shattering, but considering that I used to expose hundreds of film rolls in a year, the fact that I actually shot some film after a long absence is a big deal.

I don’t really remember when I shot my last roll of film. Line many of you, I never actually packed my film SLRs away and declared “That’s it – I’m done with film.”

Instead, I started to incorporate digital cameras into my shooting assignments, although the film SLRs remained the real workhorses. Gradually, I started to shoot more digital images, and eventually I found myself hauling film SLRs along on shoots but never removing them from the bag.

Even after I stopped bringing my film cameras on assignments, I still carried rolls of 35mm and 120mm film in my gadget bag. I’m not sure what that means; without a film camera, film spools are useless, but I still shlepped them with me for a while.

I had forgotten just how wide the Rokkor 16mm f/2.8 looks on a full frame SLR. Thanks to the fisheye view, the narrow passage between two buildings looks wide enough to drive a semi through!

Eventually, all the film stuff went into storage and I happily shot digital without looking back. My interest in returning to film comes from, of all places, the online photo sharing site Flickr.

There are Flickr groups for just about every form of photographic pursuit. I’m not sure if there are any groups for shooters using wet-plate glass negatives, but it would not surprise me if there were.

In my case, two groups caught my attention: “One Rokkor Around the World” and “A Roll in a Day.”

The Rokkor group isn’t specifically aimed at film shooters; it involved a single 50mm f/1.7 Rokkor lens that was sent on a grand tour as various photographers used it to capture images from around the planet. I took my turn and shot with lens mounted on a Sony Alpha with a MA/MD adapter, but it seemed that I should at least shoot a roll of film to honor the Rokkor’s heritage. I’ll have more about the ORATW group in another post.

Immediately after finishing with the Rokkor, I learned about a group called A Roll in a Day. As the name implies, all the group members shoot an entire roll of film on a specific day. The kicker is that you have to post every shot, good or bad. You can’t cull the bad shots; you have to post the entire roll.

After learning that the selected day for the Roll in a Day project was the same day as BarCamp Charlotte 7, I knew I would have to participate.

I have posted digital photos from previous BarCamps on Alphatracks in the past, and I intended to shoot the event with the Sony Alpha once again. This time, however, I brought along an oldie but a goodie… A Minolta SR-T MC II circa 1977.

For film stock, I rummaged around in my cast-offs drawer and found some Kodak Max 400 ISO film. Supposedly it had expired in 2005, but part of the Roll in a Day experience is to experiment.

Another problem I faced was the meter battery for the SR-T was long dead. You still can find these batteries if you look long enough, but in the spirit of the project I didn’t want to spend money and time hunting down a battery.

I’m pretty good at estimating light levels, and Kodak Max is fairly forgiving when it comes to exposure. I considered just guesstimating the exposure (remember I would have to post everything, no matter how bad they looked) but instead I decided to try a new app for my iPhone.

Pocket Light Meter is an app that turns the iPhone into an incident light meter. It is not a flash meter, it simply reads the continuos light falling on a scene. Since I wouldn’t be shooting with a flash, I thought it would be interesting to see what kind of results the app would produce.

Pocket Light Meter is available for free, but you can pay an additional $0.99 to eliminate ads. To use the app, you dial in the ISO of the film and then adjust the app for the f/stop you want to shoot at. When you point the iPhone’s camera at your subject, Light Meter will then suggest the proper shutter-speed. Of course if you prefer to set a specific shutter-speed, the app will then indicate the appropriate f/stop. Another very nice feature of the app is that it will keep a record of the exposure settings it recommended, giving you the closest thing there is to EXIF data for film.

Using the reading from the iPhone, I could set the f/stop and shutter speed on the SR-T. There are no automatic settings on a SR-T. Even if I had a battery for the meter, I still would be shooting manual. It seemed a great opportunity to experiment with the Pocket Light Meter application.

Of course any meter can be fooled, even highly sophisticated dedicated units. No matter what kind of meter you use, you need to evaluate the situation and adjust the recommended settings accordingly.

For most of the shots, I used the settings Pocket Light Meter suggested. I knew from experience that you can get very good results from over-exposed Kodak Max, but thin, underexposed negatives won’t yield great photos. Since I knew that Kodak Max tolerates dark, overexposed negatives, when I had any doubt, I opened-up the aperture or decreased the shutter-speed by a stop or so.

When I shot film in the past, I had a few labs that I relied on for processing, unless I was processing the film in my own darkroom. Both my own darkroom and the labs I used to use are gone, so I opted to just have the film processed at the local CVS store. Being a big spender, I chose to spend an extra fifty-cents for Kodak Processing rather than the standard CVS fare. I purposely chose not to have prints made. I could have scanned the resulting negs, but it was faster and easier to have all the images burned to a CD.

I am happy to say that all but one of the images appear to be properly exposed. In the first image I shot, Pocket Light Meter read the background properly, but the crowd of people in the foreground were seriously underexposed. Still, considering the primitive equipment and out-of-date film, it felt good that the bulk of the negatives offered decent tonal range.

The images on the CD looked a little flat to me. As I said, the rules of the Roll in a Day group require that members post all the images from a shoot. I debated whether it was permissible to adjust the images from the CD.

Another ultra-wide image: The Free store outside of Area 15 adds more than a touch of color to Charlotte's NODA district.

A little cropping could have improved this shot of some of the musicians at BarCamp 7, but that would have been cheeting.

The way I see it, if I was making prints in the darkroom or if I was scanning negatives on my scanner, I would adjust the exposure to make the images look their best. Who is to say that the automated exposure on the Kodak CD scanner is the correct one? As long as I created an image directly from the negative, without any special effects, I felt it was okay to adjust the overall brightness and contrast.

To be clear, I only allowed myself overall adjustments, no masking or extensive retouching. I simply brought the images into Lightroom and ramped up the blacks slightly. I also used the fill light to open up the tones in some of the indoor images. Again, this is the same capability I would have had in the darkroom,

Technically, if I were working in the darkroom, I would also have the ability to crop images by moving the enlarger head up and down. But I decided to do no cropping. I posted all of the images exactly the way they were shot.

