Wanting to make the leap into SLR ownership. Help please!

[Juicetin1]

Ive had a Sony A200 for a couple of months now, thoughts:

- really like the size/shape, very comfortable in my hands
- build quality could be better, feels a bit thin and flimsy compared to Nikon/Canon equivalents
- really like the menus and the overall lay out
- ive turned off the Eye-Start which was annoying me
- the Sony bundled software is really good
- extensive range of quality 2nd hand Minolta lenses on Ebay, particularly the 50mm f1.7 and 70-210mm f4 "beercan" but loads of other highly rated ones too.
- pleased with the quality of prints so far, a steep learning curve for me but i'm loving every minute with it!

[Scott330ci]

I have the twin lens bundle with the canon 450d

18-55mm Kit
70-300mm Tamron

I also purchased a 50mm f1.8

Excellent package

Shots from the tamron can be seen on my website

Sorry for the plug - www.trackphotography.co.uk

[Woza]

some great shots there Scott. I said when i ordered my camera that i probably wont start spending loads of money on lenses but the more reading i do the more i feel i need to buy some more lenses!

This could get expensive......

[Scott330ci]

Woza said:

some great shots there Scott. I said when i ordered my camera that i probably wont start spending loads of money on lenses but the more reading i do the more i feel i need to buy some more lenses!

This could get expensive......

Indeed - I am currently looking for a 10-20mm sigma - Just shy of £400 it seems!

Ahh well.

[onomatopoeia]

Scott330ci said:

Indeed - I am currently looking for a 10-20mm sigma - Just shy of £400 it seems!

If you were using a Sony you could have had mine for £320 ...

[Scott330ci]

onomatopoeia said:

Scott330ci said:

Indeed - I am currently looking for a 10-20mm sigma - Just shy of £400 it seems!

If you were using a Sony you could have had mine for £320 ...

Why aren't you keeping it?

[rasputin]

Woza said:

This could get expensive......

When I got my A300 I just wanted to have more manual controls and better image quality than my P&S.
The thought of spending over £100 on just a lens seemed insane.

Then I discovered a very cheap M42 adapter and an old £3 200mm lens, which was good fun.

Then I realised I could get a fast M42 lens (58mm f/2) for only £15.

I liked the upgrade, and before I knew it I had ordered a fantastic £70 Carl Zeiss M42 lens.

But that was it, I really couldn't afford any more.

Until the next week when I ordered a Minolta AF 100-300mm lens, spare battery, cable release, polarising filter, and other accessories.

And the £280 camera I could barely afford is now a £500 system I have no idea how I afforded

I'm scared to look on eBay now

[onomatopoeia]

Scott330ci said:

onomatopoeia said:

Scott330ci said:

Indeed - I am currently looking for a 10-20mm sigma - Just shy of £400 it seems!

If you were using a Sony you could have had mine for £320 ...

Why aren't you keeping it?

It's a really nice lens with a great deal of "wow!" factor and .... I never seem to put it on the camera. Twice this year and both of those were to take pictures of rooms inside houses.

Most of my photography is done at motorsport events. I thought'd I'd give landscapes a try but never seem to find time to get out to suitable locations and actually take any pictures .

[Quick silver]

RobDickinson said:

D30 and D60's are relics , probably didnt sell that well and dont have an EF-S mount.

I only just noticed your outburst......so what if other people make different recommendations to yours? - what business is it of yours exactly?

If you consider a camera less than 7 years old to be a relic, then yes it must be.......also, any sentence involving 'probably' doesn't cut the mustard in my book

The EF mount works fine with both EF & EF-S lenses, so I would have thought that would have been an advantage when looking for something older, isn't that what the OP is asking?

[ruaricoles]

Scott330ci said:

Indeed - I am currently looking for a 10-20mm sigma - Just shy of £400 it seems!

Ahh well.

This came up on another thread; actually under £320 here: (new, including delivery)
http://www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/product_inf...

Ruari

[tinman0]

Quick silver said:

RobDickinson said:

D30 and D60's are relics , probably didnt sell that well and dont have an EF-S mount.

