Kitz Forum
Computers & Hardware => Other Technologies & Hardware => Topic started by: UncleUB on September 20, 2008, 08:47:29 AM
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Hi all,I have just seen this camera on Amazon.I was wondering if it would be a good choice for a first time SLR camera.I notice it says including zoom lense kit.Does this include a zoom lense with the camera?what is the distance the zoom lense can go up to.I only know the ones on compact camera's,ie 10x.18x etc.
I was thinking on the lines that this camera can be added to as my experience grows?
I thought the price of £248 looked good.
http://tinyurl.com/4dpdtt
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That is a nice little camera, unkyUb, and it gets very good reviews.
The price is good and I think makes it the cheapest dslr on the market
It takes compactflash cards and runs on an rechargeable Li-ion battery
10mpx, more than enough, and yes, the lens is included in the price.
The "bundled" lens is a standard zoom covering the range 18-70mm, 4x zoom, (equivalent to 27-105mm on a film camera) so fine for wide angle and normal landscapes and general snapping, but restictive as far as getting close for the far away stuff.
So, if you wanted a longer job, you would want a 70-210mm or 70-300mm (film size) to pull things in which would mean an outlay of £150-£200 extra for that.
Just had a look, and a sony 75-300mm lens from http://www.parkcameras.com/ProductsList/mcs/CategoryID/72/GroupID/14/CatName/Sony/Page/2/v/f2b8a846-ad8f-4037-ae17-4f6811c4a319 for £150.
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Uncy, there's a very good SLR camera article in this week's copy of Micro Mart magazine, plus several *budget digital cameras are tested & reviewed... well worth a read. :)
*under £50
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@ TD,thanks for the info,the £150 for the zoom lens is quite a big outlay on top of the camera.I really wanted something with a decent zoom as I like taking landscape shots.As you point out the bundled lens is only 4x zoom.It does look a lovely camera though and one that can be added to over a period of time.I still like the look of the Panasonic FZ18 but it doesn't seem to be dropping much below the £200 mark.
@ Floydy,thanks for the heads up,I will have a look
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Actually it's a cracking good issue of MM this week :)
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UnkyUb, most dslr zooms nowadays are 3x or 4x only as that is the best range for keeping the aberrations to a minmum.
You can get good longer zooms, but at a horrendous price.
To get the sort of zoom power that you want, a "bridge" camera such as the FZ18 is the thing to go for.
Was that the one with the 18x zoom................if so, to get that range on a dslr using affordable 4x zooms, you end up with five lenses.......not cheap and a right heavy handful to lug around.
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@ TD,yes thats the Panasonic with the 18x optical zoom.These Camera's on this list are the kind of thing I am looking for.I want a long zoom and image stabilisation.
http://tinyurl.com/4w5ltm
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Of the list shown on that link, my first choice would be the Canon Powershot SX10.............but that comes in at about £350 :(
Next would be a draw between the Panasonic FZ18 and the Nikon Coolpix P80, both a little better on price and not much behind in performance.
Only way to decide, though, is to get into a camera retailer and try them for size. Do they fit your hands, are the buttons easily accessed and twiddled, are the doors for the card and battery easily opened yet strong enough to last the pace, at full zoom do they feel front heavy and unbalanced etc etc.
Whichever you choose, you will not be disappointed.
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Thanks TD.Plenty to think about,I think I am going in the right direction. :)
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TD,Been looking at the Canon Powershot SX10,its not due till October.The BT shop have it at £259.99 at the moment.I will wait till the big camera review sites pass judgement and see what its like.
http://www.shop.bt.com/productview.aspx?quicklinx=58LM
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@TD,I am still ponering whether to dip my toe in the water so to speak and get a DSLR camera.The Sony A200 still looks a good buy,but I have seen the Sony A300 which seems to be exclusive to Jessops.Its retailing @ £339.99,but there is £40 rebate from Sony at the moment.
I have been trying to grasp what 'live view' is and whether its a good thing to have.
Other things I would like in an entry DSLR is minimum 10mp,image stabilisaton,and something fairly easy to use.Oh and don't really want to spend much more than £350,is that too much to ask. :)
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Aha, I did think before that the idea of a DSLR had not left the unkyUb mind for good. :D
Live View is an attempt to give the best of both worlds in the debate about whether it is best to use a viewfinder or the lcd screen for composing your shots.