I believe that several of the images would have worked better with some cropping. But I posted the full images; next-time I will have to pay more attention to composition.

Two things were at work in composition. First, the images were shot with older Rokkor lenses, primarily the 58mm f/1.4 and the 16mm f/2.8. I have used these lenses often on my APS-C chipped Sony Alphas. I knew the lenses would offer a wider field of view on the “full-frame” 35mm film SLR. But after using the lenses for so long on a “crop sensor” camera, I wasn’t prepared for how wide a view these lenses would provide on a film camera.

Secondly, the Alpha I use most often does not provide a 100% view of the actual image area. Because of that, I don’t worry too much about framing the image in the view finder. Instead, when I shoot digital, I usually try to get close and do a final, more exacting crop in Lightroom or Photoshop.

With the SR-T MC II, the viewfinder size is much more accurate, so it would have paid to pay more attention to framing. In any case, what you see is what I shot.

You can view my Roll in a Day photo set on Flickr. I am pleased with some of the film images I shot for the Roll in Day group. There are some that are just OK and there are some that aren’t all that exciting. I ordinarily would not have posted all of these online. Fortunately, a couple of the images are quite interesting, helping to save my reputation on Flickr.

So, am I ready to shelve my digital equipment and return to film? Not hardly. The advantages of digital completely overwhelm film. The ability to check my images at the time of shooting, the elimination of the need for a wet darkroom and the ability to custom tailor white balance/ISO on a per shot basis make digital far more useful than film. Not to mention that digital is far more economical to shoot with.

Having said that, the Roll in a Day group has chosen May 19, 2012 as the next day for members to shoot images for the group. If you have a Minolta film camera – or any film camera – there is still time for you to sign up and join us. Join the Roll in a Day group here.

I still have some out-of-date Kodak Max, now I just need to figure out which camera to use.

The simplest and easiest route to off camera flash is plugging the FA-CC1AM onto the hot shoe of your Sony Alpha

If you read the first post in this series, you already know I heartily recommend the Minolta 4000AF as an inexpensive flash unit for the Sony Alpha dSLR cameras.

In that same post, I promised to explain how I use the 4000AF with my Alpha and Minolta digital cameras. When Minolta first introduced the Maxxum 7000 AF camera, they offered the OC-1000 as an accessory for the new camera. It was a device that slid onto the universal hotshoe of the original Maxxum cameras and provided a three foot sync cord so you could use your flash off camera.

Sony off-camera flash cable is the key to syncing your flash away from the hot shoe.

When Minolta updated their hotshoe design in 1988 they also updated the OC-1000. The cable was redesigned to fit Minolta’s new hot shoe design and was now known as the OC-1100 Off Camera kit. Fortunately, when Sony acquired the Minolta photographic assets, they re-branded the OC-1100 and now sell it as the FA-CC1AM Off Camera Sync Cord.

Basically, the photographer slides the FA-CC1AM on to the hot shoe, just as they would a Sony flash unit. The cord is 39 inches long (1 mtr) and carries the standard Sony/Minolta flash connector on the other end.

Of course the FA-CC1AM is not specific to the 4000AF. You can use it to fire any Sony flash away from the hot shoe. Some flashes, such as the FLV42AM, require a special adapter to provide a connector for the FA-CC1AM.

Minolta 4000AF: Flash Connector Built In

The opposite end of the FA CC1AM cable screws directly into the Minolta 4000AF, as well as any Minolta/Sony flash with a PC connector

The 4000AF, however, has the proper connector built right in. Slide the FA-CC1AM on to the hot shoe of your Alpha, attach the other end to the flash connector on the 4000AF and you are ready to shoot. (It is a little more involved than that, since you have to adjust flash exposure manually. But that’s a subject for another post.)

Sony also sells a variety of flash accessories that will allow you get creative with the 4000AF. There is a hot shoe adapter, which will allow you to attach the 4000AF directly to the hot shoe. I don’t recommend this for two reasons. First I don’t like hot shoe flash, and secondly attaching the heavy 4000AF to the camera with an adaptor is asking a lot of the adapter.

Other Sony products include the FA-TC1AM Triple Connector  (Minolta TC-1000) that will allow you to fire up to three wired flashes at a time, as well as the FA-EC1AM (Minolta EX cable) extension cord to add another 39 inches of to the length of the sync cord.

Many of these products were also sold under the Minolta name before Minolta transferred its camera assets to Sony. So you should be able to use use the corresponding items from Minolta on your Sony Alpha. Just be aware that the earlier Minolta components, such as the OC-1000 are designed to be used with the older, universal style hot shoe. There do not fit the Alpha, so be sure that any second-hand Minolta flash cords you buy are designed for the newer-style Sony/Minolta hot shoe.

Third Party Flash Cords for Sony Alpha

There are also third party products that are similar to the FA-CC1AM. Note that most of these aftermarket cords have a molded hot shoe instead of the screw connector. The hot shoe is designed for Sony Alpha flash units, so you will need an adapter to attach the 4000AF flash. These aftermarket cords are available through ebay and Amazon. I don’t have any experience with these, so I can’t recommend them. On the other hand, designing a sync cord is not exactly rocket science, so I would expect most of these cords to work well. Like anything else, you usually get what you pay for, so don’t skimp.

One aftermarket cable I have my eye on is RainbowImaging Ten Foot TTL Off Camera Flash Cord. The FA-CC1AM is fine for moving the flash off the hot shoe, but sometimes the need arises to move the flash a longer distance than three feet. I’ve considered buying one of these long cords so I can have more flash capabilities, but thus far I haven’t got around to it. Again you will need an adapter to use this with the 4000AF flash, as it is designed for the new Sony flash shoe.

Of course, the best method of controlling off camera flash is with a wireless system. The 4000AF will not recognize the Sony/Minolta optical wireless flash system, so that avenue is not available. However, there are other methods.

Some users attempt to compensate for the 4000AF’s lack of compatibiity with the Sony Wireless System  by using an inexpensive optical slave trigger to fire a remote flash unit. Unfortunately, in my experience, this doesn’t work either.

