Beginners DSLR

[kopite]

Hi Guys,

For christmas Im thinking of getting a DSLR. I went into Currys today to look and the bloke said that the Sony a200 is a good camera to start with.

I have never really owned a decent camera but thought it could be a fun hobby

[HSK]

I guess it depends on how much you're willing to spend, and if you want brand new or second hand...and the kind of lenses you want to start of with. I got a feeling Sony's are good/nice price for beginners, I can't say too much because I only really know of the Canon camera and lenses.

Someone posted this http://forums.hexus.net/current-barg...slr-149-a.html the other day, seems quite cheap!

And yes, it is great hobby...only recently started a couple of months ago, developing a passion for it.

[BUFF]

if it suits you handling wise (as what suits 1 oesron may not another) then imo the A200 is the current bargain entry level DSLR & indeed it has won many awards for precisely that.
You may find http://www.anandtech.com/digitalcame...oc.aspx?i=3434 interesting.

You can currently buy the A200 for ~£230 body only or ~£260 with kit 18-70mm from trusted genuine UK stock sellers.
Amazon are doing it for £252 delivered with kit & Warehouse Express will match that price & take off 25% of the difference with their normal price http://www.warehouseexpress.com/Home...cePromise.html which should squeak it in under £250 delivered.

The Sonys are user friendly but also have the more advanced options when you feel that you want to get more in-depth.

[kopite]

Thanks for the confirmation guys

Will the lens that comes with it be enough to get me started or would It be an idea to buy another as well. The bloke in the store suggested that it migth be an idea to purchase a Sony 75-300mm at the same time?

[Stoo]

It depends on how often you'd use it tbh..

If you get the 18-70 kit, it'll be more than enough initially..

There are also things like camera bags, flash guns, extra batteries, memory card, tripods etc which may be a lot more useful than a large lens if you're only going to use it a couple of times here and there

You can always get one later if you find yourself needing one

[Bobster]

The Sonys are user friendly ...

oh, how i needed a good laugh today!

[kopite]

What would you suggest fgor a good beginners camera bobster?

[Bobster]

2nd hand 20 or 30D

[BUFF]

oh, how i needed a good laugh today!

& why would you say that they aren't user friendly, Bob?
They generally handle better & have a better UI than Canons (which is why Canon have pinched bits of Olympus & Sony thinking in their latest bodies)?

re. additional lens: kopite, first decide what sort of photos that you are likely to be taking & therefore what focal lengths that you are likely to need.
If you do need something longer then I would suggest looking at the Tamron 55-200mm (should be ~£70 if you search) as it performs above it's price point & also the Tamron 70-300mm (~£114 if you search) as it's a better lens than the Sony kit 75-300mm & should be cheaper as well.

[YorkieBen]

oh, how i needed a good laugh today!

well from my experience the sony dslrs are (had a small go with a friend's canon d400 recently and alot of reviews recommend it as a good camera for the beginner.

Sony's dslr interface is far different to its regular camera range

imo the A200's interface is intuitive and user friendly. I have never owned a dslr or slr before and I picked it up pretty quick. Just a quicky have you used to A200 at all Bob?

I'm guessing Bob will recommend a Canon just because

[ACiD303]

I'd say the Sony was less user friendly than Canons as well - although my frame of reference mainly comes from Canon cameras (P&S and DSLRs). The Sony menus do bear similarities to Minolta (maybe because that's what they are, really), but even using that as a point of reference was useless.

My friend bought a A200 and he didn't find as user-friendly as a Canon (using mine and a few of our mates), and he hasn't owned an SLR/DSLR before. He doesn't think there's anything wrong with it, but I certainly took a long time to figure it out. I also find the viewfinder very dim, and difficult to see the focus points on the A200, but at that price, you can hardly argue.

In the end I don't think it's easy to say one camera is easier to use than another in absolute terms - a point of reference helps as does experience with the body. I'm much less proficient in using a menu based system, than dedicated buttons and top LCD panel (ala Canon 30D), and it was practically a deal breaker for me over the "budget" DSLRs (ala 350D/400D).