As you will know, looking through an optical viewfinder on an SLR you are effectively looking through the lens at your scene..........the light comes in the lens, is reflected upwards by a mirror into the glass pentaprism housed in the big nobbly bit on the top of the camera and then out through the eyepiece, then when you fire the shutter, the mirror flips up out of the way and the light from the lens goes straight through onto the film plane or sensor.
On most slrs, however, what you see through the viewfinder is only a part of the scene, typically 95% or so, ..........to get a full 100% view you need a top-end job ( for top-end read expensive )
The live View thing lets you use the viewfinder as normal, but the scene is reproduced on the screen as well as through the viewfinder, but on the screen you get the full 100% coverage.
So you have the choice......either use the viewfinder, or use the screen or use the screen to make a final check on what the viewfinder has given you. Of course this latter has it's problems as if you compose through the viewfinder then check the screen.....you must either move your eyes from one to the other, or move the camera slightly to bring the screen into eyeshot.......thus spoiling the advantage as the machine is now looking at a slightly different scene ( unless of course it is on a tripod)
The wee screen on the Sony is on hinges and can be tilted and panned a bit away from the body but I don't know by how much and how easy it may be to see when in different positions.
The Sony has more than enough pixels built in, it has plenty of auto and semi-auto modes for ease of use and it does have image stabilisation.
The only downside I can see is that which we talked of before............your need because of mobility problems to use longer zoom lenses rather than hiking towards the more distant subject. The zoom bundled with the camera is a wide to shortish x3/x4 job but for more distant stuff you would again be having to consider additional longer lenses.
Good price, and a nice wee bit cashback from Sony..............this appears to be an introductory offer as the camera is a very new model.
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Thanks for your feedback TD.Like you say the only problem is the zoom aspect.I know you pointed out earlier that an extra zoom lens will be in the region of £150 upwards,that makes it quite an expensive buy.I know it can be purchased at a later date,but never the less an added expense.One of the main reasons for me to upgrade is to be able to zoom scenery/points of interest near enough to get a nice photo.
The price of an ultra zoom compact is round about £200 to £250,which is not much less than the Sony A300 with one lens.then of course there is the zoom lense..................
The DSLR would seem a long term investment though,oh decisions,decisions.
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The decision is between a rock and a hard place.
I think that you are hankering after the dslr, and if you bought the long zoom compact you might find that you still hanker after the dslr and feel that you had spent money on the compact that should have gone to the dslr.
Decisions decisions as you say.
There maybe a middle road to enquire about at the camera retail shop.
There is no law that says that if you buy the camera, you have to buy the bundled lens. You can buy the camera body only, and you may just get a good deal if you buy the long zoom instead of the short zoom to go with it.
I don't know what the arithmatics might be..........I know that if you buy body only and no lens the price reduction may be only £20/£30 but offering to buy a long instead of a short may give a better deal.
Of course, you then lose the wide angle option, but at a later date a short zoom would be cheaper to look forward to than a long zoom.
If you find that for the majority of you shots you are using the longer end of your current compact lens, then the above may be an option.......just depends on where the bulk of your shots may lie.
If you went down that route, a short zoom bought seperately would be about £100 at
http://www.parkcameras.com/c/72/Sony--Minolta-Fit.html?Page=1
but....but... have just noticed that at Paek Cameras ( http://www.parkcameras.com/c/72/Sony--Minolta-Fit.html?Page=2 ) you can get a 70-300 zoom for £99.00 ( a lot better the £150 advertised before and which represents fifty odd quid off the book price.)
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This might sound a daft question TD,but if the camera has not got the live view feature,can you still compose your shot with either the view finder or the LCD screen.
The A 200 does not have the live view or the tilting screen,but is is quite bit cheaper and the saving could go towards me having both lens.
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Yes, you can turn on the screen to confirm you focus/composition..............it's just not on "by default" as it is on the more expensive model.
The screen then switches off again as soon as you put your eye back to the viewfinder.
Also, if you tilt the camera on end to take a "portrait" shot as opposed to "landscape", ie the image is up and down instead of across, then the image on the screen also "tilts" and shows the image in that configuration.
On the A200, the screen does not swivel, it's built in.
One other thing I should have mentioned before with regard to the zooms on a dslr................they are not powered. On a compact you twizzle the button and the zoom whizzes in and out...........on a dslr lens, the zooming is done manually by rotating a ring round the lens barrel........not a problem, such a wee difference.
