Sony SLT A77 And SLT A77V Review

Sony puts everything on the SLT and NEX system. Fans of Sony or Minolta have been waiting for a successor to the Alpha 700 SLR for a long time. Now the Alpha 77V has arrived, which is not a single-lens reflex camera, however, but an SLT camera with a fixed, semi-transparent mirror and high-resolution electronic viewfinder. Sony is also heralding the era of 24 megapixels on APS-C sensors.

Brief assessment

Pros

• Very high continuous shooting speed (but small buffer memory)
• Excellent electronic viewfinder (but a little too low contrast range)
• Robust, ergonomic housing
• Very good image quality up to ISO 1,600, up to ISO 200 at full format level

Cons

• Viewfinder display heavily noisy in low light
• Somewhat pronounced tendency to tight exposure
• Immature firmware (changing the lens can cause camera crash)
• Set lens does not do justice to the resolution potential of the 24 megapixel sensor by far

Good things come to those who wait. And so a few months passed until the APS-C flagship Alpha SLT-A77V from Sony, already announced in summer, arrived at my house as a test unit. It nominally replaces the classic DSLR Alpha 700, which disappeared from the market several years ago. Such long waiting times for a successor model are extremely unusual. Our detailed test report clarifies whether it was worth the wait, whether the SLT concept can convince even demanding photographers and what the image quality of the Alpha 77V with its 24 megapixel sensor is like.

With 24.3 megapixels on an APS-C sensor, Sony outdoes itself – 16 megapixels were previously current – as well as Canon. Even the 35mm full format is not as easy to get, as 22 megapixels were common with Canon and 24 megapixels with Sony and Nikon. Practice will show if Sony could improve the sensor technology and image processing accordingly or if one has to expect a clearly higher image noise; after all, up to ISO 16.000 is possible. Even the anyway not high optical performance of Sony’s set lenses does not bode well for the 24.3 megapixels. So one can be quite sceptical whether the user needs this resolution at all or whether it is useful for him at all. After all, Sony has some very good lenses in its range that can certainly compete with the sensor. But these lenses also cost money accordingly.

On the other hand, there is no need to be afraid of a slump in speed, as the Alpha 77V achieves twelve frames per second at full resolution. However, at this speed the buffer is only sufficient for ten consecutive images. An autofocus module with 19 measuring points, eleven of which are designed as high-quality cross sensors, ensures fast focusing in the Alpha 77V. The semi-transparent mirror lets about 2/3 of the light fall on the sensor, 1/3 is branched off for the autofocus measurement and reflected upwards to the AF module. This allows the autofocus to adjust the distance to the subject without interruption, even when shooting video and even at the high continuous shooting rate. The viewfinder image, however, is generated digitally. For this purpose, Sony is using a new type of electronic viewfinder consisting of a 0.5-inch OLED display with 2.36 million pixels, which corresponds to a resolution of 1,024 x 768 pixels. Sony is also setting a new record for electronic viewfinders in digital cameras. OLED technology not only offers high contrast and rich colors, but can also eliminate the need for backlighting because the pixels themselves are illuminated.

 

Also new is an electronic shutter, which according to Sony is supposed to allow a very short release delay of 0.05 seconds. For comparison: In the laboratory test of the Alpha 35 we measured a value of 0.11 seconds. The fastest shutter speed should be 1/8,000 second. The mechanical shutter is designed for 150,000 releases and achieves the shortest flash sync speed of 1/250 second. But Sony has gone even further and developed a new screen folding mechanism. It has a new type of three-way joint: the pivot point of the two-way panning mechanism can be swivelled up or down, which means that the display remains behind the camera instead of widening out to the side, and can also be raised or lowered for self-portraits. This allows the pan mechanism to be used in tripod mode even when the bottom of the camera is blocked. With a three inch screen diagonal and a resolution of 921,000 pixels, there is, for once, no progress with the screen; the size and fineness of the resolution are completely sufficient in practice.

 

Videos can be recorded in FullHD resolution (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) at up to 50 full frames per second (50p). The new AVCHD 2.0 standard is used as storage format. Manual exposure adjustment and manual focus are available as options during video recording to give the videographer creative control. Not to forget the built-in GPS module for geotagging, which is symbolized by the “V” in the camera name. Other features that make the Alpha 77V a worthy successor to the Alpha 700 include two dials, an LC display on the top of the camera to show the most important settings and a magnesium alloy housing. Sony wants to have improved the ergonomics with a new grip design and a tactile button concept. The operating elements are fitted with seals to keep out dust and moisture. Also an integrated image stabilizer, which can compensate for camera shake with any lens by means of sensor shift, as well as ultrasonic sensor cleaning and an antistatic coating are not missing.

