sony a200 Minolta lens help!

[Pink.Water.Lily]

I just recently purchased the sony a200 it came with the kit lens (18-70mm).... Its not what I expected...(the lens).. I don't have the money to buy a really nice lens, or to be honest a decent lens LOL.
I really want something else, I was reading other threads here, and many say the Tamron lenses and other's, but they are way too expensive for me, so I am looking for a simple zoom lens, I am into regular familly photography and portraits so if you know of anything that is in the lower-lower price range, and works for that please give me the name.. I may sound dumb, but this is my first dslr and when it came to the lenses i'm shocked at all the different kinds there is.
I saw a few NEW Minolta lenses at a local shop it's a friend- friends- uncle store so they help me out, so they have some really cheap, but I have no idea if they would work for the type of photography I want, It's the Minolta Maxxum 28-100mm f/3.5-5.6 D in new condition. Since I have no idea, could you please tell me, something about this lens, is it god for something, they also have some Tamron 28-80mm AF, so that would be nice too, but I really want to stick to Minolta... So please if you could list some Minolta lenses that you think would be helpfull to me, please list them. .. I didn't want to ask them.. yikkesss..

thank you, -- and yes, i know I need to learn more, i'm trying but there's too much to learn, lol-- that's why i'm here, i love this site..

[geekgirl415]

I'm new to this too, but learning. I have the Sony A100 and the 18-70mm lens. I also have a Macro Zoom 100-300mm (not Minolta- not sure of the brand). This allows me to finally get the moon shots I've craved. It also works great for travel or city/people photography. We bought this a few years ago before a trip and I can't tell you the price. Recently, I purchased a Minolta 50mm f1.7 prime lens - this opens up wide and allows for better low light photography (i hate my on camera flash and try not to use it ever) as well as close up shots where you want a shallow depth of field. This lens was $150 at KEH.

With as little as I know about this, the lens you want seems like a good bet since it will get up close as well as give you some distance. I looked up this lens on Amazon and it will probably be a good all-around lens. It's one I would consider buying as well- very reasonably priced! But hopefully someone who knows more will offer up some more definitive!! Good luck!

[DonSchap]

There are one-lens-solutions that cover a myriad of issues. To be honest, you really need to look at it as an "up-front investment" in your photography, because it is difficult to take good looking shots if you are using marginal or poor glass. Using a DSLR is not a cheap solution, but it offers the opportunity to tune and adjust your camera's capabilities.

From what you have stated, you need something that covers some range and there are a couple of ways to go about that.

The first is buying a TAMRON AF 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) lens. That will immediately allow you to dump the "kit" lens and add on telephoto capability with a rather sharp, quality lens. The 18-250 is best in class, as an all-in-one lens ... and for good reason. TAMRON originally designed this type of lens back in 1992 ... and for the past fifteen years, have been improving it in various versions. I would say they have it down, now.

This lens works on all of the SONY APS-C sensor cameras, from the A100 through the A700 and delivers images that are a far cry better than the "kit" could ever do. In fact, you can use this link to inspect some of the results from various lens shot side-by-side. You should easily see from where I speak on this.

Often called the "Mom" lens, it offers the convenience of just one lens, that you do not have to change off and on.... extremely compact and lightweight (15.2 ounces) for transport and use. Unlike many older, long lenses, it can focus as close as 18-inches throughout its focal length. A tremendous advantage, indoors.

USER Reviews to pour over ...

I keep mine on my A100 camera in this:

It's all you need, for most situations. Just Grab & Go!

The alternative method is to break up the lenses into groups (wide, normal, telephoto), which may offer even better imaging, but does come with a price tag to match. I would suggest this as a growth idea, rather than an initial investment. You need to test out what you can and cannot do with the all-in-one lens ... then decide what to grow to.

Here is a relatively decent price on the 18-250. Dollar for dollar, it is the "best bang for the buck" out there. With it and the 50mm f/1.7 for low light shots ... you should not need another lens for quite a while.

