first DSLR Camera
Discussion
Hi all
complete numptie to photograhy and my first post.Have managed to get a Sony alpha 100 , 75-300mm lens ,bag and 4gb card for £100.
So my question is ...can i get some quality photos like i see posted on here..some are amazing..and should i need some more lenses.Plan to shoot from macro to landscape and anything inbetween.
Paul
complete numptie to photograhy and my first post.Have managed to get a Sony alpha 100 , 75-300mm lens ,bag and 4gb card for £100.
So my question is ...can i get some quality photos like i see posted on here..some are amazing..and should i need some more lenses.Plan to shoot from macro to landscape and anything inbetween.
Paul
Hi,
If you plan on doing macro or landcape you will have to get another 2 lenses as the 75-300 wont be any good for either. Something wide for landscapes, perhaps the kit lens that would normally come with it as you should be able to get it cheap (i'm not sure what the quality will be like) . You will also need a macro lens to do proper macro shots, cant give any examples as i dont know much about the sony range.
ETA: I dont want to suggest that you wont be able to take loads of great shots with what you have, i'm sure you didnt want to read that you must go out and spend more £
and thats not what i meant. I just meant that for really nice landscapes you would want something with a wider perspective then 75mm, and for macro shots you may well get some good results with a telephoto lens like yours especially if it has close-focus capability.
If you plan on doing macro or landcape you will have to get another 2 lenses as the 75-300 wont be any good for either. Something wide for landscapes, perhaps the kit lens that would normally come with it as you should be able to get it cheap (i'm not sure what the quality will be like) . You will also need a macro lens to do proper macro shots, cant give any examples as i dont know much about the sony range.
ETA: I dont want to suggest that you wont be able to take loads of great shots with what you have, i'm sure you didnt want to read that you must go out and spend more £
and thats not what i meant. I just meant that for really nice landscapes you would want something with a wider perspective then 75mm, and for macro shots you may well get some good results with a telephoto lens like yours especially if it has close-focus capability.Edited by jimmy156 on Monday 10th May 13:28
WEREWOLF said:
Hi all
complete numptie to photograhy and my first post.Have managed to get a Sony alpha 100 , 75-300mm lens ,bag and 4gb card for £100.
So my question is ...can i get some quality photos like i see posted on here..some are amazing..and should i need some more lenses.Plan to shoot from macro to landscape and anything inbetween.
Paul
Welcome to the party Paul complete numptie to photograhy and my first post.Have managed to get a Sony alpha 100 , 75-300mm lens ,bag and 4gb card for £100.
So my question is ...can i get some quality photos like i see posted on here..some are amazing..and should i need some more lenses.Plan to shoot from macro to landscape and anything inbetween.
Paul
I am pretty much class dunce around here but I think the short answer is 'yes' you should be fine with what you've got (with the possible exception of macro stuff) - the main thing is getting the composition right. I wouldn't advise buying another lens until you've been at it for a while and found out what really interests you. I bought some filters recently and they make a big difference for landscapes so that might be something to consider
Paul, you should do alright with that kit, but another lens or two would be a great addition to get you going.
I done a search on flickr for "alpha 100 75-300" and the results are in the link below, nothing stopping you making nice images with that camera.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=alpha%20100%2075-3...
I done a search on flickr for "alpha 100 75-300" and the results are in the link below, nothing stopping you making nice images with that camera.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=alpha%20100%2075-3...
Whether or not you need more lenses will depend on what your interests are. A minimum focal length of 75mm will limit your options on landscape pictures, for example.
Best thing to do is to get out and take some pics of things you are interested in, you'll soon work out what the limits of your current lens are.
Since you have an a-mount camera I suggest wandering over to http://www.dyxum.com at some point, which is a website for a-mount camera users (Minolta and Sony).
Best thing to do is to get out and take some pics of things you are interested in, you'll soon work out what the limits of your current lens are.
Since you have an a-mount camera I suggest wandering over to http://www.dyxum.com at some point, which is a website for a-mount camera users (Minolta and Sony).
Mojocvh said:
Biggest "shock" that I have found in coming back into photography is the price of the filters!!
Mo.
Filters = Ebay.Mo.
I know a couple of PHers just coughed a lung into their coffee when they just read that, but I'm not professional, I'm not going to be published, and frankly, if anyone can spot a cheap filter on a 72dpi image on an lcd monitor then I'm a monkey's uncle.
mcflurry said:
I bought sets of filters from 7 day shop, and figure once I find the "favourites" the full priced Cokins can follow
Also as different lenses in the future might not be 52mm it saves spending big money twice.
An ND, Circ Polariser (sp), macro, 4x, and a rocket blower were about £20
I'm doing the same - so far only have a star effect (used it a couple of times) and a UV filter.Also as different lenses in the future might not be 52mm it saves spending big money twice.
An ND, Circ Polariser (sp), macro, 4x, and a rocket blower were about £20
ND grad and polariser next, but at around £4 per filter, they're great for just messing around with while you learn how to use them. And also at that price, you won't be quite so precious about anyone coming within breathing distance of your glass.
How have you found the 7dayshop filters? The star effect is definitely nice (reckon it'll be useful for some night shots at disney later on this year).
£100 is a proper bargain!
The A100 was Sony's first DSLR body after purchasing Minolta. Although it's a few years old now, it has a few features which have since gone missing on the later alphas, so it really is a good photography tool.
I think you would benefit from purchasing a shorter lens - look out for a Sony 18-55 SAM - it is the current kit lens, and far better than the old 18-70, and probably the cheapest option in this range. Your other options would be the Tamron 17-50, Sony 16-105 or the Zeiss 16-80, but the cheapest of these will set you back £300 - 3 times what you have paid for your kit!
There are some decent Minolta lenses also available, but none which are particularly wide when used on a digital (crop) body.
The A100 was Sony's first DSLR body after purchasing Minolta. Although it's a few years old now, it has a few features which have since gone missing on the later alphas, so it really is a good photography tool.
I think you would benefit from purchasing a shorter lens - look out for a Sony 18-55 SAM - it is the current kit lens, and far better than the old 18-70, and probably the cheapest option in this range. Your other options would be the Tamron 17-50, Sony 16-105 or the Zeiss 16-80, but the cheapest of these will set you back £300 - 3 times what you have paid for your kit!
There are some decent Minolta lenses also available, but none which are particularly wide when used on a digital (crop) body.
Gassing Station | Photography & Video | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff