Unfair & biased Group test

[Angela Nicholson]

Hi,

Sorry I haven’t been in to comment before now, I’ve been on holiday and in Japan learning more about Panasonic camera’s and lenses.

We wanted to test which SLR is best for action photography in this test and as the Alpha 55 is an SLT, not an SLR, it is a dubious fit for this article. Also, in our test of the Alpha 55 (http://www.techradar.com/reviews/cam...view?artc_pg=1) we had the following to say about the AF system:

In use the AF system is quick and accurate, most of the time, but it can struggle to keep up with moving subjects and will occasionally miss-focus altogether. Still, for the most part it is a reliable system, making the live view feature feel truly integrated, instead of a bolt on afterthought.

Previous cameras with translucent mirrors, such as the Canon EOS 1N RS, used them to allow fast continuous shooting speeds with no viewfinder blackout. The Sony Alpha 55 certainly achieves the fast shooting, with a maximum continuous shooting rate of 10 frames per second, but during shooting the screen freezes after each frame and blacks out completely for a while whilst the images are written to the card in any of the manual exposure modes.

This blackout time can be quite considerable, especially if shooting raw images, or even worse if shooting raw and JPEG files simultaneously. The only way around this is to select the automatic 10 frames per second mode from the dial on top of the Sony A55 body. This mode reduces the screen blackout and allows continuous AF to be used. Unfortunately it also removes the ability to adjust the shutter speed or aperture, which may be an issue in some situations.

This indicates that the Alpha 55 would not perform well in a group test that deals specifically with action photography - despite its high frame rate.

The Alpha 580 may not be quite as expensive as the other cameras in this test (some may see this as a good thing), but it is the most advanced APS-C format SLR that Sony offers. Hence we decided to include it.

Please note that the new Alpha 77 (an SLT) had not been announced when this test was devised and it is still not available for testing. My experience of using a pre-production sample of the Alpha 77 indicates that it is vastly superior to what Sony has offered before and could be a game changer.

My hands-on review of the Alpha 77 is here:

http://www.techradar.com/news/photog...review-1002063

I think it is safe to say that we will be repeating this type of test in the future and including the A77.

[deadlydave]

Hi Angela, hope you had a gr8 time in Japan (how many bags did you bring back ;-)

Right then; So even though the A55 is'nt a "proper" dslr the A77 will undergo the test next time around ?.

Although the A580 is still "just" available it has been discontinued and as you are aware Sony is pushing it's Slt platform like there was no tomorrow, of the 2 (A55 & A580), we both know which is more suited to action photography, 10fps is something the 7d can only dream of. The A55 received firmware 2 in June this year (some 10 months after your review), and as you know firmware updates can change things dramatically, Granted the A55 isn't perfect but then it was Sony's first attempt at something new. As I've said imagine a 7d or a Canon 1d with similar tech, which is exciting, new & with great photographic potential.

As for being a dubious fit, personally I would say; trying to compare the slowest of 2 £500 camera's with a £1100 one was even worse. For me the group test said one thing; want a camera for action then spend as much as you can, because the more you spend the better the camera/results. Now if the A55 had been used I can't but wonder if that would still hold true ?. As I've said WDC did a similar test and according to them the A55 beat the 60d, k5 & d7000 etc, not bad for a camera that is currently available with a kit lens for less than £530

I cannot ever recall seeing a Sony 70-200 F2.8 lens and I don't expect to see one in my life time, so as well as missing an opportunity to slate/praise slt's, for the average man/woman in the street that uses a 70-300 it wasn't a realistic test, e.g Fitting a Tamron 70-300 usd on the Nikon, Sony & Canon would've been very interesting & more realistic, it might have even thrown up a few surprises ?.

It's easy for me/others to criticize, I don't have to work to tight dead lines and bring everything together, but as a buyer of the end product; I do think the test was unfair & a series of missed opportunities, nonetheless I do think the magazine is a cracking read & addressing my concerns over equality etc are greatly appreciated.

[Geoff Harris]

Dave, we really appreciate your feedback
Best wishes, Geoff, Editor

[Angela Nicholson]

The fact that a camera can shoot at a higher continuous rate than another doesn’t make it a better choice for action photography if it can’t focus. You just wind up with more out of focus images. Our tests of the A580 and A55 indicated that the A580 would be a better choice for action photography.

We used ‘everyman’ as well as professional level lenses because there is often a significant difference in the AF performance. Assessing the cameras using just one type of lens would give a false opinion. Using the more affordable lens limits the cameras’ ability, while using the pro lens allows us to assess the cameras’ full potential.

[deadlydave]

If it's not about high burst rates, then why were'nt the 600d & D5100 also in the mix, they are after all of a similar price to the A55/A580 and it would'be been a lot fairer.

Your tests of the A580 & A55 indicated that the A580 would be better for action photography, even though as you say the A55 is'nt an SLR ?, so if you had thought the A55 was better would it have been in the test after all then ?..

The bottom line is you compared a discontinued £500 camera with a £1100 one, when a fairer test would have included the 600d, D5100 & Kx, all your test proved is that dearer is better regardless of what lens was attached.

The fact that you seem fully vindicated and happy to stand by a grossly unfair group test, says it all. It would be like comparing the A77 against the Nikon D5100.

Geoff can you please remove me from the forum/web site.

[greenwing]

Deadly Dave, I think that you're missing the fact that Sony (as far as I can see) have nothing much between the a580 and the A77, which wasn't available at the time of the test. Why should a test be skewed because of one manufacturer's failure to supply (or even manufacture) cameras in the range being tested? The A55 had been tested previously and the testers decided that it wouldn't cut the mustard in the test being conducted.

I don't think we'll miss you, but good luck anyway.

Chris