Ken Rockwell doesn’t like the Sony A55
That review will start a huge discussion on SonyAlphaRumors and elsewhere. After getting tons of positive reviews the Sony A55 camera gets completely “blamed” by the “famous” blogger Ken Rockwell (he usually tests Leica-Nikon-Cony stuff only). He analyzed the pure “photographic” aspects of the camera and came to the conclusion that “I wouldn’t buy one of these, but that’s just me. If you want something similar to a DSLR, but with better video, 10 frames per second and great GPS tagging, check this out. I’m all about photography, not gimmicks like crummy video or GPS.”
And:”Image quality is poor, because the A55 lacks some very important image adjustments.” and “Sony could have been brilliant, and made this camera silent. Nope, even without a flipping mirror, the Sony A55 is at least as noisy, and has at least as much sharpness-robbing mechanical vibration as a conventional SLR.”…”Steady Shot doesn’t work as well as VR or IS.”
What’s good? Exposure, AF is good, Ergonomics.
Read his review because he added tons of arguments against the camera. read carefully and please argument why you do or do not agree with his review!
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Alex
2 years ago |Rokwell bashes Sony because it gets more page views and ad click. Stay away.
A850user
2 years ago |ur right. I am visiting it for the first time. Who appointed him as a Camera reviewer? I even saw a Ipod Touch review there. He is definitely not a serious reviewer. looks like he review gadgets which is more likely to get page hits.
this is the most funniest statement – “I’m all about photography, not gimmicks like crummy video or GPS.”. Then why bother reviewing gadgets? Go out a take pics man!
Jack_Young
2 years ago |Who cares?
I own one, that counts.
Sky_walker
2 years ago |Noone cares and everyone know that Rockwell isn’t serious photographer nor reviewer, but… yet still his website is very well SEO positioned (between many thanks to sites like SAR which link to his reviews) so lots of people new to photography read this stuff thinking it’s made by serious pro photographer…. makes me sad sometimes.
Q
2 years ago |after reading that propaganda, its no wonder so many canon and nikon users are so up them selves with photography, the word professional is thrown around so loosely it loses all credibility.
I dont know about anyone else, but I find it remarkably strange how someone who uses professional bodies and refers to them so often, cannot figure out how to warm and cool the colour temp unless there is a dedicated function for it?
To me, THAT is a gimicky feature, one that a pro would not need to use…
I noticed a hostile tone from that piece, it felt like an aggressively defensive reply to what the majority think of the new Sony stuff against his beloved ‘pro’ bullshit
Matt
2 years ago |Ken Rockwell is a laughing stock, who cares what he thinks anyway?
ginello
2 years ago |Ken Rockwell e’ una sega.
ChenAlan
2 years ago |Give Ken a budget of only 850 USD to buy a camera body that can shoot 10 fps for a sports shoot… lets see what that jerk shows up with.
the lenses we’ll provide assuming he can get the camera first.
shamb
2 years ago |He does his color balancing *in camera* and then cries about Sony not letting him do it like a pro camera?
I guess pro photographers don’t ‘take RAW images and thus stop worrying about white balance altogether’.
Pros like Ken must stick to JPEG because of all the advantages it gives; ‘Gee – I can see my picture straightaway in a browser, and get loads more of them on my 512K memory stick!’.
00aeiou00
2 years ago |forget him! that article was written from someone on the defense. in his world view, nothing but canikon can be professional, regardless of evidence pointing to sony. Thats not to say the a55 is built for professionals, the a77 will be. However the a55 is great at what it does for the price it costs, and thats why everyone except him loves it! Wow, its kind of sad to see him so unbiased, I wont be returning to his site again.
J
Din
2 years ago |”Image quality is poor…
That was the best part…
john
2 years ago |” and “Sony could have been brilliant, and made this camera silent. ”
Last I checked nobody has global shutter with cmos sensor.
Probably another 3 to 5 years away.
john
2 years ago |“The A55 is a nice taste of what cameras might become in a few years when Nikon and Canon offer professional models with pellicle mirrors.”
LMAO
In a few years PDAF on sensor wild be the norm and no mirrors will be required.
ChenAlan
2 years ago |Assuming Sony patented the idea (and system on how it’s done), no other camera brand can copy for the next 20 years. Canikon must either jump ahead or stay behind.
john
2 years ago |I thought the limit on patents was 7 years?
Well so far CaNikon have not tipped their hand on even a mirrorles offering and continue to turn out the “same old same old” OVF DSLR.
Sony being the electronic giant they are, are leading the way and would hope they continue to do so.
