05-03-2011, 08:10 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-03-2011, 08:13 AM by Brightcolours.)
[quote name='outofrangefinder' timestamp='1304366892' post='8006']
Dear fellow pursuers of fine photography,
I am a longtime user of Minolta/Sony (D)SLR equipment and I would still be happy if I wouldn't have taken up wildlife photography. My current combination is a trusty Alpha 700 with the 70-400 G SSM. The latter is a very sharp lens yielding beautiful results in combination with the A700 - provided the AF was fast enough to capture the elusive subjects - especially birds. My camera definitly has no AF issues, but the system shows its age and the 70-400 has the fatal tendency to defocus and refocus slooooowly, especially in difficult lighting, because the A700's fast and precise cross sensor only works at 1:2,8 and higher. The base line: I'm missing too many good shots in the field. I know that Nikon and Canon have both better AF systems. If I bought, say, a Canon 7D with a 100-400 - I read the recent test and IMHO it should offer a similarly high image quality as the 70-400 G - would this system be significantly better suited to wildlife photography? The other (and cheaper) option would be to wait for autumn and Sonys mirrorless A77, but I am not sure whether an electronic viewfinder would be helpful in wildlife photography and it is not sure whether the A77 will have a better AF system. I shoot the A700 up to ISO 800, sometimes up to 1600.
Thanks in advance for your valuable input!
[/quote]
It is mostly the lens that makes the Canon 100-400mm faster focussing, not so much the A700 being slower. The f2.8 "precision" AF sensors are not faster, just try to be more accurate. So it is not that either, and it is the same for every manufacturer.
The A700 has a very accurate AF system, but as you noticed, Sony is not the preferred choice when AF speed is needed, especially AF tracking speed. How much the A77 will improve on that, no one can tell yet. The A55v is not very impressive in that department.
So.. yes, the switch from Sony 70-400 to Canon 100-400mm will make a big difference in AF tracking speed. But will you be able to get used to push-pull zoom? Maybe, try it out. The 7D probably will not quite match the A700 AF accuracy every shot, but it will AF faster, so you will have less missed shots for sure.
The 7D is very usable at higher ISO's too, so that should not be a concern.
Oh, by the way, the bit smaller and bit cheaper EOS 60D also will be faster in AF tracking, so it also might be an option.
Dear fellow pursuers of fine photography,
I am a longtime user of Minolta/Sony (D)SLR equipment and I would still be happy if I wouldn't have taken up wildlife photography. My current combination is a trusty Alpha 700 with the 70-400 G SSM. The latter is a very sharp lens yielding beautiful results in combination with the A700 - provided the AF was fast enough to capture the elusive subjects - especially birds. My camera definitly has no AF issues, but the system shows its age and the 70-400 has the fatal tendency to defocus and refocus slooooowly, especially in difficult lighting, because the A700's fast and precise cross sensor only works at 1:2,8 and higher. The base line: I'm missing too many good shots in the field. I know that Nikon and Canon have both better AF systems. If I bought, say, a Canon 7D with a 100-400 - I read the recent test and IMHO it should offer a similarly high image quality as the 70-400 G - would this system be significantly better suited to wildlife photography? The other (and cheaper) option would be to wait for autumn and Sonys mirrorless A77, but I am not sure whether an electronic viewfinder would be helpful in wildlife photography and it is not sure whether the A77 will have a better AF system. I shoot the A700 up to ISO 800, sometimes up to 1600.
Thanks in advance for your valuable input!
[/quote]
It is mostly the lens that makes the Canon 100-400mm faster focussing, not so much the A700 being slower. The f2.8 "precision" AF sensors are not faster, just try to be more accurate. So it is not that either, and it is the same for every manufacturer.
The A700 has a very accurate AF system, but as you noticed, Sony is not the preferred choice when AF speed is needed, especially AF tracking speed. How much the A77 will improve on that, no one can tell yet. The A55v is not very impressive in that department.
So.. yes, the switch from Sony 70-400 to Canon 100-400mm will make a big difference in AF tracking speed. But will you be able to get used to push-pull zoom? Maybe, try it out. The 7D probably will not quite match the A700 AF accuracy every shot, but it will AF faster, so you will have less missed shots for sure.
The 7D is very usable at higher ISO's too, so that should not be a concern.
Oh, by the way, the bit smaller and bit cheaper EOS 60D also will be faster in AF tracking, so it also might be an option.