Most Optical Slave Triggers Do Not Work with the Alpha Built-In Flash

The typical optical slave trigger fires when it senses light from the camera’s built-in flash. The problem is that most Sony Alpha dSLRs do not allow the photographer to set the built-in flash to manual mode. As a result, when you shoot with the onboard flash, it always shoots in the TTL mode.

In the TTL mode, the Sony Alpha fires a pre-flash beam to establish proper exposure. You won’t usually see the pre-flash because it fires only a millisecond before the actual flash. To the human eye, it appears to be a single flash.

The camera, however, fires the TTL pre-flash BEFORE the shutter opens. This in turn, will trigger the remote flash too early, while the shutter is closed. After the camera interpets data from the pre-flash , it opens the shutter and fires the actual exposure flash. If the remote flash is triggered by the pre-flash, it will not recycle quickly enough to fire when the shutter is actually open, meaning the remote flash will not produce any light in the actual photograph.

Optical slave triggers can be problematic with the Sony Alpha. Using a manual flash like the 4000AF as a trigger will allow you to overcome this problem

In short, you cannot use a genreric optical slave trigger with the built in flash from most Sony Alphas. I have heard conflicting reports that some photographers have successfully triggered a remote flash slave trigger with the Sony Alpha built-in flash. Possibly they have found an optical trigger that ignores the pre-flash. Supposedly, there are optical slave units that are not affected by the TTL pre-flash, but I don’t know where to find one. Reportedly, the A700 will allow you to set the pop-up flash to manual, thus  eliminating the pre-flash signal. In my experience, other Sony Alphas still fire the pre-flash signal, even with the camera in the full manual mode.

There is, however, a somewhat simple way around this whole pre-flash problem. If you are using the FA-CC1AM with a 4000AF, you can use the 4000AF in the manual mode as trigger to fire remote optical triggers.

Basically, when you fire the 4000AF in the manual mode, it doesn’t fire a pre-flash beam. As a result, you can use an inexpensive slave trigger with any hot-shoe flash as your remote. Since I have multiple 4000AF units, I typically use the 4000AF as both the trigger and the remote. However, you can use this trick with any flash unit that can be fired with a optical slave trigger.

The Optimal Solution: Radio Triggers

Professional photographers prefer using radio waves to trigger a remote flash. Radio triggers have several advantages over optical triggers.

First off, an optical trigger requires a clear line-of-site between the camera and the remote trigger. A radio trigger will allow you to conceal the remote flash behind walls, inside props and in other areas not visible to the camera.

Radio triggers are also effective over much greater distances than optical flashes. Optical units are triggered by the camera’s onboard flash, which usually doesn’t carry beyond twenty-thirty feet. A good radio trigger can fire a flash hundreds of feet away from the camera.

Finally, optical triggers require the camera’s onboard flash to fire, which in turn triggers the remote flash(es). Depending on the nature of the shoot, light from the onboard flash can adversely affect the lighting in the final photograph.

Of course, radio triggers are not problem-free either. Sony still has not introduced a radio trigger especially for the Alpha, so photographers who wish to add a radio trigger to their Alpha system usually have to concoct a homebrew system. The Sony radio trigger situation has improved somewhat, as some manufacturers have started to offer Sony compastible triggers, but finding a system that offeres full compatibility as well as reliability is still, literely, a shot in the dark.

Since the 4000AF has the old, universal hot foot, this eases the compatibility problem somewhat. The remote 4000AF will fit standard radio receivers, so all you need is radio transmitter that can be fired from the Alpha.

So now we’ve figured out how to fire the 4000AF from the Sony Alpha, we need to figure out how to hold that big flash unit in place. That will be the subject of the next post in this series.

This is the second post in a multi-part series which explains how to use the Minolta 4000AF Flash Unit on the Sony Alpha.

• The Minolta 4000AF Flash and the Sony Alpha
• Using the Sony FA-CC1AM for Off-Camera Flash
• Syncing the Minolta 4000AF from the Sony Alpha
• Gallery of images taken with the 4000AF and Sony Alpha

Since I advise against using the flash on the hot shoe, the next post in the series will explore options for holding the Minolta 4000AF during a photo shoot.

Huge and powerful, the Minolta 4000AF is an excellent, low-cost flash unit for Sony Alpha shooters.

The Minolta 4000AF Flash Unit. Big, powerful, plentiful and relatively inexpensive. Too bad it cannot be used with the Sony Alpha. At least, that is what many of the authority sites tell you. Even some web sites I respect and recommend indicate the big flash doesn’t work with the Sony Alpha.

The Minolta 4000AF head can be adjusted to bounce or swivel for enhanced lighting.

Fortunately for Sony Alpha shooters who are in the market for an inexpensive flash, that is a whole lot of hogwash. I have taken thousands of photos using this combination, and I’m here to tell you the Minolta 4000AF works beautifully with the Sony Alpha.

Please read this entire series carefully. The Minolta 4000AF does not fit the hotshoe on the Sony Alpha and will require you to set the power manually. With a little creativity, however, you find the big flash produces excellent auxiliary lighting.

You don’t need a dedicated flash unit

First off, let me define what I mean when I say this flash works. If your idea of working includes a fully automatic TTL (through-the-lens metering) experience, with exposure controlled by the camera, then the 4000AF does not work with the Alpha. On the other hand, if your definition of working means a flash unit that will sync with the camera and features manually adjustable power settings, then the 4000AF can be everything you want.

Power zoom adjusts from 70mm (top) to 28mm. An accessory panel increases wide angle coverage to 24mm on a full frame sensor.

Before you get too hung up on the lack of through-the-lens capabilities, you need to realize that many of the top advertising photos you see are photographed with studio strobe lights. Few, if any studio photographers attempt to use TTL control. Instead the photographer is responsible for setting the power and location the lights. If expert photographers can create award-winning magazine covers and advertising spreads without resorting to dedicated TTL metering, what’s stopping you and me? When you realize that you can pickup good 4000AF flash units for well under $50, the idea of needing a TTL Flash becomes even less compelling.

I can hear the complaints already. “…manually setting my flash is hard. And I don’t own a flash meter…”

In actuality it is fairly simple to set up an adjustable power flash like the 4000AF. And while you might not realize it, that LCD on the back of your Sony Alpha can serve as a pretty accurate flash meter.