I’m still waiting for a true DIGITAL ILC = no mechanical parts from the front element of the lens to the file output.
Hopefully we’ll see one in 5 years.
Sky_walker
2 years ago |Both Canon (pellice mirror) and Nikon (inverted half-transculent mirror) have their patents in the area taken by SLT currently. Nikon solution is most similar to Sony (it’s like if you’d put PDAF sensor on bottom of camera instead of top), but looking at both companies quickness in getting to mirrorless market – I doubt we’d see anything serious in 2011.
Eric
2 years ago |I really wish people would stop promoting his site. While he will occasionally make a good point, they are outnumbered 10-1 by poor advice. Not even Nikon guys like him. He is potentially harmful to first time buyers because he turns up on the first page of google when you search any Nikon product. Besides, I’ve never seen a good photo by him. I don’t trust reviews from either tech sites or bad photographers. I value the opinion of Steve Huff and Chase Jarvis (even though Nikon pays him) far more than KR. Of course at this point lens reviews are all I care about, I like to think I can choose a body on my own.
George
2 years ago |I have read Ken Rockwell’s blog for quite some time. It can be entertaining and informative. However, in this case I think he is letting his personal bias get in the way of a truly professional review. That the pictures from the A55 are “too blue” for his taste is not surprising. Anyone who has read his blog knows that he loves to crank up the saturation in his Nikons and Canons all the way up. Color is somewhat a matter of taste and I find his pictures usually too rosy; with a somewhat artificial color. I also find his statements of the sharpness of the images surprising after David Kilpatrick stated “This camera produces pictures with the same sharpness than a Contax G or a Leica M can achieve, given a steady grip and a good lens.” He also consistently compares the Alpha 55 with the Nikon D7000 which costs twice as much. One must always weigh anyone’s personal review with a grain of salt, or in this case a boulder.
Thundercats
2 years ago |I sold my A700 and NEX-5 to get the A580 while I wait for the claimed A700 replacement. I also tried the A33 along the way and came away quite impressed. I’m no pro, just an average guy taking photos and video clips of outings with family and friends.
The current SLT bodies would be my top choice for overall convenience. I am sure Sony’s marketing research has found a lot of people similar to me. Sure I miss the magnesium alloy body of the A700 and NEX-5, the second control wheel and quick Navi, but I have learned to adjust to the 580. The picture quality is awesome. I am terrible at MF for video. That is why I prefer the A33…also regret selling the NEX-5 for its portability.
Lonnie Shull
2 years ago |So Ken doens’t review a Sony since the A100 and then is confused on where to find WB adjustments? And yes Ken, you can tweak the WB. You simply have to go to “Custom White Balance”. Anyway who gives a rip since is there any pro level photographer that DOESN’T set white balance in post processing?!?!
George, I agree with your take of the review 100%.
Here’s what I do know. We bought my wife a NEX5 for Christmas. When we were in our local shop, the said they had been sold out of the A55 for weeks, and didn’t expect any in before the first of the year. Nuff said.
pnpbios
2 years ago |Well, when you shoot everything in jpeg, of course it’s going to look like a hot mess.
Jeff
2 years ago |“Nuff said?” Hardly, you imply that popularity equals quality.
Economy cars far outsell luxury cars, does that make them better too?
Give your head a shake, fanboy.
Jeff
2 years ago |Ken Rockwell was a know-nothing douche long before this review. That doesn’t mean that this “camera” isn’t just a toy; it is.
Lose/lose.
Almazar80
2 years ago |Actually, if Sony users decided to donate to Ken Rockwell, I’m pretty sure his tone will change.
He’s entitled to his opinion and what he finds fault with, it’s probably because he’s used to a certain way of doing things and does not want to deviate from that. Some of his points have merit, but in general he has a lack of objectivity that would eliminate hom from the list of serious reviewers. Not all his comments are bad though. The A55, while a great camera, can be improved. What camera can’t stand improvement?
Ezio
2 years ago |why make an entire review on a point of “What camera can’t stand improvement?” Every camera, and every lens can stand improvement, we all know this. He is paid by Canon and Nikon to write this review.
Jason
2 years ago |You don’t even need to bother reading this guy’s blog. This dude does not qualify for commenting on cameras in any way. Noticed it’s “bla”, and not review! Just whole bunch of bsing.