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Well after much research and reading umpteen reviews I have decided a DSLR is what I would like to go for.I want to make the right decision now and then be able to add to it as I go on.
As I have never had a DSLR before and I am a bit of a novice at Photography I want something quite easy to use.
This is my short list.
Pentax K200D
Nikon D 60.
Canon Rebel XSi
Sony A200 or the Sony A300 with live view(exclusive to Jessops)
Has anyone got any thoughts about the above cameras or is there some others I should be considering.
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Just a quicky with some initial thoughts............will put more meat on the bones later.
Canon Rebel Xsi..................this is the name given to the Canon EOS 450D and is a name used only in USA........hope you are not contemplating buying from there ( import duty and vat to be considered). If it is described under that name on a UK site, it may be a "grey" import with all the problems that brings such as not being able to register warranty etc., and you may find that the battery charger connection is incompatible in the uk.
Pentax K200D..........nice camera, good results...........very, very frustrating to use as so many of the everyday important functions are accessed through the menu rather that twiddling buttons.........slows the process down and makes it overly complex.
Nikon D60...........nice camera and good results but expensive if you want to buy additional lenses...........most cameras have the drive motor for the autofocus in the camera body..........to save weight and size, this camera has no motor rather it is built into the lens. You buy another lens.....you buy another motor.....pricey and an overlycomplex bit of frippery.
Sony A200/A300..........nice, and probably the pick of the bunch. Stick with the 200 rather than the 300..........the 200 has the live view as well, all you get extra in the 300 for the extra money is the ability to tilt and swing the rear screen...............to me, that is a complexity too far and a rear screen just waiting to be broken off.
Will be back.
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I've been a Pentax user for years and have so I stuck with Pentax because all my existing lenses etc worked with my *istD and not so far thought about updating it (I'd love a 20D ::) ).
Anyway my advice to anyone who does not have any kit which would be made redundant is to stick with one of the big 3, Canon Nikon or Pentax and of those the first two do have the most support from third party lens makers etc. A big bonus for Pentax users is their policy of being able to support as much older kit on their newer cameras as possible.
I would suggest that you go to a good local camera shop and try them out in the shop before you make your final decision. Personally I would think Live View (using the screen on the back to frame the photo) could be useful in some circumstances but I also think you would not be likely to use it a lot, I agree that a tilt and swivel screen is probably a bit too fragile. Also think carefully about this as, again dependant on what kind of photos you take, you will probably find one lens not enough as most kits come with one zoom lens. Then there is flash, the built in flash is OK for small room photos but beyond that you will need an external flash. Also batteries are a consideration, my Pentax can use standard AA ones so if I get caught out then I can pop into Boots and buy a pack.
Believe me you wont want to stop and the basic kit.....
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Hi, broadstairs.
Like yourself, I have used Pentax for over thirty years and have the *istD, but recently bought the 10d and as you say you can hook all the older lenses to both of these.
Lovely.
I also consider that the Pentax colour rendering engine to be the best on the market just now.
I would have recommended the 200d to unkyUb, but having to go into the menu to set apertures rather than twiddling a button is a pain. I think Pentax lost their way a little with that model.
There is a lot to be said for sticking to the big three............but let us not forget that the Sony is Minolta under a different name, and Minolta was/is a very good brand.
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Thanks for the feed back guys,TD I was under the impression the Sony A200 did not have 'live view'.????
@ the Pentax,the reason I listed it was reviews I had read was it was easy to use and ideal for the novice??
There is no way I would considera USA/grey import.The review I read for the canon Rebel XSi was an american site,that would explain the different model number.
As I have said my main criteria is ease of use and to be able to add to it in the future. :)
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You are quite correct, unkyUb, about the Sony............my mistake and my apologies for having misled.............no live view in the A200, just a post-shot review.
The "ease-of-use" in the Pentax is a bit misleading............I think it is aimed at the very amateur and the defaults are set up as if is it were a point-and-shoot job, albeit one on which you can change lenses. When you get past the P+S stage and want to get the full potential out of it, it becomes fiddly to get to the commands hidden in the menu..........much easier and quicker to have the commands on external buttons and dials.
I think the Sony A300 is a good camera, the Canon and Nikon are no better. Top end pro. cameras from these marques will knock spots off the opposition, but the bottom end, amateur versions, whilst good, rely very much on the name..........and top enders from Pentax, Sony etc will beat bottom enders from Canon and Nikon.
As to ease of use, they are much of a muchness (save for the Pentax).............and a couple of hours playing around with them will have you up and running.
