Field Test Day 1
Remember, a year ago, we borrowed a copy of the new expert SLR Olympus E-30. We had taken the cold and snow to get an idea of its potential on a topic Sports: the Monte Carlo rally.The feedback from readers were quite positive and the experiment had attracted the attention of some manufacturers of cameras. Sony has only recently introduced a digital SLR, we had very willingly lent a brand new Alpha 450, and was accompanied not only its objectives kits (18-55 f/3.5-5.6 and 55-200 mm f/4-5, 6), but also a 50 mm f / 1,4, d ' f/4-5 a 70-300 mm, 6 SSM and F58AM flash.

So here we went south to again follow the oldest and, perhaps, the most prestigious rallies: Monte Carlo, the opening round of the Intercontinental Rally Championship (IRC).

NB: Due to the limited bandwidth of the cyber cafe where we post this first part, the original JPEG in full size will be available later.

The Alpha 450 incorporates the majority of electronics of the Alpha 550, upscale brand fans awaiting a possible replacement for the Alpha 700. We thus find a 14 megapixel sensor and a gust 'boost' to 7 frames per second, focus and exposure locked, in addition to the normal burst at 5 fps In contrast, the exit sensor secondary viewfinder, then laid on the screen with fast autofocus is the hallmark of Sony's series 300 and 500. No longer really used to target (Live View on the main sensor lacks autofocus), the screen is a poor cousin of this model: it is not fixed and defined.

Now for something serious that Alpha 450, he gives what field? Management of the neck écharrasson in the Vercors. Parked just before the intersection of Slow, which will be given the start of the prologue, two kilometers walk allows us to place ourselves.Traditionally, the Monte Carlo Rally is a very popular, which attracts crowds of French and Italian mass. However, it is ... Czechs who gratify us more beautiful collection: Campfires (an old habit of Monte Carlo, especially when snow and the temperature is near freezing), tags in the snow to claw their national (Škoda is the One of the major brands involved in the WRC), national flags and perennial encouragement for their pilots.

We note that despite the snow, the exposure of the Alpha 450 is reasonable, it did not completely closed for snow drunk as some may tend to do. The contrasts are moderate and the image slightly increased, even in Jpeg: the Alpha 450 is less "public" as models of entry-level, which corresponds quite well to his position.

The 18-55 mm is used here in its shorter length and an opening was initially impressed: f / 8. The accuracy is hardly correct to center, but perhaps it multizone autofocus is to blame: he has repeatedly made questionable choices, and we quickly decided the only center focus point - this is not a specificity Sony, said this ... In the banks, there are chromatic aberrations: clearly visible at 100%, they will be discreet but discernible on a 20x30 cm print.We stand on a bank outside of a bend is tightening suddenly you've seen in these pages - this is where he had "tankée" a Mercedes at the Monte Carlo history of 'last year. Note that some spectators came to snowshoe: the area is checkered routes hiking, ski substantive Desktop Urle being a few miles, and is a good way to get the "special" - Part timed road is closed where the filing of a rally.

The auto white balance agrees with the temperature is very cold. Two things: either it has been influenced by the yellow-orange fire in the center of the image, or it tends to under-correct the dominant blue. The rest of the series suggests that Sony has chosen a fairly conservative approach in this setting, not aimed neutrality: those seeking a white balance perfectly balanced win to go through the presets or manual settings.

Night falls quickly (the crossing is scheduled an hour later than last year), it is time to leave the flash, a F58AM.

The passage of Magalhães on Peugeot 207, is an opportunity to test the burst mode ... flash. Impressive if the first two pictures are spaced a good second, the five following are taken continuously. The flash has sent four lightning, powerful enough to illuminate the car in less than a second before admitting defeat!

The autofocus of the Alpha 450 also behaved appropriately given the light conditions: it has won the fourth outbreak. The engine of 18-55 mm also proved sufficient, on a passage indeed slow - under a thin layer of snow is in the ice than studded tires must hang.Two hundred yards down, screaming hysterics in Czech Škoda announce. Won: Nicolas Vouilloz, former champion rider and IRC in 2008 and his first officer Veillas arrive. There's someone in the field, so I put a picture (cropped) from the next car, the same, driven by Hänninen and Markkula.

Note the perfect flash exposure: nothing on the car burned, the details clearly visible and colorimetry faithful, though not brilliant - the green is particularly Škoda "farting" in the sun.