The Minolta 4000AF Flash: A Closer Look

Let’s take a closer look at the 4000AF. When Minolta introduced the all new Maxxum cameras in 1985, they also introduced several new accessories, including a powerful new flash unit. I assume the AF tag indicates this flash was designed for the new for 1985 Minolta Auto Focus SLRs. The 4000AF remained Minolta’s flagship flash unit for years, which means you can find good, usable copies on eBay, Craig’s List, garage sales and used camera outlets. There are even suppliers who sell used Minolta 4000 AF flash units on the Amazon Marketplace.

The 4000AF and Trigger Voltage

Bottom of the 4000AF showing the old style hot shoe foot, power port for the control grip/AC Adapter and the built-in Sony/Minolta flash connector.

One major consideration when attempting to match old film flash units with modern dSLRs is trigger voltage. In older, mechanical cameras, there were no electronics or integrated circuits, so flash designers were free to utilize very high trigger voltages. Some older flash units have trigger voltages that exceed 600 volts! I would not want to use one of these units anywhere near an electronic camera.

Newer flash units usually utilize much lower trigger voltages in order to avoid damage to the electronic circuitry in modern cameras.

As far as I know, Sony has not published the recommended maximum trigger voltage for the Alpha line, but many camera  technicians recommend keeping electronic flash trigger voltages under 6 volts for digital cameras.

Standard 4000AF power is 4 AA batteries (I use NIMH rechargeables with no problem). Flash can also be powered by control grip or AC adapter.

Originally, I worried that the huge 4000AF flash might have a high trigger voltage. I was pleasantly surprised to read on the Botzilla Trigger Voltage Comparison site that the 4000AF only has a Trigger Voltage of 1.85-2.5 volts – among the lowest I have seen. I have never tried to measure the voltage of any of my 4000AF units, but having used multiple 4000AFs on the Sony Alpha for several years without a problem, I trust that the Botzilla site is accurate. Of course your mileage could vary, so you are advised to check your flash according to the instructions on the Botzilla site. I believe the 4000AF is safe to use with the Alpha, but determining if a flash unit is safe for your camera is your responsibility.

Minolta 4000AF Features

Although it is big and heavy, the 4000AF has most of the features you might expect from a top of the line flash.

The head tilts from zero to ninety degrees, and can swivel 90 degrees to the right or left. Many newer flashes can swivel as much as 180 degrees, allowing the photographer to point the head backwards. You cannot rotate the head backwards on the 4000AF, but the way I use the 4000AF this really doesn’t matter.

Controls are laid out neatly on the back of the 4000AF. The light button illuminates the LCD panel. Zoom and Level adjust the Zoom and Power Level respectively, while the TTL/M switch changes from TTL and Manual modes. Red lightning bolt indicates the flash is ready to fire.

The flash has a power zoom head which can beam the light according to the lens being used. The zoom head adjusts from 28-70mm. If you use a telephoto lens, the ability to zoom the flash head is great feature. Used with an A-mount lens on the Sony Alpha, the 4000AF will automatically zoom the flash head according to the focal length of the lens. The zoom can be manually controlled as well, allowing you to adjust the flash zoom range for the conditions.

To cover a wide-angle lens, the photographer needs to snap a plastic defuser over the flash head. This is less convenient than with most modern flash units, which generally incorporate the defuser with an onboard, flip-up arrangement. Since the defuser is a separate piece on the 4000AF, the defuser panel is easy to misplace. In addition, there is a good chance you might not have it with you when you need it.

Although the Minolta 4000AF offers manual power adjustment, the power indicator is hard to see in dim light. Marking the selected power output with thin brackets wasn't one of Minolta's better ideas.

With a guide number of 131 feet (45 meters), the 4000AF is quite powerful. The flash does not boast High Speed Sync or ADI capability, but that power and inexpensive price tag helps make up for any lack of features.

Sadly, the 4000AF came out before Minolta developed their wireless flash system, so it is not compatible with the Sony wireless optical flash trigger.

When you study the 4000AF, one of the first things you’ll notice is that the foot is not compatible with the Minolta/Sony hot shoe. The early Maxxum cameras used the standard slip on hot shoe design, so obviously the 4000AF is designed with a slip on foot.

Who Cares About the Hot Shoe?

Standard hot foot on 4000AF (left) compared with the Sony FLV42AM Flash Unit. Note the different hot shoe design.

The Alpha hot shoe uses the newer Minolta design, which means you cannot use the 4000AF in the hot shoe of a Sony Alpha. Is that a problem? Only if you insist on using your flash in the hot shoe, when every serious photographer on the face of the planet recommends off-camera flash. Firing your flash from the hot shoe gives you flat light, increases red-eye and  generally results in boring photographs. Don’t believe me? Search the web for off-camera-flash and see how many famous photographers advise against shooting with a flash in the hot shoe.

If you are not going to shoot from the hot shoe, it really doesn’t matter whether your flash is compatible with your flash shoe or not. What does matter is that you have a way to sync (fire) the flash at the proper time.

So how do we do that? That will be the subject of my next post.

This is the first post in a multi-part series which explains how to use the Minolta 4000AF Flash Unit on the Sony Alpha.

• The Minolta 4000AF Flash and the Sony Alpha
• Using the Sony FA-CC1AM for Off-Camera Flash
• Syncing the Minolta 4000AF from the Sony Alpha
• Gallery of images taken with the 4000AF and Sony Alpha

Minolta 4000AF on Amazon Marketplace
Current Minolta 4000AF Auctions on ebay

New 24mp NEX-7 bears a strong resemblance to other cameras in the NEX line, but it is larger in all three dimensions.

I admit it, I am intrigued by the new Sony Alpha NEX-7. I liked the original NEX cameras, but I knew that if I tried to shoot with one of them, I would miss my dSLR. There were too many limitations.

No Viewfinder

First off, there was no eye-level viewfinder. I know many point and shoot cameras have jettisoned the viewfinder, forcing users to use the rear LCD as the viewfinder. Many people prefer to shoot off the LCD, even when the camera has a eye-level finder. I think the LCD is fine for studio work, when the camera is on a tripod. Otherwise, I think composing on the rear LCD is a terrible way to hand-hold a camera.

