Sony A350: Full-Time Live View at 14.2MP
by Wesley Fink on April 3, 2008 3:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Digital Camera
The Sony Proprietary Battery
Visit any forum discussing photography and the Sony A700 and you will find complaints about Sony's proprietary NP-FM500H battery. Those discussions now apply to the entire Sony DSLR line since the A200, A350, and upcoming A300 all use the same proprietary battery. The problem is twofold. First Sony is the only source for the battery, even some six months after the A700 was introduced. Second, the new battery grips for the A200/A300/A350 and A700 can only use the new Sony batteries - there is no provision at all for the rechargeable AA batteries that have been the bread and butter of grip users for many years.
The problem is less that Sony is the only source or that the Sony NP-FM500H battery is the only battery usable battery in the grips than it is the price Sony has set for the new battery. List is $70, and the cheapest we have seen the battery is just over $50. This compares to generic high-capacity BP-511 rechargeable batteries for Canon cameras at less than $10. The same can be said for the Olympus BLM1 or the Pentax rechargeable Lithium that can use the drop-in and cheap NP400 generic or the current Nikon rechargeable packs. Sony is alone in using a battery you can only buy from Sony and that is priced at a very high $70.
Since Sony makes batteries it is easy to see the motivation, but most end-users do not appreciate this kind of heavy-handedness from any manufacturer. It is shocking that no OEM has produced generics for the new Sony battery, which perhaps means Sony has the design well locked up with patents. If so give us a better price and we won't scream so loudly. The good news is that with all the new Sony cameras now using the NP-FM500H there is a much larger potential market for any battery maker who wants to produce a generic NP-FM500H.
Consider yourself forewarned of this issue with all current Sony DSLR cameras. You can buy any other digital SLR and get reasonably priced high-capacity generic lithium rechargeable battery packs. This is not a current option with Sony digital SLRs. You also cannot use AA batteries in either Sony grip, making the bottom line cost of Sony grips much higher than battery grips from other camera manufacturers.
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dug777 - Monday, March 31, 2008 - link
I would also simply suggest using a time-delay shot if you don't have a wireless or wired shutter release :)dug777 - Monday, March 31, 2008 - link
That or they're out of focus?Heidfirst - Monday, March 31, 2008 - link
Interesting review as usual with a more general consumer orientated view as compared to some of the more "specialist" DSLR sites, thank you.A vies notes, if I may:
"For those who wish to buy the body alone, only the A350 ($799) and A700 ($1399) are available without a kit lens"
I realise that Anandtech is USA-centric but also does get significant traffic from other countries - this varies from country to country according to local Sony marketing decisions e.g. if I want to buy an A200 body only in the UK that's not a problem.
Often the street (as opposed to msrp) prices for the basic kit 18-70mm package are so little more than body only though that you may as well get the 18-70 too.
"The layout and pattern is the same as the A200, A300, and earlier A100 suggesting it is the same AF module. The AF speeds on all models also support the conclusion that this is likely the same venerable AF module used in previous Minolta and Sony digital SLRs. "
Sony claim 1.7x faster focussing (probably largely as a result of using a more powerful motor but also a tweaked system).
Probably little has changed because the basic Minolta metering & AF system going back 20 years or so has been a very good base & only required minimal tweaks/upgrades.
Re. the battery:
If you compare Sony NP-FM500H prices it's similar to those for the official Canon, Nikon, Pentax etc. batteries so the issue isn't really the pricing of the official batteries but the unavailability of generic copies.
When I bought my A700 I also bought a spare battery but I've never actually had to use it as battery life has been very good. Extensive Live View use on an A300/A350 may use more I would imagine though.
At least Sony now have a standard battery throughout their DSLR range whereas on Canon & Nikon as you upgrade bodies you change batteries so you can't carry them over but must buy new.