Body upgrades

I'm personally more interested in lenses than bodies but having tried a few bodies over the years, my experience is limited in terms of upgrades. The A100 definitely feels clunky compared to the A700 and the A57 is pretty nice. The 850 has a solid feeling, better focusing speed etc. High ISO is pretty useful for me but as a hobbyist other features aren't as important. Being able to lock focus quickly without hunting is huge as well.

If you've tried multiple bodies over the years, what are the top features that you realized helped you? What I like might (will?) differ from what you like so I'm curious to see what the most popular answers will.

Sashi

The most critical questions are
(a) whether you like, or want to try, an EVF or stick to OVF, and
(b) whether you want FF or not.

I assume the answer to (b) is no. If you haven't tried an EVF, you should. They offer lots of things you can't get on an OVF and despite using SLRs/DSLRs for several decades I now like the EVF very much for my main camera. There are several threads about this recently on Dyxum, or you can go to a shop and try one (any one). They also have in-camera lens corrections which is useful if you have Sony DT lenses and take jpegs.

If you want to stick to OVF, the A390 was one of the first with live view, which is useful and which I miss on the 5D. The last models with OVF had three digits.
Here's a table showing some of the relevant data.

Name     Mp     year     wt     hht     width     sensor     EVF     Live     DOF      AF
                                                                                        view      prev.     u-adj
Min 7D     6     2004     760     ?     ?     CD     no     no     yes     no
Min 5D     6     2005     590     ?     ?     CD     no     no     yes     no
A100     10     2006     545     ?     ?     CD     no     no     yes     no
A700     12     2007     690     105     142     CD     no     no     yes     no
A200     10     2008     532     98     131     CD     no     no     no     no
A300     10     2008     582     ?     ?     CD     no     yes     no     no
A350     14     2008     582     ?     ?     CD     no     yes     no     no
A900     24     2008     850     117     156     CMOS     yes     no     yes     yes
A230     10     2009     450     ?     ?     CD     no     no     no     no
A330     10     2009     490     ?     ?     CD     no     yes     no     no
A380     14     2009     490     ?     ?     CD     no     yes     no     no
A500     12     2009     597     104     137     CMOS     no     yes     no     no
A550     14     2009     599     ?     ?     CMOS     no     yes     no     no
A850     24     2009     850     117     156     CMOS     yes     no     yes     yes
A290     14     2010     456     ?     ?     CD     no     no     no     no
A390     14     2010     497     ?     ?     CD     no     yes     no     no
A450     14     2010     520     ?     ?     CMOS     no     yes     no     no
A580     16     2010     599     104     137     CMOS     no     yes     yes     no
A33     14     2010     433     92     124     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     no
A55     16     2010     441     92     124     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     no
Nex3     14     2010     239     62     110     CMOS     no     yes     no     no
A560     14     2011     599     ?     ?     CMOS     no     yes     yes     no
A35     16     2011     415     92     124     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     no
A65     24     2011     543     98     132     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     ?
A77     24     2011     653     104     143     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     yes
Nex7     24     2011     291     67     120     CMOS     yes     yes     no     no
A37     16     2012     448     92     124     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     no
A57     16     2012     539     98     132     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     no
A99     24     2012     733     111     147     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     yes
A58     20     2013     492     95.5     128.6     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     no
A7     24     2013     474     94     127     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     yes
A77 ii     24     2014     647     104     143     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     yes
A68     24     2016     610     104     143     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     yes
A99 ii     42     2016     849     104     143     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     yes

Sorry I can't get the columns straight. I might have another go when I have time.
Relevant facts are those with live view, and those which were small/large/etc. I think the A390 was one of the best OVF cameras as it was small and light and well featured, but the A33/35/37 were possibly the smallest.



Edited by Miranda F - 15 March 2017 at 09:18

In fact...

Miranda F wrote: The most critical questions are (a) whether you like, or want to try, an EVF or stick to OVF, and (b) whether you want FF or not. I assume the answer to (b) is no. If you haven't tried an EVF, you should. They offer lots of things you can't get on an OVF and despite using SLRs/DSLRs for several decades I now like the EVF very much for my main camera. There are several threads about this recently on Dyxum, or you can go to a shop and try one (any one). They also have in-camera lens corrections which is useful if you have Sony DT lenses and take jpegs. If you want to stick to OVF, the A390 was one of the first with live view, which is useful and which I miss on the 5D. The last models with OVF had three digits. Here's a table showing some of the relevant data. Name     Mp     year     wt     hht     width     sensor     EVF     Live     DOF      AF                                                                                         view      prev.     u-adj Min 7D     6     2004     760     ?     ?     CD     no     no     yes     no Min 5D     6     2005     590     ?     ?     CD     no     no     yes     no A100     10     2006     545     ?     ?     CD     no     no     yes     no A700     12     2007     690     105     142     CD     no     no     yes     no A200     10     2008     532     98     131     CD     no     no     no     no A300     10     2008     582     ?     ?     CD     no     yes     no     no A350     14     2008     582     ?     ?     CD     no     yes     no     no A900     24     2008     850     117     156     CMOS     yes     no     yes     yes A230     10     2009     450     ?     ?     CD     no     no     no     no A330     10     2009     490     ?     ?     CD     no     yes     no     no A380     14     2009     490     ?     ?     CD     no     yes     no     no A500     12     2009     597     104     137     CMOS     no     yes     no     no A550     14     2009     599     ?     ?     CMOS     no     yes     no     no A850     24     2009     850     117     156     CMOS     yes     no     yes     yes A290     14     2010     456     ?     ?     CD     no     no     no     no A390     14     2010     497     ?     ?     CD     no     yes     no     no A450     14     2010     520     ?     ?     CMOS     no     yes     no     no A580     16     2010     599     104     137     CMOS     no     yes     yes     no A33     14     2010     433     92     124     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     no A55     16     2010     441     92     124     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     no Nex3     14     2010     239     62     110     CMOS     no     yes     no     no A560     14     2011     599     ?     ?     CMOS     no     yes     yes     no A35     16     2011     415     92     124     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     no A65     24     2011     543     98     132     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     ? A77     24     2011     653     104     143     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     yes Nex7     24     2011     291     67     120     CMOS     yes     yes     no     no A37     16     2012     448     92     124     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     no A57     16     2012     539     98     132     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     no A99     24     2012     733     111     147     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     yes A58     20     2013     492     95.5     128.6     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     no A7     24     2013     474     94     127     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     yes A77 ii     24     2014     647     104     143     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     yes A68     24     2016     610     104     143     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     yes A99 ii     42     2016     849     104     143     CMOS     yes     yes     yes     yes Sorry I can't get the columns straight. I might have another go when I have time. Relevant facts are those with live view, and those which were small/large/etc. I think the A390 was one of the best OVF cameras as it was small and light and well featured, but the A33/35/37 were possibly the smallest.

If you quote this postingthe codes are in place and you just need to add in some extra spaces.

That must've been a lot of work. I like it. One change, the A850/900, there is no EVF.

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

@Miranda F: maybe worth to add this list to the following index, too

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.