No Off Camera Flash

Secondly, the early NEX models offer no way to use off-camera flash. Both the NEX-3 and NEX-5 came with a small, detachable flash unit, but AFAIK, the only way to use the flash was to secure it to the top of the camera. Having preached for years that a position directly over the lens is the worst place to mount a flash unit, I am not about to change my tune now. I had hopes that Sony or a third-party manufacturer would offer some solution to mounting a higher-power flash off camera, but I have yet to see such an item.

Not Enough Manual Controls

Finally, many of the controls of the NEX-3 and NEX-5 can only be accessed from onscreen menus. All current digital cameras suffer from this fault to some degree, but the NEX series is a worse offender than most in this regard.

So why I liked the form factor of the NEX mirrorless cameras, I knew I would not be satisfied shooting with one for any serious work. I would always find myself regretting I didn’t have a dSLR instead of the mirrorless camera.

The user's view of the NEX-7 is neatly organized, incorporating OLED viewfinder, new comntrols and a 3" LCD

With the introduction of the new NEX-7, all of that is changed. It’s like Sony read my mind. A much more likely scenario is that many other photographers had the same concerns I did, and Sony acted to address them.

First off, there is a proper eye-level viewfinder. It is an EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) instead of an optical viewfinder, but that doesn’t bother me. I think optical viewfinders are superior to EVFs, but the gap is getting pretty narrow.

New OLED EVF on the NEX-7

I used to shoot with the Minolta Dimage 5 and then the Dimage 7i. These were Minolta’s early, non-interchagable lens digital cameras which incorporated a great G series lens. Both cameras had an EVF, as well as a small rear LCD. The EVF was fine for most still work. Panning action shots, however caused the EVF to smear when you swung the lens around quickly. This did not affect the actual image, of course, but it was still a distraction when shooting fast-moving subjects.

I have yet to shoot with the NEX-7, but the industry has had more than decade to improve EVF performance. I recently had the opportunity to try out an Olympus Pen Micro 4/3 camera that had an optional EVF. I tried, but I couldn’t get the finder to smear. If the EVF in the Sony NEX-7 is at least as good as the Olympus accessory finder, I will be more than satisfied. Since the new viewfinder is the same XGA OLED TruFinder™ used in the new A77 and A65, I have to assume it will be excellent.

As for the flash, Sony has incorporated the standard Alpha flash shoe on the NEX-7. This is a no-brainer, as the shoe accepts the full line of Sony Alpha flash units, as well as the digital Minolta flashes. More importantly, you can finally use off-camera flash, by attaching the FA-CC1AM Off Camera Cable to the Hot Shoe.

While Sony still doesn’t offer a radio control flash trigger, the NEX-7 can be rigged to fire remote flash units with an aftermarket radio trigger.

Interestingly, however, I see nothing in the press release to indicate the NEX-7 can trigger a remote flash with the Sony/Minolta wireless flash system. That is a shame, but it is not a deal-breaker.

NEX-7 features customizable knobs and dials

Finally, there are the controls. While there is still an extensive menu-driven set of controls, the NEX-7 lets users customize two knobs and a control wheel. I’m not sure exactly how the custom feature works, but I believe you can map each of the controls to operate in the way you prefer. Thus you can have manual control of the settings that are most important to you, as an individual photographer. Color me impressed.

Finally a Hot Shoe on a Sony Alpha NEX model

Besides the OLED viewfinder, the NEX-7 shares many features with its A-mount cousins; the A77 and A65. All three cameras rely on the same  APS HD CMOS 24.3MP sensor. Thus the NEX-7 image quality should be on par with the new top-of-the-line Alpha APS sensor cameras. (lenses being equal)

As you would expect, the new NEX-7 matches the video specs of the A77, offering full AVCHD HD progressive video. Like the A77, you can shoot at 60p or 24p frame rates.

If you are used to the picture effects offered with the NEX-C3, you will be happy to know that Sony has retained the special effects on the NEX-7. There are 11 modes and 15 effects, including HDR, soft focus and Rich-Tone Mone. I am especially happy to see that the new camera includes the Sweep Panorama 3D feature.

Sorry if it seems I am gushing over the NEX-7. It seems to be a great camera, but all cameras are a compromise, and the NEX-7 won’t please everyone.

Smaller than a dSLR, but bigger than previous NEX Models

It is larger and heavier than the diminutive NEX-3 and NEX-5. It is still smaller than a typical dSLR, but you will need a larger pocket if you want to carry the NEX-7 in your shirt. The NEX-5 measures 4-3/8 × 2-3/8 × 1-9/16″, while the NEX-7 is bulked up to 4-3/4 × 2-3/4 × 1-11/16″. That is still a small package for a 24mp, APS digital camera, but it is 3/8″ wider, 3/8″ taller and 1/8″ thicker then the original model. The  NEX-5 weighs in at 7.4 oz sans batttery and media, while the NEX 7 tops the scales at 10.3 oz.

So can the Sony Alpha NEX-7 hold its own against the A77?

If you a wondering whether you should buy an NEX-7 instead of an A77 or A65, here are some  considerations. Image quality should be more or less equal, but the E-mount NEX cameras use different lenses than the A-mount cameras. I’m not saying that E-mount lenses are inferior, but you cannot compare apples to apples unless you are using the same lenses. If you already have a large selection of A-mount lenses, then the A77 or A65 would probably be a better choice. There is also lens lineup to consider. There is a full range of A-mount lenses available, while the relatively new E-mount lineup is still missing some key lenses. Of course you can use adapters to add many different lenses, including A-mount lens to the NEX-7. The NEX-7 lacks in-body stabilization however, so none of your A-mount optics will be stabilized.

More Focus Points

I was surprised to see tha the NEX-7 has 25 focus points, while the A77 has only 19. So advantage NEX-7, if you like controlling focus points.

The A77 can shoot 12fps, while the NEX-7 is limited to 10ffps.

Can’t match A77 ‘s ISO 50 mark

Both cameras can shoot at an upper ISO of 16000, but the A77 can offer lower noise by shooting at ISO 50, while the ISO range of the NEX-7 starts at 100.

