Shutter Mike Photography

I have been using my new Sony Alpha 850 DSLR for about a week now and I love, love, love it.  This is more than a step up from my Alpha 100.  More like a giant leap forward.  Here are some of my first observations.  These are neither pros nor cons, just some things worth pointing out that you might want to keep in mind if buying one.  And if you are considering buying a Sony Alpha 850 the more you know before buying the better.

• Weight – The Alpha 850 is not a light weight.  Without the accessories it weighs 1 lb. 14 oz (almost 2 lbs).  Add on the lens, flash, and battery and you will get a workout.
• Battery – The battery is the NP-FM500H.  If you are jumping from the Alpha 100 to the 850 like I did you’ll want to keep in mind that they use two different batteries.  The NP-FM500H for the 850 allows for the remaining charge left in the battery to be displayed on the LCD as a percent.
• File Size – At 24.6 mega pixel when you shoot in RAW you end up with a large file (but a very clear image file).  You might need to invest in a larger memory card, but its not a bad trade off for the image quality you get.
• Noise – The sound kind, not the grain.  This has been reported in almost all the reviews, but the shutter sound is louder than I would expect from a camera of this level.  Not  deal breaker by any means however.

Overall one week impression – wow!