Brett
2 years ago |As it’s already been said, it’s all about making money. And the internet has created the perfect “soap box” for anyone to do that; And controversy creats more interest and “hits” = “money”
I read one review of the A850 (I own), and the reviewer critisized the LCD for being too bright, and included that as a “con”! Well someone at Sony decided that the default brightness was right for them, but all you do is adjust it to your “personal” taste. This is not a negative, but I guess he needed more “cons” for his conclusion, to justify his final view. However, I do think 1 review does not have a great impact. Most people will read multiple reviews.
SirWired
2 years ago |I started completely ignoring him after reading an article where he announced that FILTERS, of all things, were the most important piece of photographic equipment. Not lenses, not the body, but the filters you screw on the front. And you should pick lenses because their filter diameter matches what you already have…
Now, polarizers, grads, and ND filters have their place, but it’s a bit of a stretch to say they are more important for picture quality than any other piece of equipment. Maybe in the slide days this was true, but it certainly isn’t for digital.
Sergio
2 years ago |I visit Ken’s site from time to time just to see what stuff he comes up with but in the 5 or so years I first came across his site I have very rarely seen him even mentioned the Sony Alphas. So I’m really surprised to see him review the a55. I would think the a580 would be a better camera to review for purely stills. He probably couldn’t resist the buzz around Sony’s SLT’s.
This is also coming from a guy that only shoots JPEGs because he thinks shooting raw is a waste of time and as someone else mentioned, likes to crank up the saturation. I’ve seen him contradict himself often so take anything he says with a grain of salt.
alex
2 years ago |seems you don´t know how to read well.. KR´s site is all about landscape-still-photograhy, and yes, for landscape-stills, most of the time, you need to use filters, baby..both with analog or digital..
Jesse
2 years ago |Ken Rockwell, you just ashamed humanity once more…
Thumbs down for you Ken Rockwell, Thumbs Down… =(
evo
2 years ago |Ken Rockwell doesn’t know a thing. He just put all his personal feelings into the “REVIEWS”. I wouldn’t consider those are reviews but journals on using a specific lens.
Even for Nikon stuff, he points out that the Nikon 28-300mm is the best lens for FX, but in fact he didn’t even do shot comparison on other lenses.
His stuffs are all garbage for serious photographer. If you are buying camera/lens for quality, stay away from his “REVIEWS”.
Pieter
2 years ago |Kenn is famous for blunt comments bases on what he like or not. He is not known for well balanced, wel funded opinions. If it is not a Nikon or a Canon, he most of the time hates it.
WT21
2 years ago |I thought it was a fair review.
I agree with his ergonomics conclusions (I handled the a33 in store and walked away). It’s a shame if he’s right that you can’t clear the LCD view of information if you want.
I did scratch my head on his color claims, though. Even if true, there is so much more to this camera, that some pp on color would be worth it if you wanted everything else.
His VERY subjective and unexplained “I don’t like the images” points are well taken and fair from his perspective, but not useful to his readers, IMO.
Still, he had some good points. I’m still interested in this series, but I think I’ll wait till the next iteration.
Vlad
2 years ago |If you take this review completely out of context and put it behind the name of Average Joe, it would then maybe be fair. But, to call himself a professional (for which, I would really like to see some good images, because I am sorry, but on his website it is mostly so-so stuff) and write this and also, like Knurd said (in the comment below), “coming from a guy who’s gear of choice is an 18-200mm on a D40x”. It just doesn’t stand.
And “Image quality is poor, because the A55 lacks some very important image adjustments.”. What the f does that even mean? If you don’t have some adjustments, worst case scenario you won’t be able to take some types of photos. How does that make the image quality worse?
frodo
2 years ago |Hi WT21 , actually you CAN clear the information that appear on the LCD or EVF if you want! (I have the A55)
either turning off the Demo and Help menus at the main menu… and also with the “Disp” button you can toggle between all the info he talks about, pressing again will give you the histogram and once again will give you clear view of the LCD and EVF with nothing on it. soo….hard to believe he missed that! or he didn’t spend that much time with the camera to play around with it.
I was surprise to see a Big list of negatives…. which is fine..since there are negatives but for him to put as a negative that the camera came with a couple of stickers…WTF…?(considering all my cameras in the past were Nikon and all of them came with stickers too) i found it ridiculous to say the least!
I Really have to agree the Battery is perhaps the major flow of the Camera.
but by a long shot these camera is better than anything i owned before.. so i am happy with it.
Larry
2 years ago |I generally like critical reviews and find them more informative that reviews that are only positive (for instance, I learned a lot from Thom Hogan’s NEX review and, even though many thought it was negative, it actual inclined me more towards the camera).