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Thanks TD for taking time out to explain things to me.I do think the Sony is a good camera and the price is pretty good too.It does seem to get good reviews on most sites.Like most things in life there are pros and cons.I think its too late for one to be sent to santa,but my birthday is in February so I shall live in hope. :)
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The Sony will not disappoint.
I bought a new Pentax K10D just last week..............I was sorely tempted by the Sony and only the fact that I have a housefull of Pentax lenses, flash-guns etc made me forego the Sony.
With a DSLR as opposed to your current compact, you will be staggered by the quality you will get in your pics............bigger lenses with more glass, corrected for both chromatic and physical aberrations, sharper and with great contrast control.............lovely stuff.
Next February eh ?............just right for the start of the camping season ;)
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A further camera to consider is the Samsung GX10 which is the Pentax K10d under a different name, and on sale here at a whopping discount £279 instead of £720 (lens included )
Might be worth a look.
See at http://www.parkcameras.com/6918/Samsung-GX-10-Body---18-55mm-lens.html
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Wow TD, that looks an absolute bargain,is there a reason why its so cheap?
I have read a couple of reviews and they point out that the pentax battery grip does not fit the samsung,although that would not bother me.
Is this camera fairly easy to use from a DSLR beginners point of view.
I also see Park Cameras do it with an extra lens (50-200mm) for another £70,is that a zoom lens,and is that a good price.
Sorry to be so inquisitive,but I am getting a bit excited by this deal. :)
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I think the reason for the price is that the camera is now a clearance item, having been replaced by the GX-20.............this retailer might not have too many left on the shelf.
I think also that the battery grips are now a bit like hens teeth. I think if you can find one it would be about £100/£120.
A battery grip really does help if you have large hands, gives the whole thing a bit more "body" to hold onto, and of course when you turn the thing on it's end to do a portrait style shot, there is a second set of controls on the grip lying under your thumb.
What makes it easy to use is that as well as the options for manually setting apertures/shutter speeds etc., it has (unlike the Pentax) the usual array of "modes"...scene, portrait, night, macro etc etc which you can set and then the machine optimises the settings for you. Not for me, I like total control, but great for the less experienced.
If you can get a 50-200 lens (yes a 4x zoom) for £70, that is a bargain (again it is a Pentax lens under a different name) and of course a good addition to the 18-55 (3x zoom) that comes with the camera.
Calm down now, Xmas is past and it's not your birthday yet :D.......don't know how long that offer will last though if they are shelf clearing.
edit..............TD posts edit to take out his last edit.... :-[ :)
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http://www.parkcameras.com/c/100/Samsung-Digital-SLRs.html
Camera + 2 lenses = £349.00
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So the difference between the 18-55 and the 50-200 is only 1x extra zoom,or does it have different/extra features?
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What it means is that with the small lens you have a 3x zoom and with the larger one you have a 4x zoom so by using one, then changing lenses on the camera and using the other you have the full potential of a 7x zoom.
Although the second lens has only a 1x extra zoom compared to first lens..........that zoom starts off where the first left off. The first goes from wide to middle and the second from middle to long.
The first has a focal length range of 16-55 and the second a focal length range of 55-200 so you have a potential 16-200 zoom range.
Think of these focal lengths as markings on a ruler, one lens goes from 16 inches to 55 inches and the other starts at 55 inches and goes to 200 inches.
So when using the combination like that you have (at the 16mm end of the 16-55 ) a wide angle running through to ( at the 200 end of the 55-200) a moderate telephoto, and of course all points in between to suit the composition.
As an illustration, three wee photos.
The 16-55 lens will allow you to take wide shots such as (a) below, but get you no closer than (B) below.................the 55-200 will let you go only as wide as (b) below but will let you zoom to (c) below
(a)..(https://forum.kitz.co.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi100.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fm34%2Fbunessan%2F24mm.jpg&hash=a0284f1288790ba3d5f99fb9dee0ea6792e20cbf)
(b)..(https://forum.kitz.co.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi100.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fm34%2Fbunessan%2F50mm.jpg&hash=3c370ea275aa27b24a22c179e9a1aea49b0529c2)
(c)..(https://forum.kitz.co.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi100.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fm34%2Fbunessan%2F200mm.jpg&hash=6008e42d3c265eefd612b880696534f0c7864d85)
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Thats brilliant TD,just to recap on what you have posted.You zoom to picture B 3x with the 16-55 lens,then change lenses and zoom 4x with the 55-200 lens to achieve picture C. :)
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How would you compare that 2 lens deal @ £349
with say,The Sony A200 18-70 and 75-300 2 lens kit @ £394.99 -£30 cashback from Sony = £364.99
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Yup, thats the way to use the zooms. ;D
I think in all honesty I would still be tempted by the Sony rather than the Samsung...............much of a muchness as far as price goes and a wee bit extra pulling power on the zooms, up 300mm as opposed to 200mm which, using the wee pics below, would enable you to get this sort of pull.
