New DSLR

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by matt_xyz

I was trying to give objective advice too, I genuinely believe the the various entry level DSLRs are very similar in terms of image quality. I've read enough reviews to convince me of this. The Canons and Nikons seems to have a slight edge when it comes to noise though (or lack of it).

Lenses are a different matter, however, and lens availability and affordibility does vary across brands. I'm convinced Canon and Nikon have the upper hand in this regard, certainly compared to Pentax, Sony/Minolta and the Oly 4/3rds system. No doubt someone blinded by brand loyalty will try to claim otherwise (and I received an offensive PM from someone the last time I made a similar statement ), but that is my view anyway. After extensively investigating the various options a few months ago, and having given serious consideration to both the Oly E500 and the Sony Alpha, I came down on the side of Canon, mainly because I convinced myself that the Canon 400mm prime was the lens I wanted. Each to their own.

Matt

Yes when you think of the amount of money spent on lenses compared to bodies this really needs to be given some consideration as once you have gone for one brand and done maybe a grand on lenses you are pretty much going to stay with that brand for the rest of your life. I know someone who regrets his choice but he has a couple of grands worth of lenses and it is now not practical for him to change

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Boddie

Yes when you think of the amount of money spent on lenses compared to bodies this really needs to be given some consideration as once you have gone for one brand and done maybe a grand on lenses you are pretty much going to stay with brand for the rest of your life. I know someone who regrets his choice but he has a couple of grands worth of lenses and it is now not practical for him to change

Yep, that's why myself and Matt both said to find the lens range you need, then choose the body to go with it. The lens sets the quality of the shot..I just wish I was fit enough to use the lens I fancy!

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by glsammy

Yep, that's why myself and Matt both said to find the lens range you need, then choose the body to go with it. The lens sets the quality of the shot..I just wish I was fit enough to use the lens I fancy!

What do you have in mind?

[jasongallier]

Originally Posted by Amber

Jason, sorry, but, unproven? 25 years using the same mount? God help the compact disc at 20 years old then! As for ergonomics, I agree - so why do Canon insist on some arcane double button press equivalent to a masonic handshake?

I was really only looking at the alpha model and that hasn't been out long. My 5D has similar layout to the 1970's canon A1. You are quite right about ergonomics but once you can handle the camera quickly and without looking, it speeds up reactions and changing settings mid shoot.

I am quite sure it will do the job (the alpha that is) which was my point.

Poor Ms Marley, I hope this all clear as mud!

Jason
Wild Light Photography: Welcome to Wildlight Photography

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Boddie

What do you have in mind?

IF I could manage it, a Canon 600mm Prime. No chance though, although there could very soon be a lens change for me, the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8, with 2X converter would give me a 600mm F5.6, and wouldn't be too massive. I've seen shots taken with this set up and they've impressed me. Just got to explain to the Mrs why it's essential..

[matt_xyz]

Originally Posted by glsammy

Just got to explain to the Mrs why it's essential..

Personally, I find that the most difficult aspect of photography

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Amber

Sony/Konica Minolta A mount lenses - at last count, hmm, several million.... A100 is 10mp, and Sony built chip for Nikon D200/80, as well as for Pentax...As for noise, well, nip into The world of the Minolta mount digital SLR - dyxum.com and check out some of the work in there, especially using G glass.

Now that's countered some of the wildaboutcanon brigade, best advice Mrs M, is to go to a local store and handle the cameras. The A100 is slightly larger than the 400D, but gives a reassuringly firm grip. Also Sony are expected to announce new bodies within the next week or so at PMA.

I agree, your best bet is definitely to handle the cameras , what works for any of us may not be the best option for you - the only one i would defintely give a swerve to is the samsung which is basically a rebadged pentax ist - if you go with pentax you really ought to look at the K100D or K10D which are superior to the Ist series.