We note also that if the lightning flash froze what otherwise would be black, so that the nails in the tires are visible on the full size version, speed limited to 1/60th (amazing array of aircraft, while flash sync up to 1/160è and is configured in normal flash) clearly reveals the movement in the area illuminated by the headlights of the car. In this situation, the effect is a little strange ...On passing through whilst Kopecky and Stary, however, it effectively highlights the lateral movement of the car.Of course, with approximately 270 horsepower, a car full throttle through the snow to raise a great height. The auto focus has also lost its Latin: the point is roughly at the rocks on the left, ten yards behind the car. It did not take place in strict none of the devices which we have subjected this test (K10D, E-30 or Alpha 450 now) it is not properly released.Regional stage (he was born to Die, 40 km from the cervix écharrasson) Bouffier associated Panseri, ends at the ninth position for placing in the mouth. It is also the first Group N leading a "normal". Recall that the Super 2000 cars profoundly modified to improve performance, were arbitrarily mixed with the N group, which included production cars: the drivers of Group N cars are more basic unlikely to be well, and this is only the seventeenth place we found the second "real" group N.

It is time to test the equipment in office a little more exotic. The Alpha 450 is capable of driving the F58AM remotely via the built-in flash. Handling is childishly simple: when the two are connected, simply move the flash mode of the device to "wireless". The F58AM automatically switches in the same fashion and the two agree on a communication channel, without user intervention. There is more than the flash off the shoe and place it where desired.You can then make sure that everything works, photographing your own flash and flash. This facility allows you take photos with a different, less direct.Thus, the shadow of the Clio Kubica (Formula 1 driver in everyday life, which relaxes sometimes rally) and Gerber is extensive, prominent, and the top of the car is submerged in darkness.You can also play to verify that the autofocus goes mad when it receives a strong light from the front - a boom long range headlights properly aligned, it works every time with all appliances. However, the moment the car out of turn, the Alpha 450 comes a time to hang the tree to provide this amazing image flare behind the branches.A long interval without passage of cars (the race was interrupted, we will return) is the opportunity to try some photos of atmosphere. Here, the fire continues to descend gradually in the snow, basically, the Czech fans illuminate the road ... Here, the white balance makes fairly heat the home, without lapsing into caricature. The sensor has a little trouble to collect the difference in brightness between the fire and the branches against the light: a trace of purple fringing is visible at 100% - but will not obstruct a draw.Finally, the last competitors arrive, like the Dumas Family. However, having been blocked by neutralizing, they are not timed and can ride without gloves or helmets, they are "binding", a term that usually refers to the open road trips (in normal traffic) between two "special" timed and is also used to indicate that competitors should only reach the finish within the time limit, without consideration for the competition. They are in this case a fixed time (8 min 56 s in this case) not too distorting the rankings.

Why the break? Well, as the English say, motor racing is dangerous. It is rare that a special was uneventful for all competitors, especially in these challenging conditions. Going down to reach our vehicle, we have the end of the story:Daniel Cambon, amateur pilot, had stopped smoking for two years. But a cigarette and a compassionate hand is not too much to prevent it from curse-loop ...Surprised by a previous competitor crashed, he climbed the rock on the left. "If I had just lifted up smoothly, I was missing, but I had a knee-jerk idiot: I braked too hard, the front wheels are blocked ..."Result: a half before being pulled, a big fear for her sailor Valerie Anthérieu ( "it is mounted, I thought we passed on the Roof") but ultimately not a pimple.More fear than harm as those who were surprised Banks and O'Connor, whose Subaru was, she finished on the back.

If the rally is one of the most accident-disciplines in motorsport, varied terrain and unpredictable forces, serious accidents are still rare and most often affect spectators misplaced or traveling on foot on the stage. We return in our next brief on safety measures for vehicles.

At the end of that first day, as learned from our experience?

The Alpha 450 was found to comply with most reflex that we have tried in these situations: from the moment he is cursing because you notice the times when the autofocus picks, but by sorting the images we realizes that the rate of "success" - from a purely technical means - is relatively high for such delicate conditions.

The F58AM, in turn, will cause a real thunderbolt. Power, precision dosing, speed of reloading - to the point, tripping on not using all the power it is true, to follow the burst of the device on four or five pictures - and ease of use, it has everything for him. The unusual joint of his body can transform itself into the lower foot of fortune for the cause on the ground: it is balanced in this position!

GOOGLE翻译的法文，可能不太灵，凑合看哈。

非常严酷的测试条件：1。弱光 2。低温 3。与闪光灯配合 4。雪天，曝※※杂

有精力的筒子可以看看，貌似对焦挺好，弱光配合闪光灯拍运动题材算是能用。450即便是在雪天曝光也不错，原文用“reasonable"来形容比较恰当。反差适中。
对58灯赞赏有加，回电速度，光量控制准确。

[hollya 编辑于 2010-01-23 22:39]

[2010-01-23 22:44 补充如下]

GOOGLE翻译的法文，可能不太灵，凑合看吧。