No GPS

The A77 features built-in GPS, but there is no indication of on-board GPS with the NEX-7.

No Weather Sealing

The A77 is also built better, with dust and moisture sealng.

So which is the better choice? Does the smaller size of the NEX-7 offset the advantages of the A77?

The Final Metric: Price

One important final point: the NEX-7 is priced less than the A77, but it will still set you back more than a grand. The body only price is $1199, while a kit that includes the 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 E-mount lens retails for $1349.99. That is not a big price differential, and it is quite a bit more than the list price of the A65. It is roughly double the price tag of the smaller NEX-5.

That is a lot to null over, but f you are ready to take the plunge, both flavors of the NEX-7 can be preordered at Sony Style.

Amazon is also taking preorders for the  NEX-7 body only package.

B&H Photo is also taking orders on both the NEX-7 body and the NEX-7K package with the 18mm lens.

After months of waiting, Sony has finally announced the successor to the A700. From the spec-sheet, I think this is a great camera and is superior to the A700 in almost every way.

August 24, 2001: Everyone knew that Sony was poised to introduce new models in August. Sony went big, offering two new translucent mirror, A-Mount dSLR models, two additions to the burgeoning Alpha NEX series and a E-Mount interchangeable Handy Cam.

While it is somewhat difficult to pick between all the new offerings, I (and I am sure many others) am particularly excited about the Alpha A77. This is the long rumored replacement for the venerable A700, and it is clearly superior to the older model in most respects.

Sony Alpha A77: a Camera for Photographers

The A77 relies on a new 24.3 APS-C CMOS sensor, making this the mega-pixel leader for APS sensor cameras. Of course this does not include other Sony models, as Sony is using the 24mp sensor in several of the newly announced cameras.

The A77 also uses a new XGA OLED Tru-Finder™ electronic viewfinder, which narrows the gap between EVF and Optical viewfinders.

Sports Shooters, This is Your Next Camera

Naturally, the camera shoots HD Video, which is one of the main reasons for utilizing the Translucent Mirror. Thanks to the see-through mirror, the Alpha A77 boasts 12fps burst shots with continuous auto focus. Just to be clear, Sony claims the A77 will capture full resolution 24mp images at 12fps with continuous AF. Watch for sports shooters to latch onto the A77, as it is the new class leader in rapid frame dSLR cameras.

Sony also claims the A77 can capture Full HD Video at 60p frame rate in the new AVCHD™ Progressive (Ver. 2.0) format. 24p is also available. photographers have full control over the camera’s exposure modes while filming and can choose between Program, Aperature Prefered, and Manual Modes while filming. The new cameras offers ISO settings of 50 to 16000 for both stills and video.

The new Alpha A77 can be ordered with the fast 16-50mm f/2.8 zoom lens.

The A77 also features front and rear control dials, something Sony shooters lacked in the past. There is also top-mount LCD and an three-way tilt LCD that can ber swiveled around to serve a front-facing monitor.

If you are moving up from an A700, you won’t be able to bring along your Compact Flash cards. The A700 uses either SD Cards or Memory-Stick Duo memory. If you want that 12fps burst rate, or Full HD video, you will need cards capable of keeping up with the camera.

Weather Sealing comes to Sony Translucent Mirror Cameras

Another way the Alpha A77 surpasses the older A700 is in weather sealing. The controls on the magnesium body panels are sealed against dust and moisture, a feature Sony highlighted with a recent video of someone grabbing a half-burried A77 from a sandy beach. The shooter brushes some of the sand away and immediately starts shooting. Not the way I would treat a camera such as this, but an impressive feat all the same.

Shutter Test to 150,000 Cycles

I don’t remember Sony publicly announcing the shutter cycle rate on past dSLRs, but the A77 is rated to exceed 150,000 cycles. Flash photographers will also appreciate the 1/250 sec sync speed.

Both still photos and video clips can be tagged with the onboard GPS unit.

Meet the Sony Alpha A65

The new A65 has the same 24mp sensor and offers many of the features of the A77, with a body-only price of $899.

The second Alpha translucent mirror model is the A65. This is clearly an economy version of the A77. The A65 does not feature the weather sealing of the A77 and it only has a two-way swiveling LCD. The frame rate is slower as well, as the A65 can “only” capture still images at 10fps. The lower end of the ISO scale also stops at 100, compared to the 50 offered by the A77.

Having said that, the A65 is a highly capable camera that shares many of the best features of the A77. It uses the same 24.3 sensor, the same OLED view finder, and offers the same video capabilities.

Both cameras are slated to ship in October. You can preorder A77 in body only configuration for $1,399.99. A kit with the brand new 16-50mm f/2.8 lens is $1,999.99.

The A65 can be had at $899.99 body only, or spend $999.99 to buy it with the Sony DT 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Zoom Lens.

You can pre-order the A77 and A65 now at Sony-Style, or Amazon.

Follow this link to pre-order the A77 at  B&H Photo. B&H also is taking orders for the Alpha A65.

Excited? So am I. But as I already mentioned, there is lots of E-Mount news from Sony as well. Tomorrow, I’ll give you my take on the new NEX models.

The A700 replacement is coming, but details are still sketchy

This much is known, or at least thought to be factual based on things Sony has said in various interviews.

• The A700 replacement will be a translucent-mirror camera a la the A33 and A55
• It will have an electronic viewfinder with far higher-performance than the A55
• It will use an APS-C sensor, most likely of a backlit Exmor type
• It will offer HD-Video capability
• Sony has indicated it will ship this year

Beyond that, everything is still rumor and speculation. Various people have started referring to the camera as the A77 or the A800, but AFAIK, Sony has not committed to a model designation as yet.

Sony hasn’t even promised that the clear mockup represents the final body shell for the camera. Obviously, the actual camera will not be transparent, but Sony could still tweak the final configuration of the body shell. The mockup continues the latest Sony fashion of placing the on/off switch in a ring around the shutter release button. There appears to be a PC sync port, although unlike the current A700, the port is nearly at the bottom of the camera. The grip looks promising, and includes the sense-switch functionality. The rear LCD looks large, and it appears it may be hinged to swing like other recent Sony dSLRs..

