Pop Photo Magazine Field Tests The Alpha 100

Being a long-time Minolta user I was saddened when the news came out that Konica Minolta was throwing in the towel in regard to its photography interests. In my opinion there was no better bang for the buck than Minolta photo gear. The price to quality ratio was always a factor for a budget conscious photographer like myself. Nikon and Canon, although the industry leaders were just out of my price range and Minolta equipment was my salvation. I still think the Maxxum 7 is one of the best film SLRs ever produced in regards to price, quality, ease-of-use, and just plain fun to shoot with. So I’ve been waiting anxiously for Sony, who acquired Konica Minolta’s photography business to release it’s first digital SLR so I can finally make the plunge into digital (beyond my little Canon A-75 digital shooter.)

Sony announced recently that the Alpha 100 DSLR will be available sometime in late July, early August and several pre-release reviews have been posted on the internet as mentioned in my earlier post. Popular Photography and Imaging magazine has also just posted a pre-release field test. John Owens put the Alpha 100 through the test a couple of weeks ago on a two-day Alaskan trip put together by Sony to allow the press to evaluate the camera. That Alpha 100 field test from Pop Photo can be viewed here. I just wish the camera had a pc connector. I’ve never understood why new cameras, even entry level models don’t have a pc connector. How expensive can it be to add this convenient and sometimes necessary feature. The Konica C35 rangefinder, that I recently picked up for ten dollars at an antique store, has a pc connector and hotshoe for flash. The Konica wasn’t a premier camera when new, yet it sports this feature. For this reason alone I may wait for a semi-pro or professional model of the Alpha, if Sony plans to release one. I would assume they will. It looks like Sony’s initial foray into the digital SLR category is a winner, and it will be very hard for me to not purchase this camera, even though it is missing a couple of features I would prefer to have. I’m not a patient man, just ask my wife and kids!

An Alien In The House

Now that I have moved into my new house, I finally have an office/studio that can accommodate an actual studio lighting system. After much research and internal debate I chose the B800 kit from AlienBees. I wanted a system that would provide ample lighting for my limited budget. The B800 hit the target perfectly. Since this was my first foray into professional lighting, I wanted to start with a single light with the possibility to expand later. I don’t foresee doing any location shooting with this unit, but if that does come up the handy travel case that came with the kit will do the trick. The unit itself seems durable enough to handle mobile situations. With 320 true wattseconds and 800 effective wattseconds, controlled over a 5 f-stop range from full power to 1/32, the B800 gives me plenty of light for my needs. In fact my 15x14 room requires little more than half power for most situations at f8. The only thing I decided to change when I received the B800 kit was to replace the 100 watt modeling light, with a 150 watt light (max). Otherwise this baby was ready to go right out of the box. Once on the tripod I attached the 32” Brolly Box that I ordered with the kit, connected the 15-foot sync cord to my Minolta Maxxum 7, and got started.

Since I only have the single light I use a 48” collapsible reflector for fill. I configured a contraption for hanging interchangeable backgrounds and have just enough room to effectively use a 100mm lens for portraits. Using a Sekonic L-358 meter with the B800 is effortless and I was metering and test shooting in my little make-shift home studio the same evening the AlienBees light kit arrived on my doorstep. So far I’m happy with the results and can’t praise these lights enough. The fast recycle time and stepless power control allow for quick alterations. There will always be someone who has different opinions and experiences, but at this juncture, for my budget (or lack there of) the lights provided by AlienBees satisfy my needs.

Digital Revolution For An Analog Photographer

When it comes to photography I guess I’m an analog guy. I like film. I enjoy working in the darkroom, and get a rush every time the image appears on a piece of 8x10 photo paper after two minutes in Kodak Dektol (my preferred print developer). But after buying a Canon A75 point and shoot last year for family snapshots, quick picks and web photos of my camera collection; I’ve found myself hooked to the instant gratification digital photography provides. With the recent announcement of the Sony Alpha 100 DSLR, I can look forward to using my plethora of Minolta lenses on a quality digital single lens reflex. Although I’ll probably wait to see if Sony introduces a semi-pro or pro version of the Alpha, which I’m sure is likely. As an entry-level, midrange digital SLR the Alpha 100 looks like one helluva bargain for Maxxum users like myself who didn’t jump on the 6MP Maxxum 7D/5D bandwagon. I’m glad I waited. I just hope I don’t ignore my Maxxum 7 after taking the DSLR plunge, because I thoroughly enjoy using it. Here are some recent reviews of the new Sony Alpha 100 DSLR prior to its expected release in late July ’06.

Popular Photography – Sony Alpha 100 Review
Steve’s Digicams – Sony Alpha 100 Review
DPReview – Sonly Alpha 100 Review


When it comes to music however, I converted to digital early on. In fact I still have some CD’s from 1986 that I still listen to. That was ten bucks well spent. Now that digital music is experiencing a new revolution with the introduction of the Apple IPod and other MP3 players, like the Creative ZEN Nano Plus (I plug it ‘cause I own one and think it’s great) this new technology is an amazing source for photographic information. Podcasts, which are short audio clips usually in .mp3 format, can be found all over the internet on a variety of subjects. Several photography themed Podcasts provide quick tips and instructions for applying techniques, or reviews of new equipment. If you have an MP3 player of any kind and have not taken advantage of this ‘FREE’ resource you have nothing to lose by trying it. These are downloaded to your MP3 player just like music files, or can be played directly on your computer. File size depends on the length of the cast. Below are some websites that have several Podcasts that I have found informative and entertaining.

New York Institute of Photography
Studiolighting.net
PhotoshopTV (provides audio and video files)
Popular Photography & Imaging