As far as the sony vs Canon debate goes yes there are hundreds of A mount lenses available - tho not that many built for digital (not that that allways matters) , there are also a reasonable number of third party lenses available , although these generally wont be in stock but can be ordered in. But if you check out the big ads in the photographic press or a big camera dealer you will see infinitely more canon and nikon (and to a lesser extent olympus) accessories available than those for the other mounts -

to whit Digital depot in digital camera magazine
Canon : bodies 5 , oem lenses, 20 , sigma and tamron lenses 18, flash guns 5
Nikon : bodies 4, Oem lenses 19 , sigma and tamron 18, flashguns 3
Oly: Bodies 3 , oem lenses 16, sigma lenses 8, flash guns 6
Sony : bodies 1 (well they only make 1) , oem lenses 5, third party lenses 0, flash guns 1

we could argue the toss all night without changing each others view point but this would serve no purpose and certainly not be of any help to mrs m, so might a i suggest we call a truce

[Amber]

Originally Posted by Boddie

I think the proof of the pudding is in the eating. I know of not a single Alpha user. Hundreds of members of this site have considered this quandry and after, no doubt, endless investigation have gone for either Canon or Nikon. There has to be something in that.

Maybe the vociferous nature of the canon clan perhaps, or good marketing? I was merely correcting some of the comments that were plainly incorrect - nothing wrong with that. Personally I wouldn't take the recommendation of another user as gospel, without testing all the options, one man's meat and all that. Whatever feels comfortable to use, is gonna get used. There's no such thing as a bad dslr on the market, all capable of producing high quality results. Therefore the choice should be made by an individual, rather than a democracy.

As I've mentioned, some of the work at dyxum and Dynax Digital Forums for Owners of Konica Minolta or Sony DLSRs - Index (check out alibarber and mtiller's work) is outstanding. Would the results have been better with a Cakon?

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by Amber

Maybe the vociferous nature of the canon clan perhaps, or good marketing? I was merely correcting some of the comments that were plainly incorrect - nothing wrong with that. Personally I wouldn't take the recommendation of another user as gospel, without testing all the options, one man's meat and all that. Whatever feels comfortable to use, is gonna get used. There's no such thing as a bad dslr on the market, all capable of producing high quality results. Therefore the choice should be made by an individual, rather than a democracy.

As I've mentioned, some of the work at dyxum and Dynax Digital Forums for Owners of Konica Minolta or Sony DLSRs - Index (check out alibarber and mtiller's work) is outstanding. Would the results have been better with a Cakon?

Excellent work. Nice to see some people have nearly £600 to spend on a 100 mil macro lens, or £409 on a 50 mil macro, £4275 on a 300 mil F2.8, £579 on a wide. So the results would have been less expensive with a Canon

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Amber

As I've mentioned, some of the work at dyxum and Dynax Digital Forums for Owners of Konica Minolta or Sony DLSRs - Index (check out alibarber and mtiller's work) is outstanding. Would the results have been better with a Cakon?

possibly not as a good photographer can take an excellent picture with any camera be that a canon 1DSmkii or the cheapest own brand jessops film slr

As you say there are no DLSRs on the market that give truly bad results (even the samsung , the issue with that one is more to do with lack of value for money), I tried an Alpha for review purposes and didnt like it but I have to admit that this is not the same as owning one and using it everyday - if you are happy with yours then great, after all it is the picture that counts not what you take it with.

For me the biggest draw back of the sony system is that it is only a single body - not a problem for a naturalist just wanting to snap their finds but for someone interested in photography as a hobby it is better to have a system that you can grow with - possibly the new releases will alter this situation only time will tell on that

I wouldnt get to hung up on the Canon Clan thing tho, for me , and for most other serious photographers I would suspect, the camera is a tool - yes I shoot DSLR with canon but i will use whatever is best for the job including mamiya and pentax medium formats and fuji and panasonic compacts - if there comes a time that sony make the best tool for what i want to do then i will happily use them , but at present this is far from the case.