Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only)

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

An excellent camera body, very light,but really heavy in quality. Everything is superb, great resolution, exceptional quality of images done in any light, and any kind, indoors or outdoors, great battery life. The thing I love the most about it,is a LCD display which can be rotated in any direction possible. All in all, great product!

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

I've only used this camera for 2 shoots. I'm taking it on safari to Africa. Upgraded from the A55. This camera is much easier to use. It's bigger and heavier and more stable in my hands. I also like the OLED view finder better than the LCD on the A55.
I've done several videos and haven't had the sensor overheating issues that plagued my on the A55.

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

Great camera, very good ergonomics, burst preselection.I would recommend this camera, I use it six months and I am very pleased.

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

Shots that I had to work for with my A700 come effortlessly with the A77. I shoot weddings and the A77 is going to be my primary camera at the next one in two weeks. Can't wait!

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

This camera takes fantastic photos.
Only drawback is the bright sun the internal view finder is surprisely hard to see. I thought it be just the opposite. I do wear glasses that adjust to the sun that may be an issue. I am just amazed how sosphicated this camera is. Not cheap but valued.

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

Have already taken several thousand pictures with it in 3 weeks. It offers great pictures and responds quickly. The 12 fps is great for sports and wildlife. I use it with the Sigma 70-200 2.8 zoom and people are asking me how I am getting such good pictures. I hate to admit that the camera and lens has had a positive impact on my final results. I really like viewfinder LCD. I haven't done much with the video but I am looking forward to that and of course, I am looking forward to more photo taking!

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

I purchased the SLT-a33 right when it came out because I heard good things about it. This actually was my choice over the Canon 60D, after using it for awhile and investing in some lenses I was a little taken back with the more consumer than pro feel to the operation. When I purchased the SLT-a77 it fixed everything I didn't like about the a33. The a77 is a great performer and the image quality is great. I really feel like a pro with this camera now. I also really like the video performance. The first shoot I did after I got it was in a low light bar situation and it was great. The only option I would appreciate would to be able to shoot in 720p-60/30/24 just to match other footage, etc. Probably the feature I like the most is the added buttons, everything is in reach to get the shots I need. Great Camera!

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

I've used it for about 2 weeks and everything works great. A lot of menu options but fairly easy to scroll through and set. Video is excellent but microphone picks up too much lens focusing motor noise, maybe a shoe mount external mike would alleviate the problem.Very useful in nature/bird photography. The 1.4/2.0 digital zoom also works well with virtually no loss in detail.LCD very handy in outdoors

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

Though I use the Canon 50D and 7D, after 8 years (and 4 camera bodies) of shooting with Canon (1 film, 3 D-SLR), I finally got to shoot with the Sony A-77. I was very impressed. Though there are a couple of drawbacks, the sharpness, focusing and colors are amazing! I also find it far superior (better focusing) in low-light/fast action, such as when shooting dimly lit stage events. Canon is known for having fairly average kit lenses (though much improved over the years), yet Sony does not compromise in that area. The IS being in the body also helps, rather than spending hundreds more for a feature that is less-often used. Only drawbacks – the viewfinder image looks very different (almost inferior)from others. Also the body feels a little awkward for big hands like mine, but less so when I attached the grip.

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

I find this camera to be an excellent choice for ameature photographers such as myself. It has lots of new features that will enhance your photos. From clean ISO at 6400 and quick shutter speeds (12 fps). Compared to my a55 the body fits hand better. Quick autofocus for capturing infant portraits.
One negative that i did find is when recording it crops your image and makes it difficult to get a wide shot.

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

I purchased the SLT-A77 as an upgrade from an A350. I like to take photos of landscapes, insects, and flowers. Many photos are taken using a macro lens and ring flash. The SLT-A77 has focus peaking and magnification of either the rear LCD or EVF when in manual focus which is how I usually take the macro shots. With focus peaking (highlights around the area of prime focus), I quickly learned that I have been tending to focus on the perimeter of subjects rather than the front. I have adjusted and now have a much higher percentage of keepers. This camera made an immediate difference in my photo quality. Other features that I like are the depth of field preview (also helpful for macro shots) and the bright electronic viewfinder. Making exposure adjustments is easier with two adjustment wheels. The buttons and controls are well laid out. The fixed mirror means its quieter and has less vibration (no need for mirror lockup). The electronic first curtain shutter makes it fast and quiet, too. Noise is better than the A350 making the camera quite usable as high as 1600 ISO. One issue I have had to deal with is the camera's tendency to overexpose when using the wireless flash. Of course, the solution is simply to dial in some flash exposure compensation. Also, battery life is somewhat shorter than the A350 but it does still use the same type of batteries. This camera thrives on bright light.

