Super, but not without weaknesses!

As for photography, I would describe myself as 'ambitious amateur'. When buying a new camera was, I have studied for weeks almost all kinds of reviews. Shortlisted came next to the Sony SLT-A77, the Canon EOS 7D, the Nikon D7000 and the Nikon D300s. Regardless of the camera model, spoke for Canon and Nikon, the -. Compared to Sony - much larger lens range, which is reflected also in the offers for used lenses. Due appropriate experience I can give all indecisive camera buyers the Council, the election camera to make 'vice versa': first look, which / what objective / s you want to use, then their prices and availability (eg on the used market (!) ) research and only then select a matching camera model! After I was downright desperate because weeks of indecision (none of the camera manufacturers produced the 'panacea'), has this 'reverse' approach helped me to come to a decision. Unlike Canon and Nikon Sony produces an amazing 70-400mm zoom lens with fast autofocus, so I decided for the Sony SLT-A77. The decision 12 was facilitated by the unique selling point of the SLT technique of Sony (and the associated, constant rapid phase autofocus and the electronic viewfinder), coupled with the high resolution (24 megapixels) and the high continuous shooting speed (max. Frames / s ).

After three months of almost daily use (mainly in the 'Wildlife' (eg insects in flight, our lively puppy dog), but also a confirmation was photographically 'accompanied') I can say that I do not regret the purchase and the SLT A77'm very pleased overall. The electronic viewfinder, for instance, is simply superb and has left me in no situation down. Unlike optical viewfinders, the electronic for example the advantage that you can see clearly incorrect exposures instantly. The 'artificial colored marker' which contained just focus finder parts I do not want to miss during manual focus adjustment! Also noteworthy is the excellent (in my opinion) image quality up to ISO 400 (at the latest from ISO 800, however, is an increased noise on the computer monitor (!!!) visible (on normal-sized print can be seen, the noise only at even higher ISO values)) and the high continuous shooting speed. Of course there are (unfortunately) some things that bother me on the camera. When using less bright lenses and / or the need for extremely short exposure times, I fight regularly with the relatively low ISO limit from which the noise is visible. Even the (in my opinion) to small-sized image storage annoying from time to time: at max. Continuous shooting speed is this fully after 1 sec. More pictures can be shot only after a corresponding amount has been written on the image data from the internal memory to the SD card. Choosing a very fast SD card is therefore essential, but even with the fastest card (s. Below), it comes to annoying breaks in the sequence when the internal memory is full.

Here's my personal conclusion for those who play with the idea to add itself a SLT-A77!
Positives:
+ Electronic viewfinder
+ High resolution (up to 24 Megapixel RAW and / or JPEG)
+ High continuous shooting speed
+ Very good image quality (up to max. ISO 800)
+ Faster autofocus (in conjunction with a suitable lens)
+ Rapid continuous autofocus even in Movies
+ Knobs on the housing for the main image parameters (ISO, white balance, exposure compensation, auto / manual focus, etc.)
+ Valent, solid case, which can be access / maintain good
+ Front and. Rear adjuster (eg for setting aperture u. Exposure time)
+ Image quality when shooting
Negatives:
- Image noise at ISO values ​​greater than 800
- Small internal image storage
- Only 1 slot for SD / SDHC cards, but no (further) slot for faster / more robust CF cards
- Much shorter battery life compared to 'real' SLR camera's with optical viewfinder

The Sony SLT A77 is a super-camera, which I would recommend even ambitious Photographers. Air upward toward professional camera's (such as Nikon D4 & Co.) are plentiful, but in its class it is top and at a level (or higher) than, say, a Canon EOS 7D or Nikon D7000. Because of these weaknesses at high ISO values ​​u. The small internal storage, which might tend to be less important for many others, I prefer it from one star / dot.

Finally, something to one of my (few) annoyances with my Sony SLT-A77 camera - the scarce internal image memory. In an image quality RAW + JPEG with 24 megapixels I could trigger 13 images with the SLT-A77 in rapid succession (regardless of which of the two fast continuous shooting modes (Capture Mode "Continuous AE Prior" = 12B / s, or sequence mode was set to "Hi" = 8B / s (Velocity values ​​not verified))). From the 14th series image an image could each only be triggered again if enough data had been written from the internal image memory to the SD card. This results in a series of shots to (usually) uncomfortable pauses, dependent on their length directly from the write speed of the data on the SD card. Therefore, I have some comparison tests with different SD cards performed to find out with which card the camera the highest write speed reached (camera settings Sony SLT-A77: Picture Quality: 24 Megapixel RAW + JPEG with manual focus, continuous shooting: sequence mode "Hi" (ie approximately 8B / s) recording mode: "M" (manual) at f = 4.0, s = 1 / 1500sec, ISO 200, Auto White Balance):

A method of measurement: stop time required for the camera to make 13 + 10 shooting. So: press release button and simultaneously start stopwatch.. The camera starts to make to fast continuous shooting. After a short time (13 pictures) is the internal image memory is full u. The interval between shots will dramatically greater. Yet right now 10 pictures make u. Then stop time.

Results A (for 23 continuous shooting):
1) SanDisk SDHC 32GB Extreme Pro UHS-I, Class 10 (95MB / s): Time = 9 sec.
2.) Lexar SDHC 32GB 600x Professional UHS-I, Class 10 (90MB / s): time = 10 sec.
3.) SanDisk SDHC 32GB Extreme HD Video, Class 10 (30MB / s): time = 15 sec.
4.) PNY SDHC, 32GB, Professional, Class 10 (20MB / s): time = 23 sec.
5.) Toshiba, Micro SDHC, 32GB, Class 4: time = 63 sec.

Measurement Method B: As A measuring method, however, stop the time until the camera has all the images stored completely on the SD card (ie until the red LED turns off write). So: Once all the pictures were taken, release the shutter button and watch the red glowing write-LED (located on the right rear control dial below).. Time stop until this LED goes out.

Results B:
Regardless of the inserted SD card always 23 images were triggered, had to be written to data on the card to their storage 630MB.
1) SanDisk SDHC 32GB Extreme Pro UHS-I, Class 10 (95MB / s): time = 17 sec.
2.) Lexar SDHC 32GB 600x Professional UHS-I, Class 10 (90MB / s): time = 22 sec.
3.) SanDisk SDHC 32GB Extreme HD Video, Class 10 (30MB / s): time = 32 sec.
4.) PNY SDHC, 32GB, Professional, Class 10 (20MB / s): time = 51 sec.
5.) Toshiba, Micro SDHC, 32GB, Class 4: time = 145 sec.

Conclusion: For a long fast-moving images, the choice of the inserted SD card is essential: between my slowest and fastest SD card full 2 ​​minutes for the complete emptying of the frame memory.! The SanDisk SDHC 32GB Extreme Pro UHS-I, Class 10 (95MB / s) is my first choice when fast-moving images with the Sony SLT-A77 to be photographed.