The ultimate Sony DSLR beginner kit?

[DonSchap]

Are you tired of hearing: “You have a nice SONY DSLR camera, but that lens on the front of your camera is complete junk.” Yeah, I hate the idea of you hearing that, too. LOL

Well, here is a suggested Christmas lens layout that will offer you really nice options, decent images and a terrific jump on other layouts. It is perfect for that “in your face” argument you will probably have with other manufacturer’s kits, during the holiday season.

The suggested layout would be three lenses, with the third one truly optional.

All-in-one lens: TAMRON AF 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di-II LD Aspherical (IF)
Routine daylight images and works well with the HVL-F42AM flash unit

MACRO lens : TAMRON SP AF 60mm f/2 Di-II LD (IF) 1:1 MACRO
Low-light, indoor images and true MACRO capability.

UWA lens: TAMRON SP AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di-II LD Aspherical (IF)
Wide angle, group shots and architectural imaging. Best focal range of the class.

Remember that TAMRON lenses come with a 6-year Manufacturer warranty.

Flash: SONY HVL-F42AM
Basic electronic flash capability for most needs.

Click on the links, put this kit together and try it out. It should be a very good arrangement, under most circumstances. From here, you build.

A DSLR is a much more intensive solution to photography, than a P&S camera is, so do not expect immediate "perfect" results, as there is an inherent understanding of light concepts and camera operation that will be required to get yourself in the ballpark. These better lenses will help to make the entire evolution ... well, easier.

[OsmosisStudios]

Let's take this one step at a time, shall we?

Originally Posted by DonSchap

Are you tired of hearing: “You have a nice DSLR camera, but that lens on the front of your camera is complete junk.” Yeah, I hate the idea of you hearing that, too. LOL

Nope. Well, lately a bit, but it's a very focused frustration.

Originally Posted by DonSchap

Well, here is a suggested Christmas lens layout that will offer you really nice options, decent images and a terrific jump on other layouts. It is perfect for that “in your face” argument you will probably have with other manufacturer’s kits, during the holiday season.

I dont understand exactly what youre saying here. What is this "in your face" argument?

Originally Posted by DonSchap

All-in-one lens: TAMRON AF 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di-II LD Aspherical (IF)
Routine daylight images and works well with the HVL-F42AM flash unit

I'll agree, this has its uses. It's also a pretty decent performer, FOR THE CLASS. There are better ways to spend the money.

Originally Posted by DonSchap

MACRO lens : TAMRON SP AF 60mm f/2 Di-II LD (IF) 1:1 MACRO
Low-light, indoor images and true MACRO capability.

While some reviews have been positive, I'd be tempted to go to the 90mm for the extra working distance and the extra assurance of quality. Then again, I'd also buy OEM.

Originally Posted by DonSchap

UWA lens: TAMRON SP AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di-II LD Aspherical (IF)
Wide angle, group shots and architectural imaging. Best focal range of the class.

You mean "Equal to the best focal range".
Nikon make a 10-24 with the same aperture layout. While it may be more expensive, it's also optically better.

Originally Posted by DonSchap

Remember that TAMRON lenses come with a 6-year Manufacturer warranty.

*Gee thanks Mr Advertiser Man!*

Originally Posted by DonSchap

Flash: SONY HVL-F42AM
Basic electronic flash capability for most needs.

A good suggestion, finally.

Originally Posted by DonSchap

Click on the links, put this kit together and try it out. It should be a very good arrangement, under most circumstances. From here, you build.

But wait, I thought the 18-250 was all I needed!

I;m gonna go ahead and post my "ultimate beginner kit"

Sigma 10-20 f/4.5-5.6: Super sharp, excellent super-wide range, and better than the f/3.5 version.

Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 VC: a super fast-aperture walkaround lens.

Sigma 50-150 f/2.8: A great telephoto that gives you a constant aperture and a good range.

Sigma 150-500: A super-super telephoto, especially on a crop-body camera.

Of course, these suggestions are essentially universal. I do quite like my all-Nikon kit, but that's because I'm averse to off-brand items.

[DonSchap]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Nikon make a 10-24 with the same aperture layout. While it may be more expensive, it's also optically better.

Os-man ... why, exactly, are you hanging your Nikon-brand in the SONY Digital forum?

I have yet to find a way to hang Nikon-glass off a SONY-mount. Do you know something we don't?

Please clear this up ... or desist in confusing the crowd. You have them all asking, "What .. we can mount Nikon glass on SONY bodies?"

Answer: BUZZ ... no, you cannot. Nikon/Nikkor lenses work on Nikon and Fujifilm bodies. End of story.

Is there a reason you have some kind of personal knock on my suggestion ... because that:

1. it works,
2. it is relatively cheap and
3. it weighs the least of most alternative solutions.

This is kind of weird flack attack in a forum you really should have NO interest in ... Sony Digital Cameras.

You want to take it one step at a time ... step back into the Nikon forum, where they are still using Nikon glass.


BTW: SONY DSLRs do NOT mount TAMRON "VC" equipped lenses ... the cameras already have image-stabilization-in-ALL-the-DSLR-bodies. Nikon might want to try that, too. It would save you hundreds in lens stabilization costs.

[wulf]

As opposed to the ultimate beginner, the average beginner would probably drop their jaw and say "How much?"! How much, roughly, would all of that kit come to, with a suitable body?

BTW, I'll edit the title - it isn't immediately clear that it is in the Sony forum if you enter by "new posts" and various other methods. The clues are all there but sometimes they need highlighting.

Wulf

[DonSchap]

I had not considered the "new" postings method of getting in.

I usually search on the forum, specifically, as I am not usually interested in cross forum issues. It gets way too complicated sawing back and forth.

I appreciate the direct lines.

[OsmosisStudios]

I was indicating that the Tamron 10-24 is not the only one with such a range: regardless of mount (as Tamron can go across mounts). It wasn't originally clear that we were limited to Sony, hence my posting an all after-market setup.