Thoughts on the Sony Alpha 300?

[Mrs NucSquash]

Hi All,

As above really. Is it a good camera...anyone got one...is the picture quality good?

I was interested in the Canon 450D but this just a little less expensive but the reviews I have read say its a great camera.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Nik

Edit to say - what is the main difference between the 300 and 350?

Edited by Mrs NucSquash on Friday 18th July 16:37

[roy e6]

Hi Nik, something tells me your missing your old 400D...... Me on the other hand is loving it

[Mrs NucSquash]

roy e6 said:

Hi Nik, something tells me your missing your old 400D...... Me on the other hand is loving it

Hi Roy ,

What a horrible rumour to start....

althought you might be right, yes. A compact just isnt the same

[0to60]

I have just bought a canon 450D...its great...the one I had before was the sony alpha 100 slr...and I hated it...pics were always too noisey and blurred many times, even with a tripod and autofocus and steady shot

I will never buy a sony camera again...their normal digital cameras are even better than their SLR's

[GetCarter]

www.dpreview.com review the 200 and the 350 but not the 300 (that I can find) - they think they are both ok - but not outstanding.

[Mrs NucSquash]

Well here is my list:

Canon 450D - Little too much money

Sony Alpha 300 - apparently the screen blocks the viewfinder and the jpegs come out soft.

Nikon D60 - Undecided though the body doesnt have AF.

Nikon D40X - Cant find a good price anywhere. Jessops, Warehouse Express or Photosense dont sell it though has received good reviews.

Nikon D40 - Great price, put off a little by the 6mp only bit.

Any ideas?

Edited by Mrs NucSquash on Sunday 20th July 11:30

[toppstuff]

Personally favour Nikon D60 over Canon but there are plenty of happy Canon owners out there.

Don't forget Olympus - they are great if you have small hands and they are a bit smaller and lighter to hold.

Handle them in the shop and buy what feels right, would be my advice.

[Mrs NucSquash]

toppstuff said:

Personally favour Nikon D60 over Canon but there are plenty of happy Canon owners out there.

Don't forget Olympus - they are great if you have small hands and they are a bit smaller and lighter to hold.

Handle them in the shop and buy what feels right, would be my advice.

Well actually...i am really tempted by the D40. I dont really know the ins and outs of photography and would be able to learn with the D40. I am a little unsure about Olympus, never used one, never really looked into it.

Edited by Mrs NucSquash on Sunday 20th July 19:43

[Mrs NucSquash]

toppstuff said:

Personally favour Nikon D60 over Canon but there are plenty of happy Canon owners out there.

Don't forget Olympus - they are great if you have small hands and they are a bit smaller and lighter to hold.

Handle them in the shop and buy what feels right, would be my advice.

Following on from what you said - thoughts on the Olympus E-510??? Looks good the only thing which one review said was the AF was a bit slow thought another review said that the AF was one of the best features????

[flat-planedCrank]

For the D40(x)/D60 range - make sure your ok with the lack of a focusing pin on the lens mount. Some nikon lenses won't autofocus with those camera bodies.
I.e. only AF-S and AF-I lenses will autofocus (or 3rd party lenses with their own focusing motor)

For more details check the dpreview D60 review


Whether this bothers you really depends on whether you are likely to want to use those type of lenses. For me, I use my 50mm prime lens all the time, other people seem not to use them much...


The Canon 400D / 450D don't have this limitation - all EF lenses will work.


Hope this helps


Cheers.

[GetCarter]

flat-planedCrank said:

For me, I use my 50mm prime lens all the time

It must be really strange using only a 50 mm

Like having a good hi fi and only listening to Bach.

(not that there is anything wrong with Bach or 50mm lenses you understand, both are my favourites) - but surely you sometimes want to listen to something else / take a photo of something far away or close up?

...Which is why many of us use telephotos, macros, wide angles or zooms

Edited by GetCarter on Sunday 20th July 21:15

[flat-planedCrank]

GetCarter said:

flat-planedCrank said:

For me, I use my 50mm prime lens all the time

It must be really strange using only a 50 mm

Like having a good hi fi and only listening to Bach.