Comes down to suck it and see for yourself.

[kopite]

From a price pov I can get the sony with a lens for 250. For a cannon even second hand I`d be paying about that for the body only.

Spent the day looking over a lot of reviews and the sony does seem to get really favourable right ups. Also it seems as though DSLR`s tend to hold their price pretty well so If I really enjoy the hobby and want a more powerful camera in the future I could prolly get a good return on my initial investment.

Its going to be a christmas present so i`ll go into town and go to an independant shop and try both out. Holding the a200 though and it felt comfy in the hand and nice and weighty

[Bobster]

imo the A200's interface is intuitive and user friendly. I have never owned a dslr or slr before and I picked it up pretty quick. Just a quicky have you used to A200 at all Bob?

I'm guessing Bob will recommend a Canon just because

I've used an Alpha on a couple of occasions, and just trying to find how to change the ISO was a challenge in itself.. found that it was on the dial on the left, which seemed a little counter productive to me after just using a single button with the back dial on the 20D to do the same job. i can with 2 hands still on the camera and looking through the viewfinder change from ISO100 through to ISO3200. with the Alpha i'd have to take my eye away from the viewfinder, take my hand away from my lens look down on the camera to twiddle the dial to ISO and then make further adjustments to change to ISO whatever..

and i've used a wide range of camera's right up to Medium format..

there's a reason that 2 people i know have recently changed from Nikon to Canon

[Ramedge]

there's a reason that 2 people i know have recently changed from Nikon to Canon

I wonder who they are?

[BUFF]

which seemed a little counter productive to me after just using a single button with the back dial on the 20D to do the same job.

1) that's because you are habituated into Canons (same way as I find Canons unnatural to use because I'm used to something different) it's not wrong but just different to what you are used to.
I find it odd & not as easy to use that Canons have the menu etc. buttons along the bottom rather than up the left hand side like Nikon/Pentax/Olympus/Sony but I dare say that I could learn if I had to.
2) is it fair to compare entry level DSLRs with a semi-pro body even if it is an older one?

i can with 2 hands still on the camera and looking through the viewfinder change from ISO100 through to ISO3200. with the Alpha i'd have to take my eye away from the viewfinder, take my hand away from my lens look down on the camera to twiddle the dial to ISO and then make further adjustments to change to ISO whatever..

well, I can change ISO on my KM7D & my A700 without taking my eye away from the viewfinder so I don't know why you can't?
see that dedicated button marked ISO (on the top on an A200/A300/A350/A700/A900)?
Press that & then turn the control wheel in front of the shutter (on an A200, on an A700 turn either front or rear control wheel).
No need to take your eye away from the viewfinder.

Or alternatively press the rear mounted Fn button & use the rear joystick to change it on the rear screen - you can't comfortably do this with the camera at your eye.

[Bobster]

I find it odd & not as easy to use that Canons have the menu etc. buttons along the bottom rather than up the left hand side like Nikon/Pentax/Olympus/Sony but I dare say that I could learn if I had to.

they are along the left side?

ahhh... just checked out the back of the newer entry level Canons- the 400/450/1000 have such a large LCD that they only place they can stick the buttons is along the top and to the right..

2) is it fair to compare entry level DSLRs with a semi-pro body even if it is an older one?

well seeing as you can pick up a 20D for under 200 now with a relatively low shutter count (10-20K), why not?

well, I can change ISO on my KM7D & my A700 without taking my eye away from the viewfinder so I don't know why you can't?
see that dedicated button marked ISO (on the top on an A200/A300/A350/A700/A900)?
Press that & then turn the control wheel in front of the shutter (on an A200, on an A700 turn either front or rear control wheel).
No need to take your eye away from the viewfinder.

Or alternatively press the rear mounted Fn button & use the rear joystick to change it on the rear screen - you can't comfortably do this with the camera at your eye.

well this is what i'm talking about the A100

i've not used an A200 or newer..