But this review is just silly. Too many stickers? Beep on by default? If someone thinks that these are negatives against a camera system it makes it very difficult to know whether the more substantive claims (insufficient control of white balance) can be taken seriously.
Sky_walker
2 years ago |Wait… the A55 beeps by default?! OOOHHHHH NOOOoooooo….!!!!!!! WE ARE ALL DOOOMED!!!! Let’s move to Nikon quickly!
knurd
2 years ago |Huh…this coming from a guy who’s gear of choice is an 18-200mm on a D40x? Coo-coo coo-coo
Karel Anker
2 years ago |I always thought Ken was a kind of clown.. But now I know for sure.
knurd
2 years ago |Sorry, forgot to mention that I got my A55 last week and I don’t notice all the glitches or “poor image quality” that KR is talking about. He obviously went into the review with either extremely high expectations (always comparing it to D7000) or he’s just a moron. So far I love my A55 and am glad I switched from Nikon.
Ezio
2 years ago |Honestly SAR, you do no favors to new photographers who might buy Sony by posting stuff like this on your own site. KR dosn’t need more ad money, his reviews are bull, and do some justice for your fellow SAR fans and your community.
acolyte
2 years ago |To be slightly blunt and subjective, yes this lowers the quality of SAR by posting posts that are not critically relevant to its readers. It raises awareness of those who doesn’t like Sony α, but does not help in terms of understanding what are the non-cosmetic downsides to Sony α.
Bob
2 years ago |His continual comments concerning “it just does not match up to Nikon Canon illustrates, to me a real unfair bias. I would prefer DXOMark side by side between the a55 and D7000. With color depth of .5 difference and dynamic range of 1.5 difference and a price difference of $500.00 more for the D7000 with ony 6fps for the D7000 vs 10fps for the Sony. I would believe there is not that much difference ergo the constant compant of WB adjustments and some typew of color fringe at extremely high magnification. To say the anti-shake system in Nikon is better – why. Can you use aftermarket lens that are rated very high on a Nikon and get anti-shake or must one pay a premium for Nikon lens. Just several thoughts.
Real wish someone would give an honest review without their bias showing in such blatant ways
This review reminds me of a Niknon owner who asked me what type of lens I had. When I responded a Sony 70-400mm G zoom. His statement was “Gee, I thought Sony only made crappy cameras. Did know they made crappy lens too.
ChenAlan
2 years ago |You should whack his head with the 70-400G – would probably not even get scratched (a testament to the quality of the build) and knock the asshole into his senses.
2 birds with 1 stone.
alex
2 years ago |funny, to see, how the sony fanboys go berserk from this review..
KR is both positive and negative about the a55/a33..
he says, this is a look in the future, and he is very positive avout the EVF and all it´s merits..
however, and he has a point here, the menu structure, and the gimmicks are indeed not very usefull to the serious photographer..
interesting to see was also his comments about the WB-settings, and the adjustability of this, and what is more concerning to me is, the purple fringing and the lack of adjustment overall..(not only mentioned by KR btw..)
in my opinion, the slt series are not that bad, but one should consider, that this system has it flaws too..
just like any other system has..
Ezio
2 years ago |a perfectly good photo taken out of a camera needs no in camera adjustments, nor does it need post processing. And certain publications in the world accepts nothing other than the untouched RAW file from the cam, such as the prestigious National Geographic. I’d say Nikon and Canon’s in camera editing is a gimmik, something for them to hide the flaws in their camera systems.
KaiserX
2 years ago |The guy’s an idiot. He complains about beeps and stickers? Those are some of his issues? Really? What a D-BAG. This jack-hole should not have been reviewing a Sony camera in the first place because he can’t get over the rose farts of his precious Nikons and Cannons.
Milos Janata
2 years ago |“Beeps are on by default, typical for a hobby camera.”
Well, it is a hobby/consumer camera isn’t it?
He wanted to review it as a semi-pro camera.
acolyte
2 years ago |semi-pro? huh? If it’s semi pro then we A700 users may be all over it already. There’s a reason we’re not..
Milos Janata
2 years ago |Exactly, but he expected semi-pro features… maybe expecting a77 as we do
alex
2 years ago |i don´t care, if it beeps or not, mostly it is the first thing i throw off a camera, but can you explain me, why a sony a55 without a mirror jumping up and down, makes more noise than a classic dslr d7000? (and i don´t care about how much the d7000 costs more than an a55..)
Milos Janata
2 years ago |For me A55 was not loud.. but A580 was.
Q
2 years ago |Can you tell me why a Nikon D7000 pro level camera that replaces their D300s flagship, can’t shoot at 10fps, shoot video with PDAF and come at such a cheaper price than a low mid level Sony A55?
I wish anyone who whinges and harps on about the small minor subjective bad points of the camera come out with an equally jubilant praise for all the unique and class leading features it does have too.
Milos Janata
2 years ago |No idea men.. Sony owns Nikon at these..
Sky_walker
2 years ago |It doesn’t make more noise than classic DSLR, it’s roughly equal… depends to which DSLR you compare it, I haven’t got a chance to put my hands on D7000 but it’s more quiet than D5000.
Noise comes from shutter.
alex
2 years ago |pretty silly reply from you, because when a nex or a55 is better in a review than canikon, and any canon or nikon is thrashed by any reviewer, you and many other sony-fanatics, are the first ones to put out the flag, and say, it was a good review..LMAO..
alex
2 years ago |@ Q:
since when is a d7000 a pro level camera?
even a d700 isn´t yet a pro-level camera to nikon standards… the pro-level nikons are d3s and d3x..
canon makes 1dsmkIII and 1dmkIV series pro-level-cameras..
i don´t see any alpha wich comes close to this.. even the a900 doesn´t match this.. to narrow usability, for wide-spread pro-level use.. maybe good for studio, landscape and weddingphotography, but not for press-photography, or harsh conditions in all kinds of weather..
nothing wrong with the a33/a55, but more some kind of hobby-camera for moms and dads, who want to take nice pics of their kids, playing soccer..and take snappies of their holidays.. nothing wrong ´bout that, but let´s be reasonable, and don´t make this camera better than it is..
batterylife sucks, that is because the evf needs power all the time,and together with the suckiesuckie small batteries, it runs flat before you know it.. the small kiddo-grip is the ultimate non-ergonomic issue on this cam.. try this one out, with a heavy g-lens.. it will rock your world..
Sky_walker
2 years ago |Pro camera doesn’t have to have 10 FPS and super-high ISO. Check at medium fromat cameras – these have ~1 FPS and ISO top 800.
A900 is a pro camera, just directed to studio photography, while Canikon counterparts are more for street/wedding/press.
Q
2 years ago |So according to Nikon standards, the D7000 and even the D700 isn’t a pro level camera.
Also, from Canon only the 1dsmkIII and 1dmkIV are pro’s so when someone like Ken Rokwell compares the humble little A55 to professional canikon gear, he is comparing the humble A55 to the likes of D3s, D3x and that Canon pair?
That is mighty praise and such wonderful company for a camera meant for “moms and dads”, pack your bag son and send our best wishes to the rest of the nikon fan boys worried it’s becoming increasingly difficult to justify their purchases.
Dave J
2 years ago |While I agree with him with couple things, a lot negatives that he mentioned are real jokes.
It seems that his attitude towrad the camears is that if he does not like them for whatever reason, they must suck for everyone in this planet. Wrong.
alex
2 years ago |this was for kaiserx btw..
Rob
2 years ago |I agree with him on a couple of things even though I really like my a55.
1. Steady Shot is not as good as IS in the lens. It’s still pretty good and it give some nice flexibility when choosing lenses.
2. Why is it as loud as it is? I’ve always wondered that. If you removed the mirror slap from other SLR’s they would be MUCH quieter. It does seem to have as much vibration as well which could be a problem for landscapes.
The other things seem to be just either nit picking or whiny.
Sky_walker
2 years ago |And where from did you came out with a vibration theory?
rc.d
2 years ago |I’ve never heard this chaps name before… Who the hell is he?
After scanning through his article I have the feeling that I haven’t missed much by not knowing him
The review is not really well-funded and he puts to much personal feelings in this. Sounds like he hates Sony just for bringing such a thing as a SLT before Canon/Nikon.
I’m not a fan of the A33/A55 because I personally think the OVF is more comfortable than the EVF and I want a bigger camera body but the his review is just ridiculous!
Mark
2 years ago |The fact that he’s constantly comparing it to a D7000, which is £400 more in the UK (body only) and then finding that, surprise surprise, it isn’t as good, and he makes such bone-headed comments about the colour, and won’t shoot in raw, makes me think this is not a useful review.
David Kilpatrick’s review is much more useful: http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2010/12/11/alpha-55-in-depth-pros-and-cons/
George
2 years ago |I also see where he pans the Sony 18-250mm zoom. Other reviews that I have read seem to think that this is a very good lens. Is there any credibility in his assessment or is he just venting against Sony?
FreeRadical09
2 years ago |Usually I take what Rockwell writes with a 2 kilograms bag of salt.
I’ve read other reviews of the A55 and they pretty much clash with what Rockwell say. Even though I have not had the chance to try the A55 yet, his complaints about the stickers and the beeps are just insane. The D90 that he so much praises has an even louder beep than the A700…
His complaint about the color are just coo coo as well, but that is just because he likes his pictures with a radioactive orange tinge to them, so anything less is too blue and bad for him.
Unfortunately, Rockwell contradicts himself more often than not.
I agree on some points he says, but mostly about composition and about photography as a craft, because on the technical side sometimes he just goes off the cliff.
His review of the A55 went too far, he sounded more like a spoilt 14 year old child that is complaining because the thing won’t work as he wants it (basically like a Nikon).
I’ve never used his ad links to support his site, and after this, I shall keep not clicking them, even though I was considering on doing so next time I purchased something (before his “review” of the A55).
Sorry Ken, but this time you really went too far, if your critics ever needed a proof of how insane and cotradictory you are, this is it.
mochapaulo
2 years ago |I have some limited experience of this camera. I am not going to buy it but I still want to know is the camera still suffering from the overheat issue when shooting movie over 5 minutes?
Pkillur
2 years ago |I just shot a 12 minute video on Christmas day, in a 71 degree house and the camera didn’t really even feel that warm.
REVENGE
2 years ago |Good points about how Sony’s in-camera adjustments and direct from camera JPEGs are still inferior to those of Nikon and Canon. Other than that, the rest of his points are biased, some are just bull.
dk
2 years ago |Even the Nikon users don’t take this clown seriously. Why on earth he appears on this site?
David
2 years ago |I agree with Ken…
I’m sorry. I had an Alpha 700 and it was great. I have a Sony Alpha 850 and I will never give it up I love it so much…
But Ken Rockwell is right. Sony doesn’t give a shit anymore about creating high quality digital cameras. The A33 and A55 are a joke. I’ve listened to the moderator of this site give high props to these very mediocre quality toy cameras and I have to say…enough if enough. NEX-5? So what, who cares? Sony Alpha 33 and Alpha 55? Who cares? These are toys and not very good ones. Even the Alpha 580 is a toy. The viewfinder is crap, it feels like a toy when you hold it, and it doesn’t even have a pentaprism. It’s a joke. That’s why if I do end up getting an APS-C DSLR, it’s going to be a Pentax K-5 or maybe even an Alpha 700 as well so that way I’ll have at least one body I can swap lenses with between full-frame and APS. But no way in hell am I ever going to be interested in a Sony digital camera ever again unless they ditch this ridiculous toy camera charade and start giving us cameras we can be proud to own and use.
Alex
2 years ago |Sony still make the A900 and the A850 so your argument doesn’t make sense.
acolyte
2 years ago |And they’re speaking their commitment on the next version of FF.
Adam Maas
2 years ago |The correct term is ‘consumer-oriented’, not toy.
If you’re expecting an A700 or K-5 equivalent from a 3 or 5 series body, you are the one with the issue, not Sony. Anything below a 7 series is simply not intended to compete in the high end. There’s a reason why the A580 was introduced at a price nearly half of the A700 and why it doesn’t offer the build or specs of a 7 series.
The A33 and A55 are compete hits for Sony, the first good compact DSLR’s we’ve seen from Sony. And the A55 at least is selling like hotcakes.
If you’re looking for an A700 replacement or K-5 equivalent from Sony, you’ll have to wait until the spring when the new 7 series body is expected. And you will be seeing something far better built and more capable than the A33/A55 or the A580.
Zdrobot
2 years ago |>> I’ve listened to the moderator of this site give high props to these very mediocre quality toy cameras and I have to say…enough if enough.
And of course you’re above explaining what exactly makes them “very mediocre quality toy cameras”?
acolyte
2 years ago |Ah of course.. very mediocre quality toy cameras.. when compared to the thousands-of-dollars cameras.. Some people just have too much money, you know?
Zdrobot
2 years ago |1) For somebody whose mantra is “camera is not important” he surely pays attention to details like custom WB adjustment;
2) “images out of this A55 don’t look as good as what I get out of my Canons and Nikons”? I’ve seen pictures from a55, they look good. So show me some proof of what you’re saying, otherwise it’s just another “i simply don’t like it” from a guy who is known for his unusual tastes.
acolyte
2 years ago |For 2), that sounds like a no-no. It’s fine to speak your opinion, but to increase the quality of the review, they should support their case and give critical evidence. It would be more helpful to the photographers as well when comparing.