Difference Between Sony SLT A77 And SLT A77V

The V in -A77V designates provision of GPS; in some territories (e.g. China) GPS is not fitted and so the body is called -A77.

So SLT-A77 = body only without GPS, SLT-A77V = body only with GPS. Then a K means bundled with 18-55, a Q means bundled with 16-50.

Ergonomics and Workmanship

About four years have passed since Sony introduced the predecessor model of the Alpha 77V – an unusually long time. As a rule, camera manufacturers in the APS-C royal class renew their models every 18 to 24 months. There is a simple reason why Sony has taken so long with the successor to the Alpha 700, which was launched four years ago: the Alpha 77V is no longer an SLR in the conventional sense. Instead of an optical viewfinder, it uses a very high-resolution electronic viewfinder, so the camera can do without a susceptible, mechanically moved oscillating mirror. A concept that must first be made palatable to discerning photographers who are expected to spend well over 1,000 euros on a camera body. Apparently the first SLT generation, which Sony introduced last year, served this purpose. Sony seems to be satisfied with their market acceptance and is now also venturing a paradigm shift in the APS-C upper class from the classic SLR system to a camera that generates the viewfinder image electronically. And this EVF is a real beauty: with its 2.4 million pixels, it resolves so finely that the viewfinder image appears extremely clear and detailed. In addition, the electronic viewfinder is around 30 percent larger than its best optical counterparts in the APS-C class and covers 100 percent of the recording area.

With the new high-resolution OLED viewfinder of the A77V, Sony has also eliminated two points of criticism that the SLT cameras of the first generation still had to face: the eye relief of the exit pupil is now large enough so that even people wearing glasses can see the entire viewfinder image. And the display area corresponds to the 3:2 format of the sensor, so the A77 EVF uses the full resolution to display the viewfinder image. There is one point, however, that die-hard DSLR photographers have to get used to: Unlike optical viewfinders, the A77V’s EVF shows how the camera will capture the subject, not how the photographer sees it through the lens. This need not be a disadvantage: A small exposure correction, and immediately the viewfinder image becomes correspondingly brighter or darker. Adjust the white balance and the color reproduction in the viewfinder changes immediately. Press the depth-of-field preview button and the depth-of-field preview appears as bright and clear as with open aperture. What’s more, the EVF can display a wealth of information, including an electronic spirit level or a live histogram, so you are always in the picture about all relevant shooting parameters.

So one gladly forgive the electronic viewfinder of the A77V that it also has a few weaknesses: In quite dark surroundings, for example in the light of an incandescent lamp in an inn, the viewfinder image is heavily noisy. The EVF also has its problems with hard contrasts, where dark areas appear simply black even though the depths in the image are still perfectly defined. And the weaker the ambient light, the more the viewfinder image will fade when the camera is panned. But as an alternative to the electronic viewfinder, the Alpha 77V still offers a very high-resolution display, which Sony has attached to the camera body in a very tricky way: Thanks to a double hinge, the monitor can be pulled far away from the housing and turned, tilted and swivelled into almost any conceivable position. No other camera display currently offers so many degrees of freedom; it can be used without restrictions even when using a tripod.

With this variety of information displays, you almost overlook the fact that Sony was the first camera in the Alpha system to give the A77V a full-fledged status display on the top of the camera. It is so generous that there is hardly any room left for the buttons arranged all around, they are a little puny. But that’s no big deal, because practically all functions for which the A77V offers dedicated buttons can also be easily accessed via the extensive quick menu. The actual main menu of the camera only needs to be called up very rarely. In case you do, it is easy to navigate inside thanks to its clear structure. If you prefer direct access to your favourite functions, you can assign the majority of the keys almost as you wish. Unfortunately, only almost: For example, the ISO or AEL button can be assigned one of no less than 26 different functions, while the far less important “Smart-Teleconverter” (digital zoom) button can alternatively only be assigned the viewfinder image magnification.

