Lense advise ?

[4494PTG]

Hi all, I'm new to DSLR and would appreciate your help and advise.

I have just purchased a SONY A330 as a starting point for me and the wife, not the Nikon I had my eye on, but hey ho a compromise was needed for the time being anyway.

I feel we got a good deal on this camera which had the quickest live view shoot mode for the money, this was the most important feature for her to make the step to dslr....or it would have been another ruddy compact.

Anyway after the weekend I feel that a larger lense is required, my main use will be events like festival of speed, F1 and track days etc

Can you guys give me your thoughts on the following items, camera came with a 18-55 lense as standard.

The following Sony lense has a cash back offer at the moment and works out at just £125 so quite a saving.

70-300 Lenses.

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/35807...

Other options for the above

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/74938...

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/26775...


or one of the following with less zoom.

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/70068...

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/27513...

If you could give me your thoughts as I'm still at the learning stage.

Much appreciated

Paul

[Art_Vandelay]

Have a look at http://www.alphamountworld.com/reviews

A useful website with lots of information on lenses suitable for the Alpha series cameras.

I have a Tamron 55-200mm lens which I use on the Sony A200 although from the looks of it, that 70-300mm lens is a very good price.

Might also be worth getting a book along the lines of this http://www.amazon.co.uk/David-Buschs-Dslr-A380-Dig...

[onomatopoeia]

Go to http://www.dyxum.com and have a look at the lens reviews there, they have data on just about every lens ever produced for the Minolta-A mount (now Sony).

Clear winner in the "budget zooms to 200mm" category is the Minolta 70-210mm f/4, also known as the "beercan." Two problems though (a) not available new and (b) 200mm is not really long enough for venues like Silverstone where F1 testing tends to take place, more suited to hillclimbs and the like where you are closer to the action. I only sold mine when I got the 70-200 SSM G f/2.8.


You would want at least 300mm of reach at larger circuits. Unfortunately I haven't used any of the lenses you linked so can't comment on them. Before I got a 300mm prime I was using one of these http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/detail.asp?IDLens=146 which I bought s/h from ffordes about 10 years ago. A bit outside your price range though. Here's a pic I took with it at Silverstone for the LMS race in 2008, my very first outing with a DSLR just after I bought my A300:

[4494PTG]

Well thanks for the advice and links, most helpful and gave me alot to think about.

As usual after reading to many reviews the budget has increased due to the lack of good reviews for my original budget, however I am quite drawn to this little gem. Great reviews and think it will be the best bet without spending a silly amount on a HQ 250+range lense.

Sony 18-250mm f3.5-6.3

Worth a read.....

http://www.alphamountworld.com/reviews/sony-18-250...

http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/detail.asp?IDLens=415

Thanks again.

[Simpo Two]

4494PTG said:

after reading to many reviews the budget has increased

Funny how that happens...