(https://forum.kitz.co.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi100.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fm34%2Fbunessan%2F400mm.jpg&hash=be08db362e1a00a8bc7ff0dcf59277f00d47a473)
I think too that Samsung accessories are pricey.
My vote would be with the Sony still
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Thanks for your (much appreciated) opinion TD.
I have now see the Sony A200 with the twin lenses @ Jacobs for .................£359.99 -£30 Sony cash back = £329.99.
That seems like a good deal to me,and the 'boss' has made the funds available if I want to proceed. :swoon:
http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk/index.php?target=products&product_id=10734
Edit,if ordered by midnight today there is a further £15 off
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In that case, UnkyUb, you only have five hours left. :D
Good for the management for releasing the funds.........give her big hugs from me :flower:
Jacobs are a very good and very reputable outfit you should have no problems with them.
Look forward to seeing some sample pics in due course.
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Its Ordered. :clap:
Just spent the last half hour trying to remember the Master card secure pin number. :doh:
Once I get it you'll never be rid of me TD :D
Edit,It takes compact flash cards,any recommendations at what to get.Is it worth getting the faster ones or are these just for the 'pro's.
http://www.picstop.co.uk/Compact-Flash-CF
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Woohooo :clap:
unkyUb spends loooooong frustrating weekend waiting for new goodies to arrive. :D
I see no point in spending cash to get the faster cards as the write speed in the Sony cannot really give you the benefit of these fast cards. They were designed for the press snappers who would wish to rattle off dozens of shots without pause and who's top end cameras had write speeds to suit.
The fastest the Sony will go is three frames per second, which is the standard in an "amateur" DSLR, which is just right for the normal card but not really fast enough for the faster cards.
And...........as always............. 2 x 1Gb card is safer than 1 x 2Gb card ( cards can get corrupted, eggs in one basket springs to mind ).
I am not sure of the maximum size of card the Sony can cope with ( my camera won't recognise more than a 4Gb card ) and cannot find out what it is, maybe best stick to cards under 4Gb till we find out.
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Thanks TD, I have noticed that the 4GB cards are nearly as cheap as the 2GB ones.
http://www.picstop.co.uk/Compact-Flash-CF/Kingston-40x-Compact-Flash-(CF)-Card---4GB
http://www.picstop.co.uk/Compact-Flash-CF/Kingston-40x-Compact-Flash-(CF)-Card---2GB.
What do you think ?
I don't seem to be able to find out what the maximum card size is,so would it be best to order the 2GB one.?
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I'm back :D
Now, I have just read a review on this camera ( I've lost the url.....will be back with that ) and the tester was using a 8Gb card without problem.
If you can get 4GB at about the same price as 2GB, why not................only have at least two cards in case one goes belly up.
Off to find that url again.
Here we are, review at http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews_sony_a200.php
Quote :- " On the left-hand side of the camera body sits a large rubber flap, covering a port for a remote release cable, and a DC-in port for a mains power adaptor. Unlike the more expensive A700 model, there is no HDMI functionality on this camera. On the right side is the CompactFlash slot. As this is a DSLR, no memory card is included with the camera itself. For the purposes of my review, I was shooting to an 8GB compact flash card with a mixture of RAW, simultaneous RAW+JPEG and, for sample images, the Fine JPEG mode. Pleasingly, write speeds for the different file formats appear nigh on instantaneous, meaning that in single shot mode you're not conscious of the camera processing the first image before you can take the second."
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Thanks TD,will order a 4GB to get me started.Then will add another one later. :)
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Just to update,Jacobs have told me my camera will be despatched Monday,should get it Tuesday or Wednesday.Final cost inc £30 Sony cash back = £322.89.
