Body upgrades

I found this thread during my search for a viable upgrade to my trusty A350. The question being asked for me personally is a tough one as the A350 was and is my first (D)SLR camera.
The main limitations I am coming up against are:
- low iso noise (iso 800 is already noisy in average lighting)
- slow focus in lowish light
- no video capability

I say that the decision for me is tough because I have no idea as to how big an improvement I will get upgrading to the various camera's I am looking at now. For example, I could use my current a-mount lenses and go cheap with an A68, or more expensive with an A77ii. Or I could go with an adapter and either get an A6500 or A7ii. It's hard to know how big of a difference I will experience with regards to the iso and focus I mentioned earlier.

my choice for A7s

- evf (focus peaking)
- 100% silent shooting mode
- smallest FF body possible for any ICL camera
- only 12MP (means small files/easier workflow on older PC)
- best ISO preformance of any camera availible
- same focus preformance with A mount lenses on A99/A77 with Sony #4 adapter
- good focus preformance with native FE glass
- possible to adapt (almost) any lens ever made (especially those dirt cheapo legacy/fun lenses )

My short list of features that make me want the A58 for anything challenging are:

- Bright EVF even in dull light and with slow lenses
- APS-C mode to suit cheap Sony lenses
- High pixel density to make the most of affordable tele zooms
- Articulating rear screen for low camera angles
- Focus peaking for MF
- Focus magnification for critical MF
- IBIS for slow teles in poor light
- Excellent performance at medium ISO (100-800) and good performance at high ISO (I don't need class leading, though!)
- Affordable for me.

Obviously other cameras will meet most of these criteria, but none of them were or are affordable new for me. The A58 did almost everything I want at a price I could afford. What do I miss that other cameras have?

- AF micro-adjust is the one I'd most like to have.
- FF would be nice but I don't really need it.

I bought a 5D recently, as a backup to the A58 and because I wanted to be able to use all-Minolta 'period' gear occasionally. I like it, but I would never go back to an OVF without live view for regular digital photography (though, curiously, I'm happy with that for film!). I may be a sucker for old technology, but I started taking pictures with a pre-war folding camera (Zeiss Icon) with wire-frame viewfinder and three shutter speeds, and definitely appreciated the advancements that have been made over the decades, even though I was slow to replace my Miranda SLRs with digital.

AutumnRose wrote: I believe the A700 has a CMOS sensor, not CCD.

Ah, yes. Thanks for the correction. I've updated it now.

I have upgraded a few times over the years, currently on an a99. The most important features for me are:

• Fully articulating screen
• Full frame sensor
• IBIS
• Focus peaking
• Vertical grip

The features (I think will be) most useful in the a99ii are:

• New sensor (Mpx + BSI)
• Improved IBIS
• Focal length entry for un-chipped lenses

skm.sa100 wrote: what are the top features that you realized helped you?

For me: Big and bright EVF (A7ii, A77ii, etc), accurate focus (double cross sensor like the A850/A900), long battery life, button placement like those on larger a-mount bodies.

A900 was the biggest improvement for the things I find important. The OVF and center AF were huge improvements over anything else available at that time. I've still got mine, but the A99 II is now my main camera because the new sensor is so good.
If Sony had put that sensor in a A900 body I'd like it even better. Maybe add live view - not SLT, the old style; I still like my OVF. And a better AF pattern. But that's about it. I'd gladly trade all the other high tech "whiz bang" stuff for that camera.