[inkista]

Ok, I hate to break into the gear-fest party, but you do need to ask yourself some very solid "Is it my gear, or is it my technique?" questions before starting to open your wallet and begin the neverending quest for better glass. Particularly if you're after something sharper.

Question 0: Do you know how to hold your camera?

Question 1: Are you sure it isn't a focus/depth of field issue? If you recently made the jump from a P&S camera to a dSLR, you're not used to a camera giving you a DoF and the possibility of something being out of focus. Check the other sections of the photo to see if something else was in sharp focus. The autofocus system of your camera is dumber than you. It may not have targed the right object in the image. Learn about stopping down to increase the depth of field and about mastering your autofocus system.

Question 2: Are you sure it isn't motion blur? Particularly in low light, you may find yourself with shutter speed issues. Doubly so if you answered "No" to Question 0. Stablization can only help you so far. Learn about tripods. And about the 1/focal_length rule for longer lenses.

Question 3: Are you shooting wide open? Or at the focal length ends of the zoom range? No lens is at its best at its maximum aperture. Using an aperture that's one or two stops down from your max. will help your lens perform better in terms of sharpness, CA, and vignetting. f/8 is a typical sweet spot for a lot of lenses. Also, with zoom lenses, they tend not be at their best at the extreme ends of the zoom range. Change it up a little, and see if that helps you eke out some more performance.

Question 4: Did you post-process? Learning simple post-processing like sharpening and curves adjustment can work wonders. A P&S camera probably was automatically applying sharpening and saturation to your photos. But a dSLR by default typically doesn't--it assumes you want to flavor to taste based on the individual image. Learn to polish up your photos on the computer.

If none of these techniques helps you, then it's time to start looking for a new lens. Because if you haven't fixed these four basic issues, a new lens might just disappoint you. To get the best out of a "better" lens, you need to master basic technique first.

[mish13]

Originally Posted by inkista

Ok, I hate to break into the gear-fest party, but you do need to ask yourself some very solid "Is it my gear, or is it my technique?" questions before starting to open your wallet and begin the neverending quest for better glass. Particularly if you're after something sharper.

Question 0: Do you know how to hold your camera?

Question 1: Are you sure it isn't a focus/depth of field issue? If you recently made the jump from a P&S camera to a dSLR, you're not used to a camera giving you a DoF and the possibility of something being out of focus. Check the other sections of the photo to see if something else was in sharp focus. The autofocus system of your camera is dumber than you. It may not have targed the right object in the image. Learn about stopping down to increase the depth of field and about mastering your autofocus system.

Question 2: Are you sure it isn't motion blur? Particularly in low light, you may find yourself with shutter speed issues. Doubly so if you answered "No" to Question 0. Stablization can only help you so far. Learn about tripods. And about the 1/focal_length rule for longer lenses.

Question 3: Are you shooting wide open? Or at the focal length ends of the zoom range? No lens is at its best at its maximum aperture. Using an aperture that's one or two stops down from your max. will help your lens perform better in terms of sharpness, CA, and vignetting. f/8 is a typical sweet spot for a lot of lenses. Also, with zoom lenses, they tend not be at their best at the extreme ends of the zoom range. Change it up a little, and see if that helps you eke out some more performance.

Question 4: Did you post-process? Learning simple post-processing like sharpening and curves adjustment can work wonders. A P&S camera probably was automatically applying sharpening and saturation to your photos. But a dSLR by default typically doesn't--it assumes you want to flavor to taste based on the individual image. Learn to polish up your photos on the computer.

If none of these techniques helps you, then it's time to start looking for a new lens. Because if you haven't fixed these four basic issues, a new lens might just disappoint you. To get the best out of a "better" lens, you need to master basic technique first.

