Sony A900 Full-Frame: Hands-On Preview

A900 Complaints

Let's get the disappointments out of the way first, since there is much more to like about the new A900 than to dislike. Sony has really been active this past year, just as they promised, but sometimes it is really hard to figure out what the DSLR design team is thinking. We get brilliant concepts from Sony marred by a "no thought here" feature, or lack thereof, that makes us truly wonder. The A900 is not without its share of a few of these:

1. No Pop-Up Flash or Wireless Controller - It looked like the D700 had finally killed the idea that a pop-up flash didn't belong on a pro level camera. The argument that the wireless control capabilities alone justified a pop-up is pretty compelling. Sony even supports four banks of ratio controlled wireless flashes in their flash arsenal, but you won't find a pop-up flash for wireless control or a built-in controller in the A900. Apparently the Sony employees that used to work for Minolta remember the Maxxum 9 fiasco over the pop-up flash. When asked about it the Sony reps commented that the 5D was the competition and there's no built-in flash on the 5D. What is funny is the 5D replacement, like the D700, is very likely to feature a pop-up flash, which would make the Sony A900 alone again.
   
2. Same Pricey Battery- The same proprietary NP-FM500H battery used in the A700, A350, A300, and A200 is also used in the A900. Great consistency, but you can still only buy it from Sony and you will still pay $55 to $95 for a spare. Sony insists on pimping their battery manufacturing even if their stubborn insistence on a proprietary battery drives some users away in a market where they need to win new users.



3. Another Battery Grip - Unlike Nikon's clever move which allowed the Nikon MB-D10 grip to work on either the APS-C D300 or the full-frame D700, the new Sony A900 gets another new grip that fits the same batteries used in the A700. The A900 base is about half an inch wider than the A700 so the VG-C70AM grip can't work. You would think design teams working together could have found a way around this since there is nothing new about the VG-C90AM. Keeping the volumes small with separate grips will all but guarantee Sony will continue as the most expensive grip options in its class.
   
4. No zoom in "Intelligent Preview" - Continuing the only glaring failing in the Sony A350/A300 Live View, the A900 Intelligent Preview does not allow zooming in the preview. Most studio users and tripod shooters like live view zooming for critical pre-focus, and that just isn't possible with no zoom. When asked, a Sony rep commented that critical focus control was not something they found studio shooters using Live View for. In my opinion, the intelligence is missing from the A900 Preview if you can't zoom.
   
5. Multiple HVL-F58AM Flash Units Required - The new HVL-F58AM is truly a fantastic concept in a flash unit as we'll talk about in our Positives pages. However, four flash banks with ratio control requires a 58 flash unit as a wireless flash controller on the camera, and other 58 units for the flash banks. This can get pricey with the 58 selling for around $500.



6. A Memory Stick Slot? - Do you know anyone who shoots the Sony Memory Stick in an A700 instead of the industry standard CF? It's easy to see why you might include a memory stick option in the A200/300/350 for Sony point-and-shoot users moving up, but a memory stick slot in the A900 is a true mystery. It looks like Sony Corporate has declared anything imaging will use only a Sony battery and will include a Memory Stick option. No other explanation makes sense.
   
7. No speed improvement in APS-C mode - While Sony DT lenses automatically switch to APS-C mode and you can select crop mode even with a full-size lens, there is no improvement in burst speed while in crop mode.
   
8. No Video Mode - Sony reps were on the verge of laughter when asked about a Video Mode for the A900. Frankly, with Sony's capabilities we really thought Sony might be first in bringing video to the DSLR instead of Nikon (D90) and Canon (rumored feature on the 5D replacement). Some industry analysts predict every news photographer will be shooting DSLR video within two years, giving editors the ability to select the stills they want for newspapers and magazines. Sony needs to truly lead in the DSLR market to capture the market share they covet.
   
9. No Weather-Sealed Lenses - The A900 appears very well sealed against the elements, as you would expect in a camera aimed at pro users. However, none of the current or announced Sony lenses are weather-sealed. Weather resistance is only as good as your weakest link, and Nikon and Sony need to pay more attention to weather-sealing their lenses.