I only just noticed your outburst......so what if other people make different recommendations to yours? - what business is it of yours exactly?

If you consider a camera less than 7 years old to be a relic, then yes it must be.......also, any sentence involving 'probably' doesn't cut the mustard in my book

The EF mount works fine with both EF & EF-S lenses, so I would have thought that would have been an advantage when looking for something older, isn't that what the OP is asking?

Without getting too confrontational about this, Canon D30s and D60s are a bit long in the tooth now, and the ones I've seen on Ebay haven't even been particularly good value either. Things have moved on a long way since those two.

[RobDickinson]

Quick silver said:

RobDickinson said:

D30 and D60's are relics , probably didnt sell that well and dont have an EF-S mount.

I only just noticed your outburst......so what if other people make different recommendations to yours? - what business is it of yours exactly?

If you consider a camera less than 7 years old to be a relic, then yes it must be.......also, any sentence involving 'probably' doesn't cut the mustard in my book

The EF mount works fine with both EF & EF-S lenses, so I would have thought that would have been an advantage when looking for something older, isn't that what the OP is asking?

You think thats an outburst? 1st Its my business putting forward my view, which I did, contrary to someone else's view for sure, otherwise we don't get far in a discussion hey.

What business have you in replying to this thread after all, more or less than me?

2nd. Yes the D30 and D60 are relics, I've used 10D's and 300D's (both newer) and wouldnt recommend either too, operationally there just not good enough for what there likely to cost. I used probably because I don't know for sure but before the 10D/300D dSLR's didn't sell that fast so suspect there isnt many of them. I own a 350D which is IMO getting quite long in the tooth also.

Now as to your encyclopedic knowledge on canon mounts...

The 300D was the first camera to sport an EF-S mount. The 10D, D30 and D60 only have an EF mount. Which means canons EF-S lens's will NOT physical mount without butchering. So your left with either maiming your lens's or forgetting all the EF-S ones which leaves you with poor focal length choices for a lot of options.

So in my strongly considred opinion , yes, D30/D60's are relics.

[Quick silver]

RobDickinson said:

Quick silver said:

RobDickinson said:

D30 and D60's are relics , probably didnt sell that well and dont have an EF-S mount.

I only just noticed your outburst......so what if other people make different recommendations to yours? - what business is it of yours exactly?

If you consider a camera less than 7 years old to be a relic, then yes it must be.......also, any sentence involving 'probably' doesn't cut the mustard in my book

The EF mount works fine with both EF & EF-S lenses, so I would have thought that would have been an advantage when looking for something older, isn't that what the OP is asking?

You think thats an outburst? 1st Its my business putting forward my view, which I did, contrary to someone else's view for sure, otherwise we don't get far in a discussion hey.

What business have you in replying to this thread after all, more or less than me?

2nd. Yes the D30 and D60 are relics, I've used 10D's and 300D's (both newer) and wouldnt recommend either too, operationally there just not good enough for what there likely to cost. I used probably because I don't know for sure but before the 10D/300D dSLR's didn't sell that fast so suspect there isnt many of them. I own a 350D which is IMO getting quite long in the tooth also.

Now as to your encyclopedic knowledge on canon mounts...

The 300D was the first camera to sport an EF-S mount. The 10D, D30 and D60 only have an EF mount. Which means canons EF-S lens's will NOT physical mount without butchering. So your left with either maiming your lens's or forgetting all the EF-S ones which leaves you with poor focal length choices for a lot of options.

So in my strongly considred opinion , yes, D30/D60's are relics.

Without wanting to turn this thread into yet another willy waving competition, I maintain my original stance.

With around 60 zoom & 43 EF prime lenses to choose from I would hardly say that leaves 'poor focal length choices' - besides, did the OP want a cheap starter package or one that you have personally used & tested?........judging by your comments I take it that you have never owned or used a D30 or a D60.

Some food for thought: Your comments are justifiably your own, as my own comments are mine & not everyone is going agree - having a little respect goes a long way, I prefer to keep my own personal opinions to myself as opposed to berating others on their opinion.

If you wish to discuss this matter further, please do so by PM & allow this thread to continue.