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

I purchased the camera as a replacement for an A700 for an upcoming trip to Africa. I have taken over 200 pictures with so far and have been very pleased with the performance. The AF is quick and accurate the low light pictures have been quite acceptable. I do like the features such as live view and even the digital level (I have a tendency to tilt the camera to the right) So far the only down side has been the battery drains faster than I would have thought and the time it takes for the camera to process between pictures.

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

The Alpha A77 is the camera I've been waiting for!

I've used it a couple of times since my purchase so I'm still in the learning stage as far as settings go, though in general I find the layout very good and its use quite intuitive. Pictures so far have been amazing and I love the build and photo quality, weight, and richness of features including panoramic shots.

I can't wait to try shooting some video.

I do love the electronic viewfinder and until you've used one, you don't realize what you've been missing.

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

OMG! This thing is great!
I used it to shoot a wedding just 4 days after I received it. Easy transition from my A700 with many more features. Controls are easy to access and it takes great pictures. I am so glad I waited for it to come out.
Once again B&H came through with good service! Packed very well, shipped quickly, and arrived safely on time.
I'm already making plans to buy a second one.

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

Everything i can do with this camera. İ used three different brand which you know well.

But sony slt 77 is the best one i ever use.

Thanks sony.

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

The specs are incredible. 12fps - as fast as a Canon EOS1DX - but with 24.3 megapixels vs 18. I can preview BxW or exposure override right in the eyepiece, which has a beautiful display. It has image stabilization in camera, and for videos, the autofocus is fast and silent. The screen can rotate and tilt which is really more handy than you would ever think until you use one.

The build quality is pretty rugged - not as good as the higher Canons or Nikons, but it feels solid. I have many Canon and Nikon bodies and the expensive glass, and I prefer shooting the Sony.

Only one thing weird, the exposures were a bit here and there. I'm sending it to Sony for inspection. I believe I got one of the very first out there. This was easily manhandled by previewing the exposure in the eyepiece viewfinder.

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

Great camera with just a few flaws. I've owned nearly every major camera brand (some multiple times) including D700, D300, D7000, 5D2, 5Dc, 1D3, A850, K20D, K200D, 40D, E-5, D90, NEX-5N, so I'm not a brand loyalist!

CONS (Pros are next)

POWERON IS TOO SLOW - it takes way too long from power up (or even wake up) to being able to grab your first shot, approximately 3 sec from power-off, 2 sec from wakeup.

NO AF-ON - if you really need this in a camera, look elsewhere, because the A77 can't mimic this behavior.

BATTERY LIFE can seem pretty short, especially if you do lots of viewing through the EVF (like watching birds, waiting for the perfect shot)

WIRELESS FLASH - the onboard flash, used as a commander, contributes way too much light to the overall exposure, even standing 6+ feet back. Requires something to block the onboard commander (hand) or filter it (exposed film)

NOISE - It's not horrible at all, but starts becoming an issue at ISO 1600 (meaning, you'll need some PP). After minor PP and downsizing for web, it looks great. I rarely shoot above ISO 1600.

INTERFACE QUIRKS/SLOW - It would be really nice to be able to choose RAW mode, and when/if you choose a "JPEG ONLY" option (like a scene mode or panoramic, etc) the camera would just auto-switch to JPEG instead of giving you a big middle finger.
Also, interface is slightly laggy but nothing too horrible.

SONY JPEG ENGINE - Not the best in the world, by a long shot. Actually, probably the worst. Decent at lower ISOs if you really, really don't want to process RAW, but I would take any JPEG engine over Sony's.

SLIDESHOW at 8/12 FPS - Makes tracking things difficult during extended shooting bursts.

PROS (the good stuff!)

It sounds like I gave the A77 a beating, but really those are mostly fairly minor points to me.
Stuff I love:

ARTICULATING SCREEN - A major reason why I chose the A77 over other pro-sumer APS-C cameras...I love the screens. I first "caught the bug" with the Olympus E-5 and its screen. Very, very useful for a variety of shooting situations.

LOTS OF CUSTOMIZATION - You can reconfigure several of the buttons to do a variety of things (except AF-ON, gah!), pretty cool. You also have three memory banks that can store (most) setup changes as a custom mode (1,2,3).

