Thread: New Camera Choice

Hey mate.
May I suggest you go in the shop and have a good feel.

Take some time and play with features. See how they fall into your finger tips.

Canon and Nikon are the pick of the bunch.

I have used both and currently feel Canon has the slight edge, great colour and super fast start up and a great 18-200mm lens to boot.
You get what you pay for and remember that technology is changing so fast, you may find that in a year you will have outgrown a entry typr model and feel the need to update. Cameras do not hold their value at all.
Do not chase pixels as its the way the info gets recorded that matters, the lens plays a mayor role and get fast glass, meaning a as low as possible f stop.
Allows for wuicker shots and in low light condition and usually means a better lens overall.
Stick with quality lenses and also a good quality memory card.

So take yourself into a shop you trust and play with the gnobs and dials, get the feel for one and not just the preferences of the salesman.
Best of luck and happy shooting.

Originally Posted by Heggs

Thanks guys, I have one other question I have a Minolta m70 SLR camera that is sitting in the cupboard, this has 2 sigma lenses
1- AF-MF zoom lens 28-80mm F3.5-5.6 II Asperical
2- AF-MF zoom lens 100-300mm f4.5-6.7 DL
will these be usuable on a DSLR
I am under the impression that the minolta and the SonyA200 have the same fitting, or have i been given a bum steer

No, you haven't been given a bum steer.

The Sony mount IS the Minolta A-mount and therefore identical.

These two lenses will work - assuming that you are refering the Minolta Maxxum 70 and not the X70 which had the MD mount, however I would be inclined to bin the Sigma 100-300mm - not a good lens at all.

There are some issues with some sigma lenses manufactured up the mid 90's (most notably the Sigma 400mm F5.6) that would not focus or meter on the digital cameras. These can be rechipped. But, given that there are a number of good lenses around at reasonable prices, it may not be economically viable.

The main difference with the latest Sony mount is an additional 2 electrical contacts (for new SSM type lenses I believe), but other than that, it will work properly with all Minolta AF lenses and most of the other A-mount lenses. It is not, however, compatible with the earlier MC and MD lenses, which is a pity, because many of the older Rokkor lenses are superb.

Originally Posted by flagg

They they the same bayonet fitting - but you may not have full metering / AF functionality. Best bet is to take them with you to the camera store and try it. The Sony is based upon the old Minolta cameras.

Yep. I strongly agree with this one. Each lens has a ROM chip inside it which tells the camera what sort of lens it is and otehr details. The lens will definitely fit the bayonet mount but Minolta and Sigma had a bit of a barney in the early days. After Sigma started producing lenses for Minolta cameras without paying a licence, Minolta changed their cameras to be incompatible with the early Sigma ROM chips. They later sorted it out but it would still pay to test the lenses with a camera you're interested in.


Also I'd be looking at an Sony A300 over to a A200. While it's more bikkies and it's basically the same camera specs, it has a maneuverable LCD and a kick arse live-view system. The live-view is actually better than the current Canon and Nikon systems.

You mention portraits and landscapes, but dont include the FujiS5Pro on the list? That would be my choice around the $1000 price point category (body only).

Originally Posted by Taz

You mention portraits and landscapes, but dont include the FujiS5Pro on the list? That would be my choice around the $1000 price point category (body only).

I have only every heard bad things about fuji's, and never even considered them probably should realy. I went to the camera shop yesterday and had a look at all on my list, it seams to be not a lot of real differences between any of the cameras around that price, its not untill the next step is taken does any real difference happen.

I'm not sure if i'm hijacking your therd or not ill move it if you want. but i'm looking a getting a DSLR, looking at getting either Nikon D90 ($1449 to $1600 body only) or Canon ($1249 to $1499 body only) both look good, both have HDvideo 500D 720p at 30fps and D90 at 24fps (D90 dosen't shoot 1080P 500D dose)but leaning towards the 500D due to weight about 200g lighter( i know that not much but carring a years supply of gear on you back it all adds up.) i will be using it next year as im travelling all year in various places around the world. So looking at taking only one lens, i have heard alright thing about the Tamron 18-270mm lens ($900 to $1100).

Here a link to the cameras side by side if your interested
Digital Cameras Side-by-Side, 2 cameras: Digital Photography Review

There is a new Nikon D5000 more goodies than the D60 and most of the D90.

I was looking at this and thinking - well - just thinking

See Nikon D5000 Hands-on Preview: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review has a comparison between the three Nikons.

Ryall

Originally Posted by big guy

Hey mate.
May I suggest you go in the shop and have a good feel.

Take some time and play with features. See how they fall into your finger tips.

Canon and Nikon are the pick of the bunch.

I have used both and currently feel Canon has the slight edge, great colour and super fast start up and a great 18-200mm lens to boot.
You get what you pay for and remember that technology is changing so fast, you may find that in a year you will have outgrown a entry typr model and feel the need to update. Cameras do not hold their value at all.
Do not chase pixels as its the way the info gets recorded that matters, the lens plays a mayor role and get fast glass, meaning a as low as possible f stop.
Allows for wuicker shots and in low light condition and usually means a better lens overall.
Stick with quality lenses and also a good quality memory card.

So take yourself into a shop you trust and play with the gnobs and dials, get the feel for one and not just the preferences of the salesman.
Best of luck and happy shooting.

This can be read in so many different ways.



Simon