Typical for the latest SLT cameras is the curved housing of the Alpha 77V. Its roundish shapes may make the camera look a little chubby, but it fits the hand perfectly. The strongly pronounced handle, which is rubberised to prevent slipping, ensures a secure hold. The housing is largely made of a light, resistant aluminium-magnesium alloy and makes an extremely robust impression. Ready for use (but without lens), the A77V weighs in at just under 650 grams, so it’s not exactly a lightweight.

Equipment

With its professional-looking appearance alone, the Alpha 77V signals that it wants to be a professional work tool. Nevertheless, Sony makes the camera appealing to less experienced photographers. Various motif programmes take the most important settings away from you, and even more comfortable is the automatic motif control, which adjusts the camera to the respective situation without any action on the part of the photographer. If you would like to try out the very diverse settings and configuration options, you can use the “Help” button to display a short explanatory text for almost all options – a very helpful function. Just like the SLT cameras of the last generation, the A77V offers clever programs that use multiple shots to drastically reduce image noise, for example, or automatically generate HDR images with well-drawn depths and highlights. In principle, the automatic and assistance functions of the A77V are the same as those of the smaller A65V, which we have only recently tested.

The A77V, on the other hand, offers much more possibilities for demanding photographers. Above all, anyone who replaces his Alpha 700, which is now getting on in years, with its successor, the A77V, will rediscover many of the features he has come to love. This includes, for example, the possibility of being able to fine-tune the camera’s internal image processing to one’s own requirements via “image styles”. But Sony finally offers functions that have long been demanded by die-hard Alpha users with the A77V: For example, the lower and upper limits of the ISO automatic can be freely configured – this has actually been common practice in the APS-C upper house for a long time. But a few points of criticism remain. The bracketing function, for example, is subject to criticism. It does take rows of up to high 9 EV exposure differences in three shots. But of all things it lacks the gradation of 1 EV, which is important for many HDR photographers.

Sony has also saved the option of connected remote control of the camera: if the A700 could still be operated completely from a PC to which it was connected via USB, the A77V no longer offers the possibility of tethered shooting. And the memory for user-defined settings shows an annoying feature on the A77V: as soon as the camera is woken up from power-saving mode, the fixed settings of the last memory location called up apply again. So if you have adjusted the aperture in the meantime or had to correct the exposure, you now have to restore all these settings. The A700 did not reset user-defined settings to the default values until it was switched off – so it should stay that way with its successor! Apparently the firmware of the A77V even in the current version 1.03 is not yet optimally adapted to the hardware. This is indicated by an equally annoying error: if you switch the camera off, it takes five seconds or more to shut it down. If the lens is changed during this time, the camera will crash completely when the power is turned on again; it can then only be reset by removing the battery.

Once you’ve got used to these little peculiarities – which Sony will hopefully get rid of soon with a new firmware version – the A77V can cope with practically every imaginable shooting situation, and can also accommodate unusual photographer wishes. Among other things, the very good electronic spirit level, which can be placed over the viewfinder image, should be emphasized here. Also on board is a GPS receiver, which provides each recording with the corresponding location coordinates on request. However, the camera should be provided with updated GPS support data at least once a month, for this procedure it is connected to a PC with an Internet connection.

The flash functions leave nothing to be desired: The A77V even allows manual power control of a connected system flash unit or the integrated on-board flash. There is also a PC sync socket for connecting a studio flash unit. Sony’s new APS-C flagship eliminates the need for image editing in playback mode, and a position sensor automatically displays portrait images correctly.

The video capabilities of the A77V – together with the more affordable A65V – set new records: it records films at Full HD resolution (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) at up to 50 full frames/s and writes the data to the memory card at a rate of around 27 megabit/s. Such a high data rate requires a powerful PC for subsequent video editing, but the A77V can also optionally film with reduced frame rate or resolution. When filming with the A77V, another advantage of the SLT concept comes into play: its very fast phase AF, which adjusts the focus at lightning speed during video shooting without annoying pumping. The A77V records the sound to the film in stereo, either with its internal microphone or an external one, a corresponding microphone connector is hidden under a flap on the left side of the case. For semi-professional video recordings, the A77V actually only lacks the possibility to manually control the sound.