So when we we see more on this new wonder camera? No guarantees, but the CliQ trade show (formerly known a the PMA show) is scheduled for September 6-11 this year. Since that is probably the latest Sony could introduce a new camera and hope to get on dealer shelves in time for Christmas, my guess is all our questions will be answered at CliQ.

In the meantime, if you want to see photos of the mockup, the following sites have photos from the show:

ePhotoZine: Hands on with the Sony Alpha A700 Replacement

Pocket-Lint: Sony see-through SLT alpha camera concept hands-on

Sony paves the way for aftermarket E-mount optics.

Photographers who shoot with the Sony NEX-3 and NEX-5 mirrorless cameras as well as videographers using the NEX-VG10 camcorder have something to be excited about. Sony has announced that they will provide full specifications of the brand new E-Mount lens mount to third party lens makers. As a result, aftermarket lens makes will be able to  produce E-mount lenses without paying a licensing fee.

Sony is even encouraging lens adapter makers to produce adapters to fit various non-Sony lens to the NEX cameras.

Obviously, this will be welcome news to NEX shooters. When the brand new NEX models shipped last year, the only available lenses were the 16mm prime and the 18-55mmm zoom.  The 18-200 zoom was announced but didn’t ship until a couple of months afterward.

Sony has promised more E-mount lenses, and showed several prototypes at Photokina.  Still the E-mount lens line is fairly sparse, although Sony does offer an adapter to allow Sony Alpha A-mount lenses to be used on the cameras.

Offering the specifications to third party lens makers should ensure that the E-mount will thrive n the coming years. We should see many new lenses and adapters appear in the E-mount. In addition there is a chance there will be more inexpensive lenses offered as well.

The Sony press release carries endorsements by Carl Zeiss, Cosina, Sigma and Tamron. Of course endorsement doesn’t necessarily mean these companies will produce E-mount optics, but it is an indication they are considering it.

The specification will not be released until April, so it is doubtful any of these manufactures have even seen the specification. It will probably take months before aftermarket E-mount glass starts to trickle in to dealers. But Christmas is the big selling season for digital cameras, so I think some  of these manufactures will do their best to provide new optics in time for the holidays.,

I find it interesting to see Carl Zeiss endorsement on the press release. Zeiss, of course, licenses some of their optical designs to Sony for the A-mount dSLR cameras. Some of Sony’s top-of-the-line A-mount lenses carry Zeiss optics but are sold under the Sony Alpha brand. Will Zeiss create their own line of E-mount lenses independent of Sony?

There are already several aftermarket lens adapters designed to attach various brands of lenses to the E-Mount cameras. Once the specification is released, adapter makers will have full reign to attach all manner of older  film lenses to the NEX cameras. With only an 18mm flange to sensor offset, almost any lens will be able to focus at infinity when adapted to the NEX.

Provide the E-mount specifications without licensing fees. Smart move Sony!

Sony claims Version 2.0 of the firmware increase auto-focus speed (varying by lens), adds an improved bracket setting that offers Exposure Variation of 3.0 (opposed the the 2 EV provided by version 1.0 firmware) and expands exposure compensation range to plus or minus 5 EV.

In all, it seems like its well worth upgrading the firmware. A850

Faster auto-focus, expanded exposure compensation and greater bracketing range is available for Sony A900 and A850 owners through a firmware upgrade.

US shooters can obtain the 2.0 firmware by going to the Sony Alpha support site then searching for their specific camera model and computer operating system. Although both the A900 and A850 can be upgraded to 2.0, you need to download the proper updater for your specific camera model.

In Europe, Sony A900 and A850 shooters can obtain the update at the Sony Europe site.

Sony advises users to match the upgrade to their particular model and geographic location. What would happen if you applied a A900 firmware upgrade to an A850 or installed the US version on a European camera? Maybe nothing, or maybe the installer would refuse to make the upgrade. Considering that a faulty firmware upgrade could potentially render your camera unusable, you need to follow Sony’s instructions and make sure the upgrade you install matches your camera.

It is nice to see that Sony is continuing to support their high-end flasgship models.

Minolta Mount lenses: Rokkor (left) Maxxum A-Mount (right)

So you are strolling through a flea-market or garage sale and you stumble across a cache of old Minolta lenses. They look clean and the optics are clear. Will they fit your Sony Alpha?

If you read my earlier post on using Minolta lenses on the Sony Alpha, you know that only A-Mount Minolta lenses work on the Sony Alpha without using an adapter. So the question is, can you identify which Minolta lenses use the A-Mount?

Brand Name appears above front element

Although Minolta never used the term A-Mount on their lenses, most A-Mount lenses sold in the North American market carried the name Maxxum above the front element. Minolta used different trade names in other countries, so presumably A-mount lenses may have been marked differently on other continents. In today’s global environment, you may find that lenses from other countries have made their way to the US, and North American lenses could have wound up in other continents. So you cannot rely solely on the brand name to determine whether a Minolta lens is in fact, an A-mount lens.

Still, all lenses marked Maxxum are A-Mount optics.

Most of the older Minolta lenses are marked with the Rokkor name, but Minolta started selling SR lenses before the Rokkor brand emerged. As the Rokkor line was being phased out, Minolta stopped using that name on their lenses, so many Rokkor mount lenses are floating around with no identification. Minolta also marketed an inexpensive series of lenses under the Celtic brand name. These use the Rokkor style mount and are not A-Mount compatible.

Rokkor lenses have an Aperture Ring

Aperture ring appears on Rokkor lens (left)

Except for a few fixed-aperture lenses, all Rokkor lenses have a physical adjusting ring that controls the aperture opening. If you find a Minolta lens with an aperture ring, it is definitely a Rokkor style mount, not an A-Mount. Catadioptric (mirror) lenses do not have an adjustable aperture, and you may come across other specialty Rokkor lenses without an aperture ring. If a lens has a ring, however, it is not an A-Mount lens.

Electrical Contacts on A-Mount

The top arrow points to the recessed lever that controls the automatic diaphragm on the A-mount lenses. Arrow on right side points to the electrical contacts on earlier A-mount lenses. Newer lenses have more contacts, but there are no contacts on Rokkor mount lenses.