In-Body Stabilization - I was pretty disappointed the EVF doesn't display the effects of IBIS, but from what I gather it's because it would heat up the camera too much, so it's only active at the time of exposure. I think optical is better for longer lenses, but it's great to have stabilization with EVERY lens.

ZEISS AUTOFOCUS - Nobody else does it.

FAST FPS - Unfortunately you can only choose 3, 8, or 12 FPS (nothing in between), but no big deal for me - I usually select 8 FPS because I like to control other parameters. For crazy-fast stuff 12FPS is awesome, even with its limitations.

EVF - The EVF is pretty darn cool. I love having real-time histogram, or graphical overlay of leveling gauge (2-axis), or real-time feedback of settings such as WB, etc.

SHOT PREVIEW - The shot preview mode is actually really awesome. For instance, if you select a slow-shutter speed, then hold Preview button (which can be the standard optical aperture preview OR shot preview), you can actually see what the photo will look like - it's basically the camera's Live view showing you video of the shot using whatever settings you have. So, on a slow shutter speed, you hit that shot preview and you're presented with smooth water because that's the FPS the EVF shows you! (awesome). I don't know the limits on this though.

RESOLUTION - Amazing. Get good glass on this thing and it sings. I used a lowly Tamron 70-200 at around f/4 to f/5.6 shooting birds at around 8 feet away, then used cropping to get close - AWESOME detail.

Lots more to write, but overall a very cool system. I actually bought it with the 16-50 kit lens (very well-made, good optics) and the 43AM flash. Very nice.

SONY COLORS - Yeah this applies to their JPEGS (or I guess if you use their software to apply stuff to their RAWs, but their software is horrible), but their Jpegs at low ISO are pretty good. I've actually kept several landscape shots (using LANDSCAPE profile) just because their colors are much better than what I can coax Lightroom to give me.

OVERALL- Overall I really like the setup. I wish Sony would focus on releasing more lenses and forget about so many camera bodies, so we'll see. They've got all the major bases covered, though, so most users won't really find themselves hurting for a particular lens. they DO need to quite rehasing Minolta lenses, though. Yeah some of them were good, but it's been 25+ years and some need updating.

Funny thing is, most of my CONS from above could hopefully be addressed through firmware updates - whether Sony will do it or not is the question, though.

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

I have found this to be a great birding camera. The best unexpected feature I have found is Peaking. This has made manual focusing ss fast as autofocus. It works especially well with my Tamron 60mm Macro lens and the Sony 70-400mm zoom.

The dust and weather proofing is also a good bous, Sony now needs to update their lenses to match. I expect every new lens will also be weather proofed.
The build is excellent, without any of the creaks that could plague the A580 (otherwise a great camera).
The controls are well laid out, and I enjoy the two control dials. I normally shoot in "A" mode and have the front dial set for aperture control and the rear dial is set up for Exposure Compensation. Seeing any changes you make in the EVF is awesome. While the viewfinder my not have the dynamic range of a OVF, the many features the EVF allows, in my opinion, blows away OVF's. The EVF's will only improve as further developement occurs and Sony have grapped a lea here.
Dislikes are few, mainly the battery life is fairly short compared with the A580, though it has not caused me problems yet.

This camera is a change changer, just like the first A-mount camera I bought in 1988 (Minolta 7000i).

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

I am a Pro Photographer and this camera is the most amazing product that I have ever laid my hands on. For sports, at 12 FPS, every frame in perfect focus, metering, and etc. Even the subjects coming towards and away from you. Other cameras made by competitors, costing 3 times the price, cannot do this. I have nothing but praise for the minds that designed this camera. The only words that describe this camera is 'Jaw Dropping'. The EVF is amazing. 24 Megapixels, ISO 50, AF Micro adjusting, Front Curtain Shutter Adjusting, AVCHD Video (Auto Focus), so many other tools that only come on Cameras at a much higher price. On the down side, other users speak of noise starting at ISO 1600. For my purposes, this has not been a problem and I have not seen unusual amounts of noise at ISO 3200. I expect Sony to come out with a Firmware version to correct this in the near future.

Comments about Sony Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR Digital Camera (Body Only):

I do most of my shooting with a Sony Alpha a900 and Zeiss lenses. Last year I purchased the Sony Alpha a55 because of its innovative technology. I thought that it was great and then Sony introduced the a77 and I could not resist. The a55 was great and the a77 is even greater.