Newbie seeks kit/brand advice...

[RMA1174]

Hi there,

A few months ago I made the leap from point and shoot photography to the wondrous world of the DSLR, something I managed by finding a secondhand Sony Alpha a100 twin lens bundle (18-70mm and 70-300mm) at a giveaway price. It has revolutionised my life. I'm taking 200 - 800 photos a day and my skills are growing daily, even to my extremely self-critical eye.

As a newbie I have no idea as to how Sony compares on reputation, image and equipment quality, value for money etc when pitted against the likes of Canon and Nikon.

I feel that photography is a skill that I really want to pursue but wonder if it would be unwise to become an accidental 'Sony man' by growing my alpha kit or whether I would be better off in the long run making the switch to Canon or Nikon before I plough the very limited cash I have into Sony.

If I do stick with Sony then I think my next move would be to invest in a 50mm f1.8(ish) prime lens... seems like a pretty essential investment from what I've read.

Any advice on this dilemma would be most welcome, obviously I realise that such advice is based on individual experience and I won't get a definitive answer, but I do appreciate the experience and expertise clearly shown on this site.

One thing though, please don't tell me to spend £2000/US$4000 on a Canon 5D, I'd love to but my budget is more around the £400/US$800 mark right now!

Thanks, Rob
Flickr: RMA1174's Photostream

[OsmosisStudios]

Your budget doesnt allow for much, so dont worry about it either way, but when you do get the funds...

Dont think of a brand as being a specific camera model or lens, think of it as a system. As you've discovered, there are things that Sony does that Canon and Nikon dont, but there are things Nikon do that Canon and Sony dont, and things that Canon do that Nikon and Sony dont. The trick is to figure out what you want to be using and which system offers that/those feature(s)

For instance: Nikon do great lighting. So if you have any plans to do things with lots of flashes, then Nikon may be the way to go.

The other reason to switch could be third party options. While this is becoming less of an issue for Sony, Canon and Nikon have a much larger pool of third party (Sigma, Tamron, Tokina) lenses to choose from. That may be the clincher.

[RMA1174]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Your budget doesnt allow for much, so dont worry about it either way, but when you do get the funds...

Thanks Adam, that's the conclusion I was coming to myself, reinforced by your comments and a wander around the local camera stores yesterday.

My time now is better spent working on developing skills, technique and a style of my own. I'm quite happy with my Alpha, it feels like the right choice for me at the moment, so I guess unless that changes I shall stick with it.

Thanks again,
Rob

[MovingStill]

Sony aren't quite up with Canon or Nikon in terms either of build quality or image quality. Yet. They are pretty serious about their dSLR's and will be a major force to reckon with. Sony manufacture some Nikon sensors - that should give a bit of a clue.

Sony's DSLR division begun by purchasing the old Minolta brand and so use the Minolta lens mount. This enables you to use old Minolta lenses and you will still benefit from the in-camera-body shake reduction of the Sony. This could be a decider if you are on a budget.

If you can, have a play with models of the different brands and see what you like. The differences between brands aren't huge and so how they feel in your hands could well be the important deciding factor.

Personally I'll stick with my Nikon though :-)

[bono]

Yes - Sony is catching up quite a bit. The 450/500/550 are really good, even compared to the EOS 500D or D90. So the Sony system is growing and if you like it, you should stick to it. And the old used Minolta lenses are good and not very expensive.

So if you are looking for a 50mm lens, try the old Minolta AF 50 f/1,7. They are good and quite cheap.

[RMA1174]

Thanks for the responses, folks. Plenty there to keep me thinking. One of my local camera stores has most models out on display for you to pick up and try so I shall keep popping back there for a regular play. In the meantime, I shall stick with my A100 and see where Sony takes the brand.

Originally Posted by bono

So if you are looking for a 50mm lens, try the old Minolta AF 50 f/1,7. They are good and quite cheap.

Bono, I've been pondering for a while over whether I should go for one of these or a Sony SAL50F18. Given the varying reviews of the Sony and the positive reviews of the Minolta I thought it would end up being the AF 50 f/1.7, your endorsement of it has reinforced that for me, so thanks very much