And again, yeah, if he uses A55 with lens kit with Canon 1Ds with ZEs, I can see why
Zdrobot
2 years ago |Well, “i simply don’t like it” IS his opinion. Just that, nothing less, nothing more – unless he can substantiate it.
That was exactly my point.
Les
2 years ago |Ken Rockwell (as with Thom Hogan) seems to endorse everything Nikon, and is ambivalent about Canon.
He is negative about other camera kit, and this should be borne in mind when reading his words about the Sony A55.
Rahul
2 years ago |So KR isn’t the most consistent or unbiased of all photographers. Is a lay visitor to this site then supposed to take words from SAR regulars as gospel truth ? As for KR and Thom endorsing Nikon – I think the endorsement comes after using the equipment a lot, not making up their mind reading reviews on the web and deciding which is better after not even hold the other equipment in their hand. Fanboyism is not cool.
Btw, KR’s recommended cameras does include Canons – 5DII stands high up (and that proves he’s ambivalent about Canon right, and a lot of Canon P&S ( no Nikons there – biased you say ? ). You also seem to ignore that KR did write there are nice things about the Sony , like the EVF and fast shooting with AF.
To me it is an interesting concept, as eliminating the need for mirror to flip up makes shooting rates a lot faster, but it still needs some maturing esp EVFs refresh rate and resolution (getting better, yes thankfully). Maybe they will make OVFs obsolete, but that’s some years away.
acolyte
2 years ago |The interesting thing is, EVF and fast shooting is something that’s subjective. Image quality and such, is something you have to at least provide comparison, or evidence, before you strongly make a claim. Otherwise, it ticks people off. While there are some nice stuff mentioned in the review, but the author does downplay it :s
Chris
2 years ago |they only write controversial articels on their website to get traffic!!!!
who would have cared if he gave the sony a55 a good review.. there are already tons of reviews done ages ago.
Rodney Swemba
2 years ago |Why does everyone always compare the A33/A55 with Cannon’s in a different class to make their arguments. Should be comparing with EOS Rebels….On another note…
The Sony A33/A55 is THE BEST entry level Camera for VIDEO. If you only have 1000 bucks and you want to shoot video with an SLR and a lens it is simply the best.
FreeRadical09
2 years ago |If he had given a good review to the A55, Nikon users would have labeled it as the definitive proof of how crazy he is and the rest of the world would have been shocked that such a figure actually liked a Sony camera.
It probably would have boosted A55 sales a bit more, but let’s be honest, how much could you expect from a man who is a closet Nikon fanboy?
What I still can’t grasp is why he expected a non Nikon camera to behave like a Nikon in the first place.
I also wish my colleague’s D90 was as easy to navigate through as my A700 in the menu department, but it isn’t. Whenever I grab that camera, I got to work my way around it because it’s not a Sony and I can’t expect it to behave as one.
The nail that sealed the coffin is the fact that he didn’t post a single shot of comparison against the D7000 anywhere. Usually he posts pictures of everything he came across during his trips but this time not a single photo to save his life.
Weird, eh?
Zdrobot
2 years ago |>> The nail that sealed the coffin is the fact that he didn’t post a single shot of comparison against the D7000 anywhere.
- Exactly
KingPen
2 years ago |why they always trying hard to compare Nikon,canon to sony. Are they scared that sony will again became success to take them down. Well let us see 3 more years, it’s no difference when SOny take charge in gaming technology. Now it is a DSLR Challenge.
Mafiosito
2 years ago |boring… Canon and Nikon bias getting old
Sony making awesome cameras, Image quality is awesome. My first sony a330 make me switch from Nikon, I snapped shots that my friend owning a Nikon d700 was jaleous of… it’s the photographer not the camera but I agree iso noise and others pointed he had more usable pics after a session. Sony a55 image quality is awesome, looking foward replace my a700. Sony getting low end market first establish a solid market before getting into advanced models… if the A55 is camera toy but has all those awesome features can’t wait to see how terrific the a7xx / A77 is going to be
acolyte
2 years ago |@ KP & Mafio
It’s called pride. Canikon have a long history. Saying Sony is catching up and is a competitor on the same level is unthinkable (I forgot the English word – but yeah)
WilliamLeong
2 years ago |unfathomable?
