Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Digital Field Guide
by Alan Hess
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Book Summary Information
Author: Alan HessEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-06-10
ISBN: 0470270314
Number of pages: 281
Publisher: Wiley
Book Reviews of Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Digital Field Guide
Book Review: Very Useful Guide, Elementary Rather than Advanced
Summary: 4 Stars
The first 79 pages of the `Digital Field Guide' provide, in effect, an Owner's Manual for the Sony Alpha 700. A top-of-the-line digital SLR such as the Sony A700 provides a host of settings which are unknown in film cameras, and Chapters 1 and 2 of the `Digital Field Guide' give an introduction to this maze of possibilities. The explanations are much better, and far more readable, than the very terse instructions in the `User's Guide' which Sony includes with the Alpha 700. Reading and re-reading these sections made me realize how a semi-professional digital SLR such as the Sony Alpha 700 incorporates a host of choices which even professional-level film SLR's could not offer, such as adjusting sensitivity (ISO, equivalent to `film speed') for each shot, or adjusting contrast (with the DRO, Digital Range Optimizer) for an individual shot (with a film camera, such changes would require changing the film). For this reader, these explanations are the most valuable part of the book.
For the uninitiated: the Sony Alpha 700 can be used as easily as a point-and-shoot camera, using the `AUTO' setting.
From page 80 onwards, the remainder of the 279-page book gives mostly general tips on photography, which apply regardless of what camera the reader uses (the exception is Chapter 5, "All About Lenses," which in 14 pages gives some rather sketchy descriptions of the more than 24 lenses available for the A700. A reader interested in a particular lens might look on the Internet for lens tests, such as those published by `Popular Photography.' This chapter hardly mentions the wide range of Minolta AF lenses, which can be used on all Sony Alpha cameras). There is an entire 78-page chapter giving tips on how to photograph some 24 different `Photo Subjects' including architecture, portraits, landscapes, travel photography, weddings, pets, etc., with 3 to 5 pages on each subject. This half of the book is especially written for inexperienced photographers, who might find the tips quite helpful.
The book's second half gives the impression that it is aimed at persons who have graduated from a typical totally-automated `point-and-shoot' digital camera, to a digital SLR such as the Sony A700, and are wondering how to use the possible settings. Reading other reviews, Alan Hess seems to have done a very good job writing for these users.
For advanced users, the book could still be improved. Some examples:
(1) Firmware Updates (they are not mentioned at all in the `Digital Field Guide'). `Firmware' is the software semi-permanently installed in the camera, which controls image processing and other tasks. The Firmware in the Sony A700 has undergone four (4) revisions; the latest Version 4 gives improved picture quality for high ISO settings. To see which version your camera has, press and hold the `Menu' button, and then press the `Display' button just below it. If you have Version 3 or earlier, the updated Version 4 can be downloaded from Sony's website, but Sony doesn't make it easy to find. Call Sony and ask them to E-mail the link, which includes instructions for installation. One can install updated Firmware by copying it to a CompactFlash card using a card reader, and then putting the CompactFlash card in the camera.
(2) DRO, Dynamic Range Optimizer. DRO is a program in the A700 for adjusting the contrast and color of all or parts of an image, with eight (8) different settings. The Sony A700 `User Guide' on page 66 gives very sketchy information on how DRO works, and pages 43-44 of the `Digital Field Guide' only reproduce some of that information. Why not provide 2 pages or so of illustrations to show the effect? The author has missed an opportunity to provide better guidance.
(3) RAW capture. Alan Hess writes that (like many professionals) he likes to use RAW + JPEG, where `RAW files contain the raw unprocessed data taken directly from the camera's sensor.' But he gives very little guidance on using RAW with the Sony A700, and left this reader with more questions than answers: for example, if the White Balance of a RAW image can be adjusted in processing, what happens to the White Balance set before taking the picture? If `Creative Styles' or DRO, which both use image processing, are used in taking a RAW picture, how do these settings affect the `raw unprocessed data' - an apparent contradiction?
The probable answer is that the Sony RAW format records `Creative Styles' and DRO instructions, in addition to the `raw unprocessed' image data, and these instructions are followed by Sony's RAW processing software (but ignored by Adobe Photoshop). But a clear explanation would be helpful. For potential RAW users, some basic questions are left unanswered.
One other quibble: the chapter on `Editing Software Options' makes only brief mention of Adobe Photoshop Elements, the most popular editing software. Photoshop Elements can do a lot more - including quite complex editing, as well as RAW image processing using Adobe Camera Raw download - than is mentioned in the `Digital Field Guide' description.
But in summary, I found it a very useful book, even if there is room for improvement.
And - for readers - the Sony Alpha 700 is an excellent camera.
This book is very nicely produced, with excellent illustrations, very well printed.
Summary of Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Digital Field Guide
The Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Digital Field Guide is filled with everything you need to know in order to take amazing photographs using your Sony Alpha A700 digital SLR camera. This full-color portable guide walks you through the essential controls, features, and functions of the A700 using step-by-step instructions and full-color images of each menu screen. This robust guide not only shows you how to adjust white balance, autofocus, exposure, and choose lenses, it also teaches you when and why you should adjust each of these key settings. The Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Digital Field Guide goes beyond camera settings to offer you a refresher guide to the principles of digital photography, covering the essentials of lighting, composition, and exposure. Filled with amazing examples, this book also presents a variety of tips and tricks to capturing portraits, candids, sports, travel, macro photography, and much more.Equipment Books
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