Honest unbiased opinion sought please

[ukglyn]

Hi all, hope your all well?
Right as some of you might know I currently own a Sony A200 with 2 lenses, I am starting to feel like something is lacking, I know that the failing with most (if not all) of my photos is user error & not the fault of the camera, but am starting to wonder if anythig would be gained for trading it in against a Nikon/Cannon?
Now obviously you all will say that the model you own is the best option & I really dont want to start an argument about it, I would just like some pro's & cons of switching or sticking with what I've got!
What you reckon?
Cheers
Glyn

The amount of support from Nikon/Canon and third party companies is vastly superior to what Sony has going on right at this moment.

What I'm afraid of is that you'll switch, have similar results and beat yourself up over the decision.

~Eric

[ukglyn]

Originally Posted by maxharvard

The amount of support from Nikon/Canon and third party companies is vastly superior to what Sony has going on right at this moment.

What I'm afraid of is that you'll switch, have similar results and beat yourself up over the decision.

~Eric

Hi Eric

Thanks for the reply, I dont expect it to instantly turn my shots in to masterpieces, but can see what you are saying.
I get a photo magazine every month & the learning exercises it teaches cant be done with my camera, (setting the flash to manual is 1 example i can think of). I am wondering if it is better to switch now & learn from scratch or wait? I then however will have to re learn the cannon/nikon way, if you see what I mean?

[mstark70]

My Mom had a Sony Alpha 100 and was feeling the same way. She felt like there was something she was missing with it. She is now the proud owner of a Canon 40D and she feels better but still has days where she feels like she struggles at it. As we all have off days. But she does feel it is more user friendly and the support mentioned above is second to none.
I wish you the best of luck no matter what you decide to do.
Just keep shooting!

[dakwegmo]

Much like maxharvard, the biggest con I see is that you're going to invest in a new system in hopes that it was the gear that was the problem. That could be a sizeable investment, and what will you do if your shots don't get any better with the new stuff? If it were me, I'd do whatever I could to avoid spending a lot of money, when a little bit of money or no money and some work, will solve the problem.

[dakwegmo]

Though, there is also something to be said for wanting to fit in. I've considered switching to Canon because nearly everyone in photography group uses them. I always feel a little left out not being able to borrow lens or a battery if I need it.

[inkista]

Until you can articulate what it is that's bugging you in terms of specific equipment or features, chances are good that switching systems isn't going to gain you anything. If you were, say, in the middle of exploring Strobist stuff and getting seriously irritated with having to buy hotshoe adapters for everything, or lamenting the lack of a specific lens in the Minolta/Alpha line up that was present in Canon or Nikon, then maybe switching would get you something. But overall "something lacking"--well, if it's the stuff between your ears that's lacking it, switching systems isn't going to help; you have to equip the stuff between your ears, not the stuff between your hands.

I'd recommend two books by Bryan Peterson: Understanding Exposure and Learning to See Creatively. They're both great basic texts to help you with the exposure triangle and composition. And this online tutorial on Curves has lots of great mouseover examples, and shows how one simple post-processing adjustment can make a big difference.

OTOH, if you are thinking of switching, doing it before you've sunk a few thousand bucks into glass is probably better than after...

[kencaleno]

Better to master what you have now ,without spending more,then later, if you feel the need to switch to expand your gear,Nikon or Canon have much greater choice of lenses accessories,etc than Sony. Regards, Ken

[LoveDSLR]

It depends on your style of learning. Some people can study by correspondence while others need to be part of the school system.

The advantage of having a Canon is the domination of its DSLR and modern EF lenses. Nikon makes it up by having plenty of old timers (and lenses) around and some excellent bodies recently.

Switch now if you have the money and you feel that you can gain more from having a popular brand. Otherwise stay put with your Sony if you like the 'art of photography' more than the 'science'.

[ReflectingGrace]

its easy for people with awesome gear to tell you to master what you have LOL . I do agree with that on some levels of course. We all know that just having a pro camera doesnt make you a pro. But at the same time, a higher end camera or lens can certainly improve the final result just on technical basis - sharpness, depth of field, etc. If you add on the benefit of being user-friendly (Nikon has a reputation for this in their entry-level DSLRs especially) then it probably really could make a difference for you.

I say go for it