(not that there is anything wrong with Bach or 50mm lenses you understand, both are my favourites) - but surely you sometimes want to listen to something else / take a photo of something far away or close up?

...Which is why many of us use telephotos, macros, wide angles or zooms

Indeed, indeed. What I should have said is "Almost every time I'm at the local track taking photos I will use my 50mm at some point".

I have been known to use a tele-zoom and also have nothing against Bach.


Cheers.

[Mrs NucSquash]

But, excuse my lack of knowledge, are there a lot of lenses available for the d40? All the reviews I have read have been rather good. I am so confused which camera to get. I decide on one and then something comes up or a read a different review, of someone mentions a point and I dont know again!!!

[Simpo Two]

Mrs NucSquash said:

But, excuse my lack of knowledge, are there a lot of lenses available for the d40? All the reviews I have read have been rather good. I am so confused which camera to get. I decide on one and then something comes up or a read a different review, of someone mentions a point and I dont know again!!!

The problem with reviews is that they're always someone else's opinion, and something that's important to them may not be important to you, and vice versa. Every camera can have a fault found with it, and with the help of the internet it easily passes into folklore.

The issue with the D40 and D60 is that the bodies don't have the screw-drive connection which autofocuses some older lenses. However, there are plenty of Nikon and also Sigma lenses which will be fine. Just look for AF-S (if Nikon) and HSM (if Sigma).


Whilst I hesitate to quote Mr Rockwell, his chart does seemt to be the clearest of what I found on Google:

www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm

[Mrs NucSquash]

Simpo Two said:

Mrs NucSquash said:

But, excuse my lack of knowledge, are there a lot of lenses available for the d40? All the reviews I have read have been rather good. I am so confused which camera to get. I decide on one and then something comes up or a read a different review, of someone mentions a point and I dont know again!!!

The problem with reviews is that they're always someone else's opinion, and something that's important to them may not be important to you, and vice versa. Every camera can have a fault found with it, and with the help of the internet it easily passes into folklore.

The issue with the D40 and D60 is that the bodies don't have the screw-drive connection which autofocuses some older lenses. However, there are plenty of Nikon and also Sigma lenses which will be fine. Just look for AF-S (if Nikon) and HSM (if Sigma).


Whilst I hesitate to quote Mr Rockwell, his chart does seemt to be the clearest of what I found on Google:

www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm

So that means that the 'screw drive connection' isnt a huge problem you just have to search a little more for the right lens? Would you say that it would be worth buying the olympus then as it has a few extras? I have had the nikon d50 before and liked it, I have had the canon 400d before and liked it (had to sell it, missing it now hence the searching for a new slr). The problem is i have always bought above my experience and knowledge so I have never used the cameras to their full potential. Thats why I thought the nikon d40 would be a good place to start??

[Simpo Two]

Mrs NucSquash said:

So that means that the 'screw drive connection' isnt a huge problem you just have to search a little more for the right lens?

I think most if not all current Nikkor lenses are AF-S (but stand to be corrected). There may be some esoteric oddball lenses that aren't, but they're not the sort a D40 user would use.

Mrs NucSquash said:

Would you say that it would be worth buying the olympus then as it has a few extras? I have had the nikon d50 before and liked it, I have had the canon 400d before and liked it (had to sell it, missing it now hence the searching for a new slr). The problem is i have always bought above my experience and knowledge so I have never used the cameras to their full potential. Thats why I thought the nikon d40 would be a good place to start??

Indeedy, it's designed as an entry level DSLR. However I'm not going to recommend one camera over another because it's a personal thing. If you think you're going to stick with photography and learn and want to get more kit in the future, then Nikon and Canon offer the biggest ranges to grow into.

Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 20th July 23:14

[Mrs NucSquash]

Yeah, i agree. Right I am just going to have to bite the bullet and buy one. I have already been into jessops and had a hold of the nikon d40. Feels good in the hand (got small hands lol) and I do like the silver, not that the colour affects the quality of the photo (such a girl thing!!)

I will research some more but if anyone has a Nikon D40 please feel free to post some example shots up!