New forum user

[Bruzer]

Just wanted to introduce myself. I am new to this forum. Just got my second Sony camera, the first was a Digital Mavica from nearly 20 years ago. My new to me camera is an A5000 mirrorless. I started out with film cameras in 1986 with a Ricoh Kr30Sp, K-mount 35mm SLR. I added a Pentax ZXM when I had to send my Ricoh in for repair in 1996. When I got the Mavica in 2000 I stopped shooting film in preference of the digital format. In 2005 I got a Konica/Minolta Z5 superzoom point and shoot. I think I expected too much from it and got frustrated real fast. In 2006 I read where Pentax had developed image stabilization built in to their DSLR camera body. This body was the K100D and was backward compatible with every K-mount/M42 lens that had ever been built. So my lenses that I had for my old film cameras would work with the new APS-C DSLR body. I bought it with the kit lens and was able to use my old Sigma 70-210mm and Sigma 28mm Macro lenses that I already had. I didn't bother with my Sigma 35-70mm as the 18-55mm covered that and was autofocus. I was used to manual focusing so using these older lenses on my new DSLR worked out well.  As time went on I started to acquire more manual and some af lenses and even got some M42 lenses from the 70's which are incredible lenses. I have several newer Pentax DSLR bodies today.

Fast forward to two weeks ago. I have seen the results from these Sony mirrorless camera's and decided to give one a try. Hense the A5000. Bought as a body only, I got both an M42 and K-mount to E-mount adapter and figured I could use my existing lenses to learn the A5000. I like the size, but didn't realize that it had no EVF, only the screen on the back. The manual lenses mounted on my modern Pentax DSLRs cause the camera to beep when focusing indicating that focus is close or has been achieved. I have not found a similar feature on the A5000 so I am thinking I am missing something. This would be an awesome aid to shooting in bright sunlight.

This concludes my introduction and I hope to meet some like minded here on these forums.

Bruzer

[Bruzer]

Well I learned how to improve manual focusing. I read somewhere about something called focus peaking, a term I had never heard before. It turns out the menu on the A5000 has Peaking Level and Peaking Color. Once activated it now provides some "fringe" color on the part of the image that is in focus. This is very helpful, and it means that I can use all my old Takumar prime glass and three prime Russian lenses on this little body. I can also use my K-mount Pentax-A and -M lenses as well. 

Can anyone recommend a good A5000 resource that explains in more detail the features of this camera?

[LiveShots]

David Busch has a book about the a5000 but I’m not sure if it is still in print. 

[Bruzer]

Thank you LiveShots. I will see if I can find a copy.