Have ordered a 4GB Kingston compact flash card from Pic Stop for £8.99 inc del(that won't be despatched till 5th Jan) so I will just have to play at being Lord Lichfield till then. :)
Thanks once again TD for all your help. :) Wait till I get the camera. :D
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Bet you can't wait till Wednesday. :D
Going to be frustrating waiting for that card to arrive...........still gives a chance to get the battery charged up, to read and digest the manual and to play around and get familiarised with the machine... ;)
Of course, if you were to put Blue on a bread and water diet for a few days, you could pop into Jessops and get a small card, 1/2GB or so just to practice with.
Look forward to seeing some samples. Any questions, please feel free to shout... :)
If you were in the mood to part with some more cash, I suggest serious consideration be given to a couple of round screw-in skylight filters, one for each lens. These are circles of virtually plain glass that screw into the filter thread on the front of the lens. Having spent a lot of money on lenses, you want to look after them and these wee filters do a very good job of protecting the front elements against damage without having any effect on the image.............a bit of a cash outlay I know but better than the outlay of a replacement lens.
That's the fun of this photography thing............it's just all expense. :lol:
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Thanks TD,do you have any links to these 'filters' just so I know what I need. :)
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These sorts of things, skylight sometimes called uv
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/Cameras%20and%20Lenses/Filters/Show.html
Your small lens would want a 55 mm dia. and the large a 62 mm dia.
Pricey I know but it is good insurance.
Having said all that, both these lenses come with lens hoods, designed to reduce flair, and these hoods do offer a certain degree of protection in themselves. These are screw-in tubes that go on the front of the lens and stick out a bit to shade the lens against extraneous light. They stick out an inch or so which does help to protect the lens.
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Thanks TD,not cheap as you say.I shall put them on my birthday wish list :angel: :D
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Are these suitable..............?
http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk/index.php?target=products&product_id=190047
These seem a decent price.............
http://www.picstop.co.uk/Lens-Filters/Hama-Skylight-Filter-(1A)---62mm
http://www.picstop.co.uk/Lens-Filters/Hama-Skylight-Filter-(1A)---55mm
http://www.picstop.co.uk/Lens-Filters/HOYA-G-Series-UV-Filter---62mm
http://www.picstop.co.uk/Lens-Filters/HOYA-G-Series-UV-Filter---55mm
Which is best,the skylight filter or the UV filter.
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The picstop ones are at a decent price, and I notice that they are made by Hama which is a perfectly good brand, quite high quality and would do the job just fine.
Skylight is virtually clear glass, UV have a slight pinky or straw coloured tint ( which you can barely see ) which is very handy for cutting down any haze in the scene. Such haze as you can get in summer when it is hot. This haze is more noticeable through long lenses, so perhaps a skylight on the short lens and a uv on the long lens.
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Thanks TD,I'm glad the Hama ones sound ok as I like using Picstop.Their prices are very good and their delivery and after sales is excellent.Would 100% recommend them to everyone. :)
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Just had an email from Picstop to say my memory card has been despatched(it said they were closed till 5th Jan when I ordered).Any way thats good news as I should receive my camera and card at roughly the same time now. :thumbs:
No way was I going to pay £12.71 for a 1GB from a Jessops store to get me started,when I have only paid £8.99 for a 4GB. :no:
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Good news about the card coming earlier than first thought...........as you say, Jessops can keep theirs........it was just an idea to avoid frustration.
That picstop is a good site and one that I had not known about before.........thanks for the linky.
Will have to stay well away from it just now as TD has just suffered an unexpected expense............had to put a new battery in the car this morning :'(
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Sorry about the battery TD. :( The joys of motoring and all that.
Picstop have offices in Jersey and the Isle of Man.If you order from their Jersey site (The items have a 'J' at the side ).They are vat free (up to a certain amount) :)
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Camera's arrived, :thumbs:,but not the memory card. :(
TD, I notice you said the filters were 55mm and 62mm for the respective lenses.It looks like they are both 55mm (or am I wrong).Its just says 55mm on each lens.
Lens 1, Sony DT 18-70mm. F3.5-5.6
Lens 2, 75-300mm. F4.5-5.6.
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Hurrah...........you gottum.....great :clap:
Frustrating about no card yet..... :(................Still, I think the first charge of the battery can take some time to complete, so you will have to be content with studying the manual and all the buttons till it arrives. ;D
You are right about the filter size, both 55mm ( I had misread and thought it was the 70-300 and not the 75-300 lens that was coming..my mistake sorry ). In that case one filter (uv) would do if you were happy to change them about..........but at the picstop price one each would save a lot of fiddling.
