One more question re used SLRs (vs “SLTs”)

[pdq]

Bumping this topic one last time (hopefully).

So, to recap, I have a old 1st gen Sony Alpha DSLR whose mirror is funky, but a couple of Sony lenses in good shape. I’m thinking about buying a newer (but still used) Sony body that can use the same lenses (which I’ve semi-confirmed is true). Would like to spend under $200. Not professional by any means, not planning on upgrading further in the future.

I’ve been looking at the bottom of this wikipedia page. I was originally thinking versions of the same line that my A100 started (like the A55, 57, or 58), but then started looking (on eBay) at the next step up (like an A65) which can be found for similar if not lower prices on eBay.

Anyway, my main question for you knowledgable sorts: apparently the A6x series is an “SLT” which has a non-moving mirror (a translucent or “pellicle” mirror) which (it seems to me) is one less moving part to go bad. But you lose a slight amount of light (they say 1/3rd of a stop) and they say these mirrors are thin and delicate, making cleaning precarious.

What say you? Bonus question: yes, tech always marches on, but my sense is that sensor improvement in the last few years has been more evolutionary rather than revolutionary, unless you’re talking about full-frame sensors (which I don’t want). True?

[archipirata]

I have the A65 SLT and have used it as a secondary camera for years to back up my old A900 SLR and more recently my A99ii SLT. It does fit all the A-mount Sony lenses as well as all old Minolta AF lenses as well as many 3rd party A-mount lenses. I have never found the light loss to be noticeable in any way. It's a great camera. The only reason it's my secondary camera is that it's a crop sensor and I prefer full-frame for most of my studio and architectural photography.

[pRICE cUBE]

pdq wrote:
Bumping this topic one last time (hopefully).

So, to recap, I have a old 1st gen Sony Alpha DSLR whose mirror is funky, but a couple of Sony lenses in good shape. I’m thinking about buying a newer (but still used) Sony body that can use the same lenses (which I’ve semi-confirmed is true). Would like to spend under $200. Not professional by any means, not planning on upgrading further in the future.

I’ve been looking at the bottom of this wikipedia page. I was originally thinking versions of the same line that my A100 started (like the A55, 57, or 58), but then started looking (on eBay) at the next step up (like an A65) which can be found for similar if not lower prices on eBay.

Anyway, my main question for you knowledgable sorts: apparently the A6x series is an “SLT” which has a non-moving mirror (a translucent or “pellicle” mirror) which (it seems to me) is one less moving part to go bad. But you lose a slight amount of light (they say 1/3rd of a stop) and they say these mirrors are thin and delicate, making cleaning precarious.

What say you? Bonus question: yes, tech always marches on, but my sense is that sensor improvement in the last few years has been more evolutionary rather than revolutionary, unless you’re talking about full-frame sensors (which I don’t want). True?

Sony being Sony was looking for a way to be different because Nikon and Canon ruled the DSLR world. Their 2 pronged approach was SLT and mirrorless. SLT is an interesting concept and one that might have seen more light of day had Sony's mirrorless line didn't take off. SLT is is in all likelihood a discontinued concept as the last SLT was the A99 in 2016. The last app-c SLT were the A77 II and A 68.

You do lose some light hotting the sensor but you gain no blackout when a DSLR mirror flips up to expose. Does the momentary plot second blackout bother you for most shots. For sports/action it could make a slight difference in framing.

For slower shots you can observe during the exposure process like a 10 second exposure for a streaming waterfall shot using a tripod. Probably not necessary to stare though it as the camera would be on a tripod and you don't want your face to bump the camera.

Video, no this is where things get interesting, the focus using DSLR AF sensors makes the AF accurate unlike mirrorless video cameras of the same era. The A77 II can AF during video mode. Downside is the resolution is 1080p, not 4K. https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-al...t-a77ii/12

Bottom line? Image quality will be fine but will the non flip up mirror be worth the extra money for what advantage it brings? For the extra money, would you be better served buying a M-ILC and an adapter for your existing lenses?

[macphanatic]

I'm with price on this. I think I would look at one of the newer but still a few years old Sony mirrorless bodies and get the Sony A to E adapter. Reviews indicate that this solution works well and you'd get the benefits of the newer tech. I think that Eye AF works on the converted lenses, but would need to confirm. If it does, this makes it a no brainer.

[pRICE cUBE]

macphanatic wrote:
I'm with price on this. I think I would look at one of the newer but still a few years old Sony mirrorless bodies and get the Sony A to E adapter. Reviews indicate that this solution works well and you'd get the benefits of the newer tech. I think that Eye AF works on the converted lenses, but would need to confirm. If it does, this makes it a no brainer.

If your alpha lenses consist of a 18-55 and 55-200 lens combo, sell off the whole system and get an all in one soon on a platform of your choice.

[Gareth]

pdq wrote:
Would like to spend under $200. Not professional by any means, not planning on upgrading further in the future.

I feel like the budget got left out of this conversation. I say go with the A65, keep it simple and stick with what you know. Unless, as pRICE says, you just have the kit lenses, then maybe selling it all and starting over would be a good option.

For under $200, you'd probably be looking at the early NEX series of mirrorless Sony's. I don't know enough about those to give a proper opinion, but they are tiny so things like handling and battery life are going to be wildly different from a DSLR. And, how well those early models really handle the adapters... I don't know. Plus, I think the adapter you'd want is the latest model, the LA-EA5, which is $250 on its own. The earlier adapters had various compromises and limitations.
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support...s/00021281

At this point, I wouldn't step into the Sony mirrorless world unless you're willing to go for at least an A5000/A6000 or better.

[pRICE cUBE]

Gareth wrote:
[quote=pdq]
Would like to spend under $200. Not professional by any means, not planning on upgrading further in the future.

I feel like the budget got left out of this conversation. I say go with the A65, keep it simple and stick with what you know. Unless, as pRICE says, you just have the kit lenses, then maybe selling it all and starting over would be a good option.

For under $200, you'd probably be looking at the early NEX series of mirrorless Sony's. I don't know enough about those to give a proper opinion, but they are tiny so things like handling and battery life are going to be wildly different from a DSLR. And, how well those early models really handle the adapters... I don't know. Plus, I think the adapter you'd want is the latest model, the LA-EA5, which is $250 on its own. The earlier adapters had various compromises and limitations.
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support...s/00021281

At this point, I wouldn't step into the Sony mirrorless world unless you're willing to go for at least an A5000/A6000 or better.

I believe the A58 used is your closest option with the budget parameters https://www.dpreview.com/products/sony/slrs/sony_slta58
It has a newer imaging chip than previous SLT cameras, not quite the latest but should provide good image quality.

[pdq]

Thanks for all of the good advice – I could sell the lenses, but as I mentioned, the mirror mechanism on the A100 body I have doesn’t function quite right, so I think it would be a tough sell, and not some thing I would want to pawn off on someone.

I may look for a good price on an A65 or A58 body. I like the feel of a larger (SLR/SLT) camera for some purposes, and I’ve got the lenses that I can use without adapters.