I have a lot of cameras, but most of them are old film cameras. I have only three cameras that I use regularly: A Sony RX100 M3, my carry everywhere camera purchased in 2016 to replace a RX100 M1 that died; A Sony Alpha 500 DSLR acquired in 2010; and a Sony Nex 5N, which I now mostly use with adapted legacy lenses.

I use the Alpha 500 when I know I’m going to be taking pictures of things that move quickly. For example I used it both times I went to a nearby airshow. However, I wasn’t altogether satisfied with the results. I couldn’t afford a high end telephoto or zoom lens and instead decided on a camera with higher resolution that would allow me to crop more. I also wanted faster and more accurate autofocus.

After doing some research I decided that this camera would meet my needs and that I could find one within my budgetary constraints (if I bought used). It’s a Sony A77 II.

The first time I tried it I was somewhat confused. I could barely get it to focus. After some tinkering I concluded that the previous owner had changed some settings, but I wasn’t sure which ones. So I did a reset and then everything became a lot easier. I recognized that it was still a complex camera though and as usual it didn’t come with a very useful manual. So I bought David Busch’s Sony Alpha a77 II/ILCA-77M2 Guide to Digital Photography, a very useful book, particularly the section on how to configure the camera.

I’ve used it a few times now an a must say that the more I use it the more I like it. I still find some things a bit bewildering (especially everything to do with focus tracking) but all things considered I’m happy that I bought it.

For some pictures taken with it see:

Flowers in the early morning light
Fall comes to the lake.
Shells.
Rose on our dock.
Roses by the light of the eclipse.
Putnam County Veterans Memorial Park – Old Barn.
Putnam County Veterans Memorial Park – Gold Star Mother Statue.
Putnam County Veterans Memorial Park – M60A3 Series Tank (Patton).
Putnam County Veterans Memorial Park – Bell AH-1 Cobra.
Putnam County 46th Annual 4-H Fair – Military Exhibition.
Putnam County 46th Annual 4-H Fair – Antique Machinery.
Putnam County 46th Annual 4-H Fair – Sheep.
Putnam County 46th Annual 4-H Fair – Cows.
Putnam County 46th Annual 4-H Fair – Goats.
Putnam County 46th Annual 4-H Fair – Llamas.
Putnam County 46th Annual 4-H Fair – Revolutionary War Re-Enactors, Around the Camp Fire.
Putnam County 46th Annual 4-H Fair – Revolutionary War Re-Enactors, Blacksmith.
Putnam County 46th Annual 4-H Fair – Revolutionary War Re-Enactors, Militia.
Putnam County 46th Annual 4-H Fair – Native American Exhibit.
Putnam County 46th Annual 4-H Fair – Horse Riding.
Putnam County 46th Annual 4-H Fair – Overview.

For a more detailed consideration of the camera that goes way beyond anything I could come up with (at least at this point – it is after all still early days) see: Sony SLT-A77 II Review on Digital Photography Review.