I wish I read this before I just spent $1200 on a Carl Zeiss to find the shots no better then with my kit lens. It is more my lack of knowledge then it is my lens....Michelle

[DonSchap]

Basic camera technique is important, of that there is no doubt, but using the "Kit (18-70) Lens" is a tremendous disservice to your effort. It should be the very first change you make to your equipment ... and it probably should simply left on some forgotten shelf, never to be used again.

So ... if you go to the:

1. SONY DT 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5
2. TAMRON SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di-II LD Aspherical (IF)
3. TAMRON SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO
4. TAMRON AF 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di-II LD Aspherical (IF)
5. SONY 24-70mm f/2.8 CZ
6. SONY 16-35mm f/2.8 CZ

or something else reasonable, you have made a move for the better, rest assured.

Yes ... and I echo the call to work on:

1. steady hands,
2. understanding and achieving good focus
3. understanding Depth of Field
4. using adequate light and appreciating exposure levels

but lose the kit ... and start taking better stuff.

[inkista]

Here's my advice. A kit lens is a decent lens. It's not garbage and it's not trash, although a lot of people will tell you so. It's just an average ok, meh sorta lens. But it doesn't instantly turn all your photos butt-ugly. Sure, it's limited, and there are nicer choices out there. But if you're on a budget, keep it for a while. Learn from its limitations. Learn how maybe you don't need more zoom--you can just walk closer. Learn to stop down to f/8 for sharpness. Learn how to adjust curves and saturation in post-processing to give your photos more contrast than the glass alone can give you. Mess about with sharpening procedures in post to help get that extra pop that's not in the lens. And then realize that a lot of those samples you're seeing from the "magic" lenses are also being post-processed.

Try a polarizing filter. Try long exposures. Try a tripod. Maybe an external flash. Read a book or take a class or go a shoot with some experienced photographers who can mentor you. Shoot a lot.

And learn about lenses. Work out a budget, and stick to it. And find out what focal length means, what the limitations of maximum aperture are about, and what the tradeoffs are between zooms and primes. This one website has all the lens basics. Use the kit lens. Find out what about the lens is annoying you the most, and then translate that into a lens feature you need. Remember that when you're reading lens reviews, a lot of them are written by folks with bigger budgets and longer experience, and that when you go shopping for camera gear, what matters more than getting "the best" is getting the best fit for you.

I'm a very weird person. I bought a dSLR to shoot spherical panos. My second lens after my 18-55 kit was an 8mm circular fisheye. It's never left my bag. I use it all the time. It was the perfect lens for me. Most folks would be insane to consider it at all, let alone as their second lens. Lens shopping can be a lot like clothes shopping--just because someone else loves it, doesn't mean it's gonna work or fit you and what and how you want to shoot. Lenses are tools. Right now you're only looking at walkaround zooms. That's kind of like wondering if you should get another hammer to put in a toolbox that only holds one hammer. What you really want to be doing is equipping with different types of tools. Get a screwdriver and drill to go with your hammer. Your kit is a walkaround zoom. You probably want to consider a telephoto zoom or a portrait prime or a macro.

IMNSHO, the lens you may want to consider in addition to your kit (not instead of it) is an old Minolta AF 50mm f/1.7 (portrait prime). Dirt cheap, great optics, and wide wide maximum aperture--great for portrait work, available light, and making the background blurry.

[BryanC]

This isn't to blow my own horn. I know these aren't groundbreaking images. On the other hand, I don't think they are garbage. These were taken with my A200 and the 18-70mm kit lens. It's really been annoying to see it stated several times that as soon as you get the kit lens, it should be thrown in the garbage or put on a shelf and never ever used. Is there better lenses? Of course. Should you throw the kit lens away as soon as you get it? No. Use it. If you want to get better lenses, by all means, do so. Until you do, use the kit lens. It isn't the best, but it isn't unusable garbage, either. As for my other thoughts on the subject, I couldn't say it any better than inkista has already said it.