Lens

Together with the SLT-A77V, Sony has introduced the new lens set lens CZ 16-50/2.8, which is designed to meet the high demands of the 24 megapixel sensor. But the camera is also offered as a set with the price-optimized lens 18-55/3.5-5.6, this combination was received for testing. Apart from the lenses, the lens is made entirely of plastic, and visually alone it doesn’t really want to match the high-quality A77V (how its optical performance harmonizes with the camera is discussed in detail in the “Image Quality” section). When in use, the set lens is initially quite appealing: It focuses quite quickly, on average the A77V found and released the focus point in about 0.33 seconds. Sony has significantly improved the autofocus system on the A77V compared to all other models: with 19 sensors, eleven of which are designed as particularly sensitive cross sensors, it represents the usual level in the class. In addition, the sensors can be grouped together – a new feature of Sony cameras. Even face and smile recognition can be linked to the autofocus – SLT technology makes it possible.

The A77V no longer has a vibrating mirror; instead, it has a tautly stretched foil in the beam path, which permanently diverts around 30 percent of the incident light and redirects it to the AF sensors. This concept allows the A77V to deliver breathtaking performance in continuous shooting: In high-speed mode, it records up to 12.5 fps on the memory card, but after a maximum of 17 shots, the buffer memory is already full and the camera continues the series of shots at a much slower pace with a maximum of only 3.0 fps. So in practice, you should have the desired recording in the box after 1.5 seconds at the latest – otherwise the danger increases drastically that the decisive moment is missed in the comfortable endurance run. In addition, the high-speed mode has two further limitations: The A77V does not display a continuous Live View image but briefly fades in the last image taken. If there are draggers, the motif can wander out of the frame without being noticed in time. A further restriction: if the focus is to be adjusted during a high-speed series, the aperture remains fixed at F3.5 or the open aperture of the lens; the exposure is now only controlled by the ISO number.

All these limitations are eliminated when the A77V is operated in conventional continuous shooting mode. It still allows very fast 8 fps, can be combined with any time or aperture preselection, shows a continuous live view image and also adjusts the focus if desired. However, when this tracking AF is activated, the continuous-advance rate drops briefly for the moment the camera adjusts the focus. The slower continuous shooting rate has hardly any positive effect on the number of shots – even now the camera switches to slow continuous shooting after about 17 shots at the latest. Only if you further reduce the continuous frame rate to 3.5 fps will the A77V be able to keep up the pace for about 40 shots. The A77V can’t quite hold a candle to a thoroughbred action camera like a Nikon D3s or Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, despite its nominally very high serial frame rate. Nevertheless, its performance is remarkable, especially since it shows a permanent live view image even at already very high 8 fps. It’s just a pity that Sony hasn’t given the camera a larger buffer memory for longer high-speed series.

The “edge enhancement function”, which can optionally be switched on during manual focusing, has proven to be very helpful: It highlights all contrast edges that are within the focal plane – a clever setting aid, especially for macro and studio shots from a tripod. But Sony has missed the chance to further develop the SLT concept: The A77V doesn’t offer a slow but very accurate contrast AF – for that, only the mirror would have to be folded out of the beam path. For this purpose the camera is equipped with an image stabilizer via sensor shift. The movably mounted recording sensor compensates for any shaking of the photographer’s hand with corresponding counter movements. The advantage of this method is that it works with practically any lens, the A77V can do without an independent image stabilizer in the optics. On cameras with an optical viewfinder, the sensor shift method does not stabilize the viewfinder image, but on the A77V it does – the recording sensor generates the viewfinder image.

Image quality

Purist photographers will note with some frowning that Sony is about to squeeze 24 million light-sensitive cells onto the A77V’s APS-C sensor. In particular, they will ask themselves what demands this high level of pixel integration places on the optics, or which lenses can actually convert the sensor resolution into a corresponding output resolution. But an APS-C sensor with a resolution of 24 megapixels per se also does not bode well for the noise behavior.

