which Sony DSLR to get

I have been using aN Olypus C5060 and would like to move on to a DSLR. As I have a shed full of Minolta AF stuff I will go for a Sony Alpha. I would like to hear from those who have Sony DSLR as to which model is best (from the underwater aspect) and any features which are must have or dont really matter eg live view. Housing availability not an issue as I will make my own. microx.

I can't say I've used any of them, but their newer liveview with the extra mirror-tilt option in the VF box (to illuminate a secondary sensor vs. the optical viewfinder) is the closest to Olympus's original and best implementation on the E-330, which I do use.

In that mode liveview shouldn't result in any additional shutter or mirror-lift delay, but may suffer a little bit of 'video delay' in the sense that what you see on the screen might be slightly time-lagged vs. what you would see if using the optical viewfinder.

I guess you need to start by finding out for sure if your Minolta lenses are compatible with their current mount (with full aperture info and focus information, not just 'do they fit') and go from there. As a first DSLR I'd probably consider one of the very slightly outdated models vs. the newest and bestest to avoid the price premium...then again if you're building your own housing and don't want to do it twice, I can also see the reasoning behind shooting for the moon right off the bat.

I have been using aN Olypus C5060 and would like to move on to a DSLR. As I have a shed full of Minolta AF stuff I will go for a Sony Alpha. I would like to hear from those who have Sony DSLR as to which model is best (from the underwater aspect) and any features which are must have or dont really matter eg live view. Housing availability not an issue as I will make my own. microx.

Actually, the Sony implementation of Live-View is stellar. I have the A300 with an Ikelite housing, and the focus time (assuming enough light to focus), is brief to say the least....very, very nearly as fast as the regular through-the-viewfinder method). I have pretty bad eyes, and wear contact lenses. In order to use a normal viewfinder, I'd have to wear reading glasses inside my mask.

I chose the A300 because it has fewer pixels, and therefore better low light (higher ISO) performance than the A350. Because they're now discontinued, they can be had very inexpensively. I use the Tamaron 17-50 f2.8, and it's larger apperature helps gather more light for focusing, even though I shoot at f8 except for really close-up shots (the camera stops down to f8 when the shutter is depressed).

My dry land setup is a Canon 1dmkIII with various lenses. An U/W case and ports for that would have cost as much or more than my enire Sony U/W rig, including 2-strobes (Ikelite ds125 and Inon D2000).

And I have the A-350.

Very happy with it, especially the fast liveview as I don't want to squint through the viewfinder and it allows some very low angles.

As mentioned above, now discontinued in favor of the A-380 so prices may have dropped.

If your looking for some examples there is a trip report here:

Trip Report

where the pics are taken with the a-350

Sony make quite good DSLR because it keeping design for Minolta. I was user of Canon (film) to Nikon Digital to Minolta/Sony digital now back to Canon Digital.

I was reluctantly offload my Sony/Konica Minolta DSLR/lenses/flashes due to problem finding with decent U/W housing, the only option for me for my A-700 in Singapore was Ikelite and oh boy! the housing is damn big. So far I never notice any other casing makers beside Ikelite that having comprehensive model for Sony.

Sony make quite good DSLR because it keeping design for Minolta. I was user of Canon (film) to Nikon Digital to Minolta/Sony digital now back to Canon Digital.

I was reluctantly offload my Sony/Konica Minolta DSLR/lenses/flashes due to problem finding with decent U/W housing, the only option for me for my A-700 in Singapore was Ikelite and oh boy! the housing is damn big. So far I never notice any other casing makers beside Ikelite that having comprehensive model for Sony.

BS Kinetic will support sony a850: http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/dema-2009-d...arty-photos/P1/

(go to page 2)

In theory it should be comaptible with the a900 as well. I think it's the cheapest full-frame camera on the market (as new).