[DonSchap]

As far as the "kit" lens may go ... I may have a bold, fresh piece of ... unusable glass or "PUG" as my copy. It does not take much to make many say, after reviewing the resultant shots it makes, "What did you shoot that through, a coke bottle bottom?"

coke bottle bottom 2.jpg

Therefore, I should restrict my comments to it being a "copy problem", where my copy is poor ... and someone else (4 out of 5 photographers say its poor) might have a winner "copy." Hey, I'll even throw up my hands and say, "Mine is from 2006 ... maybe it got better?", but I can guaranty that SONY won't see my money for another one.

I still have the "kit" that came with my A100 ... and it quietly sits in a place of solitude and distrust, collecting dust ... unless I need to demonstrate it's "capability" as warning and instructional to others. I won't risk images with it. That is not a "budget" issue, it is a simply quality issue ... and it is just not worth my time to use it or try to FORCE a decent image from it.

Don't get me wrong ... I do not like the idea of having to immediately replace a lens, the minute I buy it, but then again, I have this thing about making "proper" use of the camera I just bought. It is just the lesser of two evils. The camera is just fine for what it does ... but, when it comes to optics ... there is simply nothing like having a decent, clear, sharp (well-focused) and good-color-providing piece of glass doing its job.

If you are fortunate enough to have received a "good" copy with your camera, take pride in knowing you are one of the select few. You need only ask the guy next to you, at the SONY camera counter, what he/she got in their box and what they did about it.

I know that wasting time trying to find a good "PUG" is pointless and there are better options for a couple more bucks. Personally, I would rather take good images, out-of-the-box, than to have to hunt down and test to find a cheap lens. Time is money.

[BryanC]

Originally Posted by Pink.Water.Lily

I just recently purchased the sony a200 it came with the kit lens (18-70mm).... Its not what I expected...(the lens).. I don't have the money to buy a really nice lens, or to be honest a decent lens LOL.
I really want something else, I was reading other threads here, and many say the Tamron lenses and other's, but they are way too expensive for me, so I am looking for a simple zoom lens, I am into regular familly photography and portraits so if you know of anything that is in the lower-lower price range, and works for that please give me the name.. I may sound dumb, but this is my first dslr and when it came to the lenses i'm shocked at all the different kinds there is.
I saw a few NEW Minolta lenses at a local shop it's a friend- friends- uncle store so they help me out, so they have some really cheap, but I have no idea if they would work for the type of photography I want, It's the Minolta Maxxum 28-100mm f/3.5-5.6 D in new condition. Since I have no idea, could you please tell me, something about this lens, is it god for something, they also have some Tamron 28-80mm AF, so that would be nice too, but I really want to stick to Minolta... So please if you could list some Minolta lenses that you think would be helpfull to me, please list them. .. I didn't want to ask them.. yikkesss..

thank you, -- and yes, i know I need to learn more, i'm trying but there's too much to learn, lol-- that's why i'm here, i love this site..

That's what this great site is for...to learn. There is so much information here and plenty of helpful, knowledgeable people. Leave any shyness at the door and dive in!

There are a few things that you mentioned in your post that I want to ask about...saying the kit lens wasn't what you expected, that this is your first dslr, about being shocked at all of the different type lenses available, and about if particular lenses would work for the type of photography you want. I don't mean any disrespect, and I apologize if I'm reading into this wrong, but it gives the feeling that you may need some information and help with some photography basics with the dslr. How it works, what different lenses can and can't do, etc. Again, I don't mean any disrespect and if I'm wrong, I apologize. Can you be more specific about the lens not being what you expected? How long have you had the camera? Do you know all of it's functions...how aperture, shutter speed, ISO all relate to each other in taking an image? How white balance affects images? The metering and focusing modes? There is no magic lens to take the place of the knowledge of all of this.
If you need any help with any of this, this site is for you. Ask the questions in the appropriate places. Post some images for help and critique. Use the lens that you have right now and practice, practice, practice, until you're able to get another one.