Another clue to the lens type is found inside the mount itself. Rokkor lenses are fully mechanical and have no electrical contacts. A-mount lenses, on the other hand, use electrical contacts so the camera can control the aperture opening, auto-focusing and image stabilization. If you see contacts inside a Minolta mount it is not a Rokkor, and is either an A-Mount or Vectis style lens.

One minor caveat: just before releasing the first auto-focus Maxxums, Minolta experimented with focus-confirmation Rokkor lenses. These were only used on the rare X-600 bodies and only marketed in Japan. These lenses do not provide auto-focus, but when used on a X-600, the camera will indicate when the lens is properly focused. While quite rare, these Rokkor style lenses do have electrical contacts to communicate with the camera. I doubt you will come across one of these, but you can still tell them apart from A-Mount lenses, as the A-Mount optics have either five or seven contacts on the mount.

Diaphragm post on Rokkor

On Rokkor lenses with an Automatic Diaphragm, you will find a cylindrical post that stops down the lens during an exposure. This is an easy way to identify Rokkor lenses.

One last difference between the A-mount and the a Rokkor lenses is the mechanical automatic diaphragm mechanism. On the Rokkor optics, the auto-diaphragm is controlled by a cylindrical post that protrudes from the mount. On the A-mount optics the camera operates the auto-diaphragm through a recessed lever inside the mount. Some of the pre-Rokkor SR lenses did not have an automatic diaphragm, and these lenses do not have a control post. Overall, however, the auto diaphragm post is dead give-away that the lens in question is using a Rokkor style mount.

You should now be equipped to easily recognize the differences between the A-Mount and Rokkor lens line. You still need to watch out for Minolta Vectis lenses, however. These were created for the short-lived Vectis SLR Minolta created in the late 1990s. They look quite similar to the A-mount lenses, but they are NOT compatible. Avoid Vectis lenses if you are looking for glass to fit your Sony Alpha dSLR.

How many times can you reuse a memory card? The Compact Flash Association says CF cards can withstand 100 years of use.

I got a recent comment that basically asked how often you can reuse a memory card:

How many times can you erase and reuse a CF card? I have been having trouble with a card I have deleting images or corrupting images on occasion. I am curious if the CF card is just a bad card, or if I have simply erased and reused it too many times. Any suggestions?

Thanks a lot.

I have used a variety of Memory Cards over the past decade and a half. I never heard of a card wearing out from use. The Compact Flash Association claims that in typical usage, a Compact Flash card can be used for more than 100 years with no loss or deterioration of data.

I’m not sure what the association considers “typical use,” but my cards get reused often, usually several times a week. I haven’t experienced a failure with cards based on flash memory. I have had an old IBM Mircodrive fail on me, but that unit used mechanical hard drive technology, not flash storage.

Although I do own a few Memory Sticks and a micro SD card, all of my dSLR work is captured on various flavors of Compact Flash cards, so I really can’t comment on other forms of memory.

My CF cards are so reliable that I take them for granted. In the past, I did have to occasionally resort to using photo recovery software to retrieve images from a card the computer could not read. But that was years ago. I honestly can’t remember the last time I had a problem with a card.

I don’t use my older cards very much, but that is only because they have a smaller capacity then my newer cards. Sometimes, if I have to quick product shoot for Alphatracks, I may use my ancient Viking 256mb card, which continues to work flawlessly, despite it’s age. For normal, everyday shooting, however, I prefer to use my 4 or 8 GB cards. But all my old CF cards are still functional, even after years of heavy use.

So the answer is that I don’t think you can wear out a memory card just be erasing and reusing it; at least not in either of our lifetimes.

Having said that, that doesn’t mean that memory cars are indestructible. Damage, manufacturing defects and careless handling can cause an individual card to go bad. If you are experiencing frequent data loss with a particular card, I would discontinue using it. Memory cards have become quite affordable, so it doesn’t make sense to risk capturing your precious images to a memory card that might be corrupt.

Before discarding the card, you could try reformatting it. All digital cameras offer the option to either erase or format memory cards. When you simply erase images, the images are removed from the card’s directory, but the data remains on the card until it is overwritten. The card’s file system and directory are untouched. If something corrupted the file system, or bad data is stored somewhere on the card, that corruption will remain even after erasing the card.

Formating wipes all the data from the card and installs a shiny new file system. It tales slightly more time and it removes all the data even if it is marked protected. Most cameras allow you to protect images on a card so they cannot be accidentally erased. Formatting ignores any protection and eliminates everything. So if I had an unreliable memory card, the first thing I would do is reformat it.

I don’t know how experienced you are or how you handle your memory cards. The following suggestions are fairly common knowledge and you may already know about these precautions. For what it’s worth, I will include them here as for those who need a refresher course on the care and feeding of their camera’s storage memory.

Always turn your camera off when removing or inserting a card. Removing or adding a card in a live camera can cause electrical arcs that can cause data loss.

Always store memory cards in a protective case.

Take care of your cards. Don’t throw them loose in your camera bag or pocket. Get a protective case and store your cards in the case when they are not in use.

Don’t fill your memory cards to capacity. With a fresh card, your camera is free to write data anywhere it wishes in all that empty space. As the card becomes filled, however, the camera needs to shoehorn new data into out-of-the-way locations on the card. There is a greater potential of data corruption with a card crowded with images.

Don’t erase or format the card from the computer, always use the camera’s own erase and format controls. I learned this tip when I started using memory cards, and I have never deviated from it. Many software programs do offer the ability to erase the card after you upload images. The way I see it, computers have a more complex file system than a dSLR, as they need to read a variety of disk formats, including CDs, DVDs and file servers. In contrast, your camera only has to read and write to a single device: a memory card. This means your dSLR is probably more precise than your computer when writing to a card. So you can avoid glitches by letting your camera format the card exactly the way it expects to store the data.

Buy top quality cards. As I mentioned, the prices of memory cards continue to fall, so it makes little sense to try to save money by buying a no-name card. Watch for sales and buy SanDisk, Lexar, Sony or other brand name cards.

I hope this helps. If formating doesn’t make the card reliable, I would stop using it immediately. New cards are inexpensive, so there is no need to play Russian-roulette with your precious images!