Best of luck with it.........you will enjoy it once you get familiar with all the possibilities......... :)
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Thanks TD, feel like the paperazzi with the long lens.
Just a question about lens filters,as you will see by the link to Picstop there are skylight (1B) and Skylight (1A) whats the difference.?
http://www.picstop.co.uk/Lens-Filters/Order_1/Page_2
Edit,is it just ones Hama and the others Hoya
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Hama and Hoya are both good quality products and neither will disappoint.
Skylight 1A is virtually clear, 2A has a very slight pink tinge and will "warm up" a scene just a little................I prefer the 1A, the more natural the better as far as I am concerned.
These lenses do come as a bit of a shock after the tiny wee things on compacts, but you should have no problems with the anti-shake thingy in operation.
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Nice find that site UncleUB, I see they do cartridges for my Lexmark printer at a competitive price as well.
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@ Yorkie,been using Picstop for about 3 years now.I think the free delivery is only a limited offer,still saying that their postage charges are reasonable. :)
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Hama and Hoya are both good quality products and neither will disappoint.
Skylight 1A is virtually clear, 2A has a very slight pink tinge and will "warm up" a scene just a little................I prefer the 1A, the more natural the better as far as I am concerned.
These lenses do come as a bit of a shock after the tiny wee things on compacts, but you should have no problems with the anti-shake thingy in operation.
I can see 1A and 1B,but no 2A.??
Prices are looking better.......
http://www.mymemory.co.uk/3-for-2-Hama-Filters
Kood filters ( not heard of them) but the price seems good.
http://www.ukoptics.co.uk/filters-kood-filters-c-77_32.html
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Sorry again, a typo on my part.
1A is the plain glass and 1B the wee bit warmer one.
Kood are very high quality.
Must stop makng these errors..............it's the Festive Spirit...............( I think thats what it says on the bottle. :D )
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:D Happy New Year TD.
There's nothing wrong with a 'wee dram'
Just finding my way round the many features and fitting all the bits in my camera bag.Last birthday I was lucky enough to be given a 'Lowepro Slingshot bag',so I have plenty of room. :)
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Looking forward to the piccies Unc .... it sounds super !
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That is a very nice bag, unkyUb, and plenty of room inside without being so big that you fill up to the limits with stuff and then it it too heavy to carry :D
A wee word of caution ( built on personal experience :( )
You're two lenses are autofocus, and there is a motor in the camera body that pushes the lens elements in and out to focus.
There is also on the lens body, a manual focusing ring............twist that to manually move the elements................but never do that if the camera is set in autofocus mode as that will cause damage to the motor.
If you want to manually focus, there will be an option to turn off the autofocus.
TD had a camera body ruined when a curious onlooker picked it up and started to twist the manual focus ring, lots of loud grating noises and wee springs falling out.. :'(
Indeed, scottiesmum..............roll on the pics...............he has got to swallow that instruction book first :D
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Thanks for the advice/warning TD.Hopefully my compact flash card will be here tomorrow.Why do postmen have to have holidays,its just not on. :D
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>>> .Why do postmen have to have holidays,its just not on. <<< :lol:
I'm back with another wee caution on this auto focus motor thing.
I'm not sure about your lenses, but most of mine are IF, meaning Internal Focusing..........when you focus the elements move inside the lens but the front element of the lens stays static.
On one lens, however, there is no IF and as you focus the front element of the lens rotates and I found that when you put the lens hood on that lens, that action wants to rotate the front a little which could act against the focus motor.
So, when I put the hood on that lens, I switch the camera to manual focus, on with the hood and switch back to auotfocus. Same when taking the hood off.
This is the great thing about DSLRs........you spend so much time fiddling that you never get the chance to take any pictures. :D
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Cor blimey,its all clever stuff. :D
I notice that when the camera is switched on you can hear the lens and it moves,is that the auto focusing kicking in.
I have tried it with manual focus,turning the lens zooming ring then sharpening the focus before I press the shutter,is that making sense.?
I have not yet ventured beyond the camera 'auto' setting
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I'm surprised you can do anything, mine won't even turn on if there is no card in it.
Yes, you will hear the wee motor whizzing a bit when you turn on...........if you were focused at infinity (say ) the last time you used it and this time when you turn on it happens to be pointing at something three feet away (say) it will zip in and focus................unless of course the lens cap is on then it has nothing to focus onto as there is no light passing through the thing.
