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[UncleUB]

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. 

[UncleUB]

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

[tuftedduck]

Yup, thats the way to use the zooms. 

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.



I think too that Samsung accessories are pricey.
My vote would be with the Sony still

[UncleUB]

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.


http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk/index.php?target=products&product_id=10734

Edit,if ordered by midnight today there is a further £15 off

[tuftedduck]

In that case, UnkyUb, you only have five hours left. 

Good for the management for releasing the funds.........give her big hugs from me 

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.

[UncleUB]

Its Ordered. 

Just spent the last half hour trying to remember the Master card secure pin number. 

Once I get it you'll never be rid of me TD 

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

[tuftedduck]

Woohooo 

unkyUb spends loooooong frustrating weekend waiting for new goodies to arrive. 

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.

[UncleUB]

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.?

[tuftedduck]

I'm back 

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."

[UncleUB]

Thanks TD,will order a 4GB to get me started.Then will add another one later. 

[UncleUB]

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. 

[tuftedduck]

Bet you can't wait till Wednesday. 

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.   

[UncleUB]

Thanks TD,do you have any links to these 'filters' just so I know what I need.

[tuftedduck]

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.

[UncleUB]

Thanks TD,not cheap as you say.I shall put them on my birthday wish list