Which Sony SLR?

dcx_badass · **Which Sony SLR? -** 10-03-2009, 13:24 | posts: 9,543 | Location: Leeds [UK]

Ok I want a new toy and have some money spare so going for an SLR, I'd love a canon 1000D but they've gone up in price by £100 in the last 6 months so thats out. I'm trying to keep it cheap just because I don't want to throw loads of money at it until I've finished uni in 3 years, so I recon it works out better to cheap it cheap and simple for now, instead of throwing money at it, and having to start again in a few years.

Looking at:

A200 + 18-70mm
A200 + 18-70mm and 55-200mm + £70
A350 + 18-70mm + £40

Not posting prices atm but the bit in bold represents how much extra it is from the one before it in the list.

We have some Pentax K mount lenses aswell from our film slrs, anyway to use them?

Cheers.

Repo Man · 10-03-2009, 14:30 | posts: 1,742 | Location: Oxford UK

I'd personally go for the middle option. Many self-proclaimed pros are always busy slagging off them "tourist zooms" but i think they are solid walkaround lenses aslong as you can work around their potential flaws + you'll still have the 18-70mm kit lense wich does alright for portraits and some close up stuff. Later on when you have the money, you can invest on a macro lense or alternatively go with option 1 and save up for a macro lense.

dcx_badass · 10-03-2009, 14:48 | posts: 9,543 | Location: Leeds [UK]

What flaws? I probably would just keep it like this then go Canon in 3 years, this is basically one of my random buys and me getting a new toy to play with, and I just love messing about with manual and taking photos, I'll look into the middle option, try find some stock.

Repo Man · 10-03-2009, 15:36 | posts: 1,742 | Location: Oxford UK

Potential flaws may be things like poor or slow focusing, especially under low light situations. Excessive distortion/heavy vignetting/heavy chromatic aberration at certain focal lengths and so on.

I have a basic Sigma 18-200mm super zoom lense wich is quite poor under low light conditions ( ie. late evening/night under street lights ), the AF just goes completely nuts without managing to focus on anything really. This doesnt bother me though since i dont really go out to shoot during the night and if i do, i just use manual focusing. The lense also has a fair bit of barrel distortion at the wide end but this is something im mindful of and i tend to try and use it to my advantage when shooting. Can make street photos look kinda funky for example.

Still even with its flaws i use the lense a lot and im proud of many of the pictures wich ive taken with it. Infact most of the pictures i post here have been taken with said lense or then the basic kit one that came with the camera.

dcx_badass · 10-03-2009, 15:42 | posts: 9,543 | Location: Leeds [UK]

Cheers, finding it really difficult to track down some stock will try again on monday.

nemeios · 10-05-2009, 06:25 | posts: 14 | Location: CA

I would recommend option 1. I own a Sony (A100) myself and got a used Minolta 70-210 F/4 (nicknamed Beercan) used and love it. You will not be disappointed.

dcx_badass · 10-05-2009, 15:59 | posts: 9,543 | Location: Leeds [UK]

Out of stock everywhere so will have to leave it. Cheers anyway guys.

eclap · 10-05-2009, 16:12 | posts: 18,402 | Location: Hampshire UK

A350 + kit lens. Buy the rest of the lenses later. There's nothing worse than a bad xx-200 lens. By bad I mean slow and soft.

¬69er · 10-05-2009, 19:01 | posts: 203

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclap

A350 + kit lens. Buy the rest of the lenses later. There's nothing worse than a bad xx-200 lens. By bad I mean slow and soft.

alright but 350 has its own deal of issues sony 350 compared to nikon D80

eclap · 10-05-2009, 20:06 | posts: 18,402 | Location: Hampshire UK

All I'm saying is buy the best body you can for now instead of a cheaper body with an extra lens which is of poor quality. If you can afford a better body from a different manufacturer, get that.

dcx_badass · 10-05-2009, 23:22 | posts: 9,543 | Location: Leeds [UK]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclap

All I'm saying is buy the best body you can for now instead of a cheaper body with an extra lens which is of poor quality. If you can afford a better body from a different manufacturer, get that.

It was only a toy until I did it properly after Uni, but there's no stock on the deal I found so I'm leaving it.