Sony A850 or P30+

[pjtn]

I recently purchased a Phase One P30+ and Hasselblad H1 camera, but no lens yet. I've started wondering if I can really afford a setup like this. I always loved my Sony A850 and currently have the opportunity to purchase one at a very reasonable price.

My intent is to print around 40"x30", maybe a little less. I'm not too sure how a Sony A850 would hold up at these sizes, especially against the medium format.

I did find one test that compared an A900 against a P30. In this test the A900 did extremely well:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=29852201

How does the Sony look with print sizes around 36"x24"? Is the P30+ really worth the extra expense in image quality?

I know this is up to me and my image quality threshold but it would be nice to hear some opinions from people.

[woof75]

Don't forget when assessing image quality to actually look at the picture produced and say do I like the look of the picture. There's lots more to a file than how sharp and noisy it is. (tonality, colour rendition, contrast, micro contrast) These are things that don't show up on test charts and you don't see them when pixel peeping. 

[theguywitha645d]

I know this is up to me and my image quality threshold but it would be nice to hear some opinions from people.

I complete agree, it is up to you.

You are the most significant factor in your photography. There is no reason you cannot make 40" prints from the Sony.

The most important thing I have learnt is do what you can do now. If the Sony is going to get you working, then that is a much better choice than a camera without a lens, unless you are thinking about getting into pinhole photography. No matter what, there is alway a better piece of photographic gear out there. You cannot take photos with what you don't have.

A bird in hand...

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

The difference between 31 MP and 24 MP is probably ignorable, but there may be other factors that may matter.

How exactly can you focus?
Camera vibrations?
Lens to viewscreen alignment?

Than you also need consider the crop factor.

Best regards
Erik

I complete agree, it is up to you.

You are the most significant factor in your photography. There is no reason you cannot make 40" prints from the Sony.

The most important thing I have learnt is do what you can do now. If the Sony is going to get you working, then that is a much better choice than a camera without a lens, unless you are thinking about getting into pinhole photography. No matter what, there is alway a better piece of photographic gear out there. You cannot take photos with what you don't have.

A bird in hand...

[Fine_Art]

I complete agree, it is up to you.

You are the most significant factor in your photography. There is no reason you cannot make 40" prints from the Sony.

The most important thing I have learnt is do what you can do now. If the Sony is going to get you working, then that is a much better choice than a camera without a lens, unless you are thinking about getting into pinhole photography. No matter what, there is alway a better piece of photographic gear out there. You cannot take photos with what you don't have.

A bird in hand...

Good advice.

Its nice to have top exotics but sometimes its more important to be able to go to a store in any town and buy a lens or some other equipment. If you need more resolution with a DSLR you can always take a central shot of moving subjects then go back to take 4 surrounding shots of the background. All bracketed.  This is where digital really pays off compared to large film.

[Gandalf]

I have a Sony a900 that I will be selling to fund a H2 and P30+ or Aptus 7. I don't expect the output to be higher quality, but I am looking for a different experience and higher sync speed.

[Gigi]

You may well be surprised.

[K.C.]

... but I am looking for a different experience and higher sync speed.

That's guaranteed. Harder to focus, harder to hold and no image stabilization.

[Peter Devos]

I am probably the only one on this forum, but not in the pro community, that finds using a H3d-31/40 or similar way easier than using the D800. To get equal image quality on a D800 i needed much higher shutter speeds, Zeiss lenses, much more concentration when shooting.... so in the end i simply sold my D800 and use the H3d for high resolution work and the 5dMk2/3 for daily fast work.
On the dynamic range: i simply can't get the point of being that important to so many photographers. Most of the most beautiful images ever made had way less DR. I think it is better to go and shoot with whatever you feel good with. I feel best with Hasselblad or Rollei, shoot great images with them and still those 10 years old backs perform really great. Maybe some photographers are more obsessed with the tools than with the result  .....

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

You make several good points. So you would use AF on the Hassy but MF on the Nikon, because of the Zeiss lenses?

Regarding DR, I sometimes feel that we have ample DR, without going to the latest generation of Exmoor type sensors. On the other hand, the Sony cameras I normally use have pretty good DR at low ISO. Anyway DR has seldom been an issue for me.

Best regards
Erik

I am probably the only one on this forum, but not in the pro community, that finds using a H3d-31/40 or similar way easier than using the D800. To get equal image quality on a D800 i needed much higher shutter speeds, Zeiss lenses, much more concentration when shooting.... so in the end i simply sold my D800 and use the H3d for high resolution work and the 5dMk2/3 for daily fast work.
On the dynamic range: i simply can't get the point of being that important to so many photographers. Most of the most beautiful images ever made had way less DR. I think it is better to go and shoot with whatever you feel good with. I feel best with Hasselblad or Rollei, shoot great images with them and still those 10 years old backs perform really great. Maybe some photographers are more obsessed with the tools than with the result  .....

[K.C.]

Maybe some photographers are more obsessed with the tools than with the result  .....

Well if this forum isn't a testament to that fact I don't what possibly could be.

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

I guess that many of us posting on this forums are scientist, engineers or just interested in science and technology. Knowledge of science doesn't rule out being an artist.

Best regards
Erik

Well if this forum isn't a testament to that fact I don't what possibly could be.