How do you find the zooming rings.......a bit stiff ? They will ease up in time, but you don't want them too slack...........too slack and they might slip around on their own volition just when you don't want them to such as pointing up to snap a plane or a bird.
That all makes sense..........keep taking the medicine ;D
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Hehe,its all clever stuff,and your help has been brilliant.TD. :)
The one thing I think is poor is the user manual,158 pages,but very small pages.I think I might have to invest in a better one.I have noticed you can get guides just for your certain model of camera.
Better have a lie down now,got a head like a toyshop. :D
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If you go to http://support.sony-europe.com/manuals/manuals.aspx?site=odw_en_GB#m=DSLR-A200
you can get the instruction manual as a PDF which might be easier to read.
There are two listed...........line 1 at .55Mb which is a quick-start sheet, or line 14 at 3.37 Mb which is the full thing.
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Thanks TD, done. :)
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Finally got my £30 cashback from Sony.Should have been paid within 28 days (ordered it Boxing day) Had a letter a couple of weeks ago from Sony saying there is a delay in sending cheques out(are Sony that poor) :D
A camera question,
Raw mode: Is it worth a novice photographer like myself shooting in raw mode?
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UnkyUb, the downside of RAW mode pics is that Windows cannot open them, and you need a specific program to open them, edit them (if you want) and then save them as .jpg or other mode that Windows can cope with.
As far as I am aware there are no free RAW converters, the last free one was RawShooters Essentials, but that was bought by Adobe and is now part of the Photoshop suite.
Having said that, the software that came with your camera will, or may, have a RAW converter..........how good I know not.
Unless you are deeply into image editing, I think RAW can be a complexity too far, although once the principles are grasped, the results can be very good. However, if you only want to view your pics on screen, or email them or put them on the web, or print them on something other than a domestic printer.....it is probably overkill.
The essence of RAW mode is that you have more control at the pic taking stage as the RAW settings will ignore several of the camera auto settings, white balance as an example, thus allowing you to apply these settings at editing stage ( if you want).
For a professional there are great advantages, for the amateur.........a complexity you may not want. However, if you install the bundled converter and give it a try you may like it.........steep learning curve.
I use RAW when I am shooting commercially, when doing it for my own pleasure, I stick to TIFF format.
Good on you for getting the cashback.........better late than never ;D
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Thanks for the reply TD.The Sony software does come with 'Image data converter' to convert to raw.I think at this stage it is something I will leave alone.As you point out all I do is view my pics on screen,upload them to web albums and print them out.
I have enough to keep me occupied with the camera without getting into more serious stuff.
Thanks once again for your info and feed back. :)
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My pleasure, UnkyUb.. :)
I think you are wise, get to grips with the camera, get used to all it's possibilites...........come out of "auto" mode and experiment..........then think of RAW.
To expand a little on the RAW front, and to give an idea as to why the pro prefers to shoot in that mode.
The other two main modes are jpg and tiff.
jpg is a "lossy" format, meaning that when the camera processes it from the sensor into the memory, it discards a lot of information from the file in order to save space, info is lost hence lossy, and that process of loss happens avery time thereafter when and if that jpg file is edited and saved.
In time, if it is repeatedly edited and saved, you end up with a unusable image.
The jpg image is also severely compressed, again to save space and again that causes loss of definition.
Viewed on the screen you will not notice these losses unless the edit function has been applied too often
TIFF is lossless, in that no loss of data is incurred at editing stage, but in camera it is again compressed to an extent, although not nearly as much as jpg.
RAW files are not compressed and are totally lossless.........each and every bit of each and every pixel is crammed full of data, which is retained during the RAW editing stage............you have in fact a digital negative.
The result of the above is that a jpg file is small, a tiff is a lot bigger and a RAW is huge............on a memory card I have, I can get 186 jpgs, or 36 tiffs or.................5 only RAW.
Now, the point of shooting in RAW....................is to edit you pic without loss of data. Extrapolate from that the fact that there is no point in shooting RAW if you do not intend to do that editing................there is no point at all in shooting RAW, putting them into a RAW converter just to save as jpg and thus suffer the jpg lossy attributes.................why not just shoot jpg.
Put another way, shoot RAW only if you are prepared to edit and retain jumbo sized files ................full of quality, certainly, but no use for the web or emailing (the files are huge) and not viewable in Windows unless and until converted to a readable format.
If you camera supports it, tiff would be the choice.