What Camera...Please help

[Paul690]

Hello all
I have a Sony Alpha A300 and an A450, I like the A450 as it has a very fast shutter for sport up to 7 frames per second, i also like the A300's tilting live view screen great for the different perspective shots.

My question is this, i was thinking about changing to a Canon or Nikon as the Sony's seam to be low market beginners camera's and i wanted to try to improve my photography a little. Plus when i am out you see so many people with Canon camera's and the Pro's never use Sony Alpha. I do have a few lenses though 170-500mm Sigma, 70-300mm Sigma, 18-200mm SIgma plus OE 55mm and an old Minolta dynax lens with a good macro, also a Sony fit flash.

I know this is a funny question but would it make any difference changing my kit (as you see above a large Kit), and if so what camera would be good for me.

Any help would be great please..

Paul

[Woody]

Originally Posted by Paul690

Hello all
I have a Sony Alpha A300 and an A450, I like the A450 as it has a very fast shutter for sport up to 7 frames per second, i also like the A300's tilting live view screen great for the different perspective shots.

My question is this, i was thinking about changing to a Canon or Nikon as the Sony's seam to be low market beginners camera's and i wanted to try to improve my photography a little. Plus when i am out you see so many people with Canon camera's and the Pro's never use Sony Alpha. I do have a few lenses though 170-500mm Sigma, 70-300mm Sigma, 18-200mm SIgma plus OE 55mm and an old Minolta dynax lens with a good macro, also a Sony fit flash.

I know this is a funny question but would it make any difference changing my kit (as you see above a large Kit), and if so what camera would be good for me.

Any help would be great please..

Paul

Hello Paul,
You've been around for a while, so you must know that getting a flash new Canon or Nikon camera will not make you a better photographer. There are several here who shoot with Sony cameras and they have a good reputation.

When you have exceeded the Sony's capabilities and out grown it, then look to upgrading then. Don't just discard all your gear because you think you need a Canon or Nikon DSLR.

I'm sure that the Sony users will come out strongly in defence of this camera.

Cheers,

John W

[Paul690]

Thanks for the kind words, i know i have a lot to learn about photography its just that when i go to the bike or car racing my photos just dont look nothing like the ones i see from others, plus when i am out and about you never see people with Sony, yesterday i was at a manor house i was the only one with a Sony, it just made me fell cheap...

I will have to try harder to try and get better at what i enjoy doing...

Paul

[graciousness]

Originally Posted by Woody

Hello Paul,
You've been around for a while, so you must know that getting a flash new Canon or Nikon camera will not make you a better photographer. There are several here who shoot with Sony cameras and they have a good reputation.

When you have exceeded the Sony's capabilities and out grown it, then look to upgrading then. Don't just discard all your gear because you think you need a Canon or Nikon DSLR.

I'm sure that the Sony users will come out strongly in defence of this camera.

Cheers,

John W

Super plus on this advice.

I looked at your website, Paul, and you do have some decent shots in your portfolio. I think you are getting gear envy though, and that's completely understandable as we all do that. Like look at me and John here, I envy his camera, he envies my lenses. But one of us is not a better photographer than the other because someone else has better gears.

I think it is time to expand on your skills as it is quite obvious from your portfolio that you need it. You are a good photographer who needs upgrading, as we all need to do from time to time. For example, your motorcycle shots are nice, but they're all the same frozen shots on the circuit. What about honing your panning technique so that you can add some motion blur on your photos?

Anyhoo, you'll find that there are photographers here reading this thread who are probably drooling for your gears. You do have quite a bit of glass there and I seriously wouldn't even think of getting any other brands unless you can really afford to do it and not hurting your bank account, or you feel that you have outgrown your equipment.

Good luck and get those motion blurs in those sports photos!

[Biomech]

Cheap or unique? Everyone associates Sony with expensive - EVERYONE has a canon or nikon. If you walk around with a Sony then you must know something special they don't I've lost count of the times that people have seen my camera is a Sony and said "wow, Sony, that must be a serious piece of kit". I bet you'll find that most "pros" who look at a Sony user don't give them the respect purely because they don't know about the Sony cameras. It's worth noting that when Sony came to the DSLR market, their market share grew exponentially. Not only that, but Sony bought out Minolta so it's not like they are just having a go at cameras, they have the whole Minolta history behind them. Sony have always stood for exceptional picture reproduction, you can see that in their TV's, compacts, video cameras etc.

I shoot with a Sony, I've had no problems at all with it and it does exactly what I want it too Question what a new camera is going to do for you. I bought my first DSLR (a200) because my Fuji Bridge wouldn't work with external flashes and I wanted to experiment. I then bought my a580 because the a200 didn't support EyeFi. What I'm saying is don't just upgrade for the sake of it.


Oh, I have a Canon too, a 500D, compared to my 200 and 580, it feels crappy, cheap and plasticy. I never use it on a shoot.

[SwissJon]

I HAD a couple of Sony Alphas, and jumped ship to Nikon a while ago.. I haven't regretted it, but then I didn't have all the gear you have..

If I were you, I'd stick with Sony.. The on sensor vibration control is very very good. Additionally, I think all the lenses you have are full frame lenses aren't they? Why not consider going full frame on the Sony line up?? There's plenty of pro's on Sony FF cameras, it's just Sony hasn't been about for as long as C and N, so there's fewer pro's that have been in the game for an extended time.

My last Alpha was an A55.. I didn't get on with the electronic viewfinder, but lookin at the specs for the A77, I'm wondering if Sony has started to come into its own.. Certainly here in Switzerland Sony is beginning to outsell Nikon on the SLR market. The specs on the A77 look superb and spplying it with an f/2.8 kit lens is genius. http://reviews.davidleetong.com/revi...nds-on-review/
If you are going to jump ship, even though I've a Nikon, I'd suggest you go Canon.. My reasoning behind that is that Canon is currently the biggest selling SLR manufacurer, and you can fit Nikon fit lenses to Canon with an adapter, but not vice versa, so your choice of lenses suddenly doubles.

Having sad that.. I like my D7000

[Paul690]

Thank you again for all your advice, i will have to take another look at my Sony and try to respect it then... I think what got to me was that you dont have the same choice of lenses with the Sony/Minolta fit. I started with Sony because i used to have (still do have) a Minolta Dynax 500i 35mm.

I think i need my sensor cleaning so i am going to ask for advice on another thread...

As for my photography of Motorsport, YES YES i agree, i am finding my photos very flat and action less...... I do need to work on them, this was partly why i was blaming my kit, i have all ready tried to improve on this, but only making things worse...haha

Ill keep trying and hope to improve on ALL my photos