Froo
2 years ago |To be fair to Rockwell, he was an ignorant asshat even when writing hyperbole about Nikon, so no surprises here. What never ceases to amaze me is how many followers he has, because he isn’t that much of a photographer. I mean, why pay attention to someone who isn’t even good?
acolyte
2 years ago |Because he speaks what you want to hear (no, not us. Them.)
sgts
2 years ago |Ken is the sarah palin of photography
SVOR
2 years ago |Though Ken Rockwell’s bias is obvious he makes many valid points that Sony could usefully pay attention to. I decided not to buy the Alpha 55 though I am a very happy R1 user looking for an upgrade.
In no particular order I agree with KR that:
a) cluttering the viewfinder image area with graphics AND not being able to switch them off betrays a P&S mentality. Close study of DPReview suggests that they don’t even use the full display anyway. Missed opportunity?
b) covering the product in blingy stickers is one of Sony’s least endearing habits.
c) a massive opportunity was lost by failing to control the noise of the shutter (can’t comment on the vibration). In fact an even bigger opportunity was lost because the sensor strategy is not (yet) aligned to the 33/55 and NEX cameras. If Sony had readied a CMOS global shutter solution for these launches they would have really stepped ahead of the competition, making their cameras silent and giving proper synchronised shuttering for video.
KR in my view flattered the viewfinder which for the want of a little more effort could have been good; why didn’t Sony anti-alias the graphics? Those jaggy lines just serve to remind us that we are not looking at the real thing. The ability to see the image in low light comes with low frame rate flicker and image noise, unavoidable of course but still a reminder of the limitations of the technology.
In the interest of balance, I believe this is an innovative camera and the sensor performance no longer trails Canon but in the end I agree with KR it is vital for Sony to remember that this customer at least aspires to be photographer rather than a gadget freak.
sora3
2 years ago |I have a a33 which is slightly less than the a55 and I have to say, moving up from the a200 to this one was leaping from a small beginner car to a dedicated sports cars. And I haven’t encountered any issues that this ‘reviewer’ had. Besides, I would have liked him to compare RAW and JPEG instead of rabbiting on about some small issues. Sure the JPEG is worse compared to Nikon. I gave the a33 to one of my Canon friends. Though there were issues, he was impressed with the camera in general.
And I’m a bit annoyed that he keeps saying this is a prosumer camera. It’s not. The prosumers are the a700 and the soon-to-be-released a77(?) which is in a completely different league to the consumer models. To be fair, he should have done an comparison to the Canon EOS 550D or the Nikon D3100 which is the main rivals of the a55. In any case, this is probably version 1 of the SLT. Following versions will be much better and improved with better sensors/AF sensors/bodies etc. So I do think his review is a bit harsh but for someone that’s bluffing, he’s not doing so well.
Chphoto
2 years ago |Why personal opinion of Ken is taken as a deep and personal insult? Most people responding would have even stronger irrational likes. Appears, that Ken’s fault is at being generally useful and hence having a large readership.
That being said, I agree that his comments do not really resonate with me. I am a Nikon D700 user and Sony A55 user. Lets face it, if all you care about is the quality of the image out of the camera you would not end-up with A55.
But life is full of compromises and priorities. Since I already have D700 in my case it is not the cost; but I was looking for everyday walk-around, travel camera. It had to be light, since I am not a mule and do not enjoy carrying 30 lb of photo gear when on vacation. At the same time it needed to shoot good video (to shoot my son) and have good fast focusing/good FPS which is useful in many cases. It seemed like A55 uniquely fit the bill.
But clearly my life is not Ken’s life. Hence we have different priorities.
Zdrobot
2 years ago |>> Lets face it, if all you care about is the quality of the image out of the camera you would not end-up with A55.
If you mean “if all you care about is IQ you would spend big $$$$ on a full frame”, then yes. But why single out a55 and not bash APS-C as a class then?
Otherwise (comparing a55 to other APS-C cameras), please elaborate.
Manxtt12
2 years ago |Who cares… Ken is sponsored by Nikon. What do you expect?
Zdrobot
2 years ago |>> Lets face it, if all you care about is the quality of the image out of the camera you would not end-up with A55.
If you mean “if all you care about is IQ you would spend big $$$$ on a full frame”, then yes. But why single out a55 and not bash APS-C as a class then?
Otherwise (comparing a55 to other APS-C cameras), please elaborate.
Zdrobot
2 years ago |Sorry, replied to the wrong comment
Lensmann
2 years ago |From the review: “Gadgetophiles love this thing, but those people aren’t photographers.”
Michael Reichmann is probably gutted to hear that Ken Rockwell thinks he’s a gadgetophile, not a photographer (and, in response to an email, he actually said that Michael Reichmann was just a computer person and LL just a tech site).