Even the first pictures taken with the set lens SEL 1855 quickly show that this lens is simply overstrained with the 24 megapixel sensor of the A77V. Fine foliage of autumnal trees and shrubs photographed at an optimum aperture of F8 gives the impression of an impressionist painting in 100 percent view on the screen. An impression that is supported by the laboratory protocol: The resolution measurement shows a value beyond 40 line pairs per millimeter (lp/mm) at no aperture stop. Even good compact cameras, in which the optics and sensor are optimally matched to each other, have a resolution that is hardly worse. Or to stay in the class of the A77V: A Canon EOS 600D equipped with a set lens 18-55/3.5-5.6, not exactly known as a resolution miracle, easily exceeds the 50 lp/mm mark – even though its sensor with 18 megapixels is nominally far inferior to the A77V. The Sony DT 30/2.8 macro lens used for comparison also fails on the A77V – its resolution values reach the level of the cheap SAL1855 at best. But to save your honour, the A77V does not – like some other cameras – try to compensate for the missing resolution performance of the lens by excessive re-sharpening. Sharpness artifacts are therefore almost completely foreign to her. The fine details that the A77V’s sensor can reproduce, however, only become apparent when equipped with a top lens like the CZ 24-70/2.8.

However, this richness of detail suffers as soon as the ISO sensitivity exceeds the basic ISO 100 level. The A77V’s noise reduction starts to take effect at ISO 200, and becomes more and more intense as the ISO number increases, so that more and more details are lost. After all: The noise reduction of the A77V does its job excellently, RAW shots used for comparison could hardly get more details out of Adobe Camera Raw with the appropriate noise reduction than JPEG shots directly from the camera. In comparison to the Alpha 900, the A77V clearly falls behind already from ISO 400. To make matters worse, the A77V has a distinct tendency to slightly underexposed photos, usually an exposure correction of +0.3 to +0.5 EV is appropriate. Problems with the noise and detail rendering, however, are immediately put into perspective when the very large image files of the A77V are scaled down to the desired output size. Even with a resolution reduced to 12 megapixels, the A77V can be used up to ISO 3,200 without any “if”s and “but”s, photo prints in usual sizes up to ISO 6,400 are possible without any problems, and even photos taken at even higher ISO numbers can be seen in photo albums or internet galleries.

No difficulties are posed by the A77V’s high-density sensor with a high contrast range. Up to ISO 800, the camera processes a dynamic range of almost eleven f-stops, an excellent value. Also up to this sensitivity level, the output tonal range remains very high, the camera can differentiate even the finest brightness and color gradations in the scene wonderfully fine. The A77V doesn’t take the color fidelity quite as precisely in the standard setting, especially orange and magenta tones are saturated a bit strongly. In addition, the tonal value reproduction may be a bit crisp for professional photographers – but colors and tonal values can be adjusted quite easily and image editing-friendly with the image style “Neutral”.

Conclusion

Good things come to those who wait. But does this also apply to the Alpha 77V, which is only now, long two years after the end of sales of its predecessor, coming onto the market? No camera in the APS-C class currently offers a sensor resolution of 24 megapixels and breathtaking 12 fps for continuous shooting. Although the A77V is not a high-ISO monster, it delivers significantly better image quality up to ISO 1,600 than its direct competitors – provided it is equipped with correspondingly high-resolution lenses. The 18-55/3.5-5.6 set lens is clearly not one of them; it degrades the Alpha 77V to a mediocre 16 megapixel camera at best. Where ISO numbers below 200 are possible, such as under powerful studio lighting, the A77V can even replace an expensive full-frame camera. On location, it impresses with a very high-quality, ergonomically shaped housing, and the Alpha 77V’s operation is exemplarily intuitive. The autofocus system of the A77V is up to date, the range of functions of the A77V will satisfy even professional demands. With Sony’s SLT concept, you have to accept the fact that a very large, high-resolution EVF replaces a conventional optical viewfinder. In most cases, it is superior to its optical counterpart, but its contrast range might be a bit higher. To this end, the Alpha 77V always offers true live view with fast phase AF – especially during video recording, where the camera currently delivers the highest data rates. If Sony now quickly iron out the odd firmware bug or two, the Alpha 77V will become a semi-professional all-round camera that both demanding beginners and ambitious photographers will enjoy for a long time.

Firmware update 1.03 for the Sony SLT Alpha 77

Sony provides new firmware version 1.03 for each of the two system cameras SLT Alpha 65V and Alpha 77V. This means that buyers may not even need to install the update if the cameras are delivered with the latest firmware 1.03. The update improves the reaction speed of the control wheels and the Fn key. The update also makes the cameras compatible with the HVL-MT24AM macro flash. The firmware update is supposed to contain further improvements, but Sony doesn’t announce these in detail. The update can be downloaded from Sony’s Asian website, where you can also find an update guide in English.

Sony Alpha SLT-A77 Datasheet