Hello from UK
Good day all! Followed Snappiness on YouTube for a bit, enjoying the laid back, more reflective style so different to the ever-changing world of modern gear.
I've been round the houses with gear. Shot professionally with a nikon d7200 (fantastic small camera), then Canon with a 5D2 for some technical work, then went hobbyist and have shot with fuji digital, lots of fun film gear and now a fuji X100T (which I love), a konica A4 (fixed 35mm autofocus from a charity shop), the Canon EF (which, confusingly, has an FD mount on a beautiful brass body and is quite rare), a 1930s rolleiflex and my new pride and joy - the Sony A350.
Only had the Sony for a couple of days, but will be using it a lot and hope to share some thoughts on it, being that it has such a unique set of features and a whopping 14mp CCD sensor. So far, though, it is an absolute bargain and my minolta af lenses fit, which was the primary driver to try an alpha camera. The minolta film camera is the original 7000 and it's interesting to see that same drive for innovation continuing through Sony after they acquired the company.
Welcome! Glad to have you join us over here. The community just keeps getting better and better.
Very cool variety of gear. There are quite a few film shooters here (almost everyone, actually) and many on medium format too. I am reading a photography history book right now and it had a section on the Rolleiflex's. Even cooler now that I know a little bit more about them. And just cool to own something from that era of photography. Boy have things changed since then - if they could only see us now 😀
The Sony with Minolta lenses is one of my favorite finds in the last few years. I just passed mine on with reluctance after I decided I couldn't maintain as many systems as I'm attempting to. For me it was between growing the Sony/minolta collection or continuing to explore the Sigma Foveon lineup, and I chose the latter for now. Less convenient cameras, more expensive glass, but it's captured my interest for now and I suppose for a "fun" system that's what matters most.
Anyway, happy to have another photographer here. Share some pics. Share some thoughts.
Foveon cameras are really cool though. I've wanted to try one forever, and got excited after they all had terrible reviews - expecting prices to drop. Sadly, they never really got particularly "cheap" here, unless I missed a window. Clearly they have fans!
Hoping to get out with the beer can 70-210mm on the Sony next week, and see whether that lens lives up to hype. One nice thing about lower MP cameras is you get away with lower quality glass!
Quote from ThePrettyDamned on June 11, 2022, 1:30 pmSpoilerFoveon cameras are really cool though. I've wanted to try one forever, and got excited after they all had terrible reviews - expecting prices to drop. Sadly, they never really got particularly "cheap" here, unless I missed a window. Clearly they have fans!
Hoping to get out with the beer can 70-210mm on the Sony next week, and see whether that lens lives up to hype. One nice thing about lower MP cameras is you get away with lower quality glass!
My beer can is my sharpest lens on my a100 and my Sony a6000 with the LAEA4 adapter. The a6000 has the same APSC sensor as my Pentax K3-ii. My brother has a beer can and a Sony A900 and his lens/setup wasn't as sharp. When I got into pentax, the beer can was my most missed lens. I have the Tokina 20-35 but mine is disappointing. I also have the Minolta AF 28-105 (good), AF 35-70 aka the mini beer can (decent), and a bunch of Minolta af primes (AF and MF). The only lens as sharp as my beer can on my a6000 was oddly my manual focus Vivitar Series 1 28-90.
I always thought it odd that lenses can have variation. I've taken lenses apart and put them back together and it makes no difference. That got me wondering if lens calibration has anything to do with it. The other day I recieved my lens calibration kit in the mail. I'll be curious to know what it reveals once I go through my Pentax gear. I guess what I'm saying is that the beer can lived up to the hype for me, but it didn't for my brother. If it doesn't for you then I'd look into calibrating the lens if you haven't done so.
And welcome!
