I was fantasizing on a Pentax K100D Super or K200D since December 2007.
But ended up with Sony A200 (Kit W) to materialize my dream of getting into the DSLR madness.
After reading all the debates between brands, I believe any of these toys take good pictures in the hands of someone who knows what he/she's doing. Plus the issue of lens availability, quality, and pricing are non-conclusive and never ending talk. So what mattered most to me is to get a DSLR fast and start shooting.
[1] I found the dual lens kit is a very good value at $1399 for a starter. Almost the same amount if I go the K100D Super (with similar lenses), however navigating through the SimLim and Funan jungle did not end up in good experiences. The salesmen did the most damage, trying to convince you to get another model since this one is not available, bla bla bla. A couple of trek and hands-on testing of the A200/700 at the Sony Gallery (Paragon) left me sleepless at nights. One afternoon, after office, I just walked up to Sony (Wisma @Orchard); did some final tests. Then when a salesman came up to start his sales talk, I just had one question: "Can you charge the battery?"
[2] Got home with a charged, 4GB, 75-300mm loaded A200 and found my toddler at the playground. Surprised even myself at my first shots! It was money well spent. With my old Canon PS1 and IXUS iZoom, my baby's birth to 1-year pictures are mostly blur and disappointment. Moments lost forever. The Portrait mode comes in handy when my baby does something funny. No time to experiment with Manual mode, me or my wife just grab the cam and capture the moments. Finally, the elusive bokeh behind the faces!
[3] After a week of lugging the A200 along and over 1000 raw shots in my pc, questions on techniques, styles, and "how-to" started to pollute my mind. Attending the "Fundamental Digital SLR Handling Course" directs you to the right path. :thumbsup: to Sony for offering it, :thumbsup: Julian W for being an exemplar DSLR coach.
[4] Since the house agent and landlord run away with my 2K deposit, Sony's offering of interest free 1 year installment plan was big break too.
[5] The advantage of having Auto Modes in a newbie DSLR came to light at the recent I.T. Show. A crowd was gathering up at the Sony platform when I came up the escalator last Thursday. I decided to join in but got sidelined at the corner of the stage because (ironically) a mob of N and C shooters with lunch boxes on their flashes have claimed the center row. Did some manual settings, on board flash pops up, boom! Got green, blue, dark, etc pix. Adjusted more, tried A-mode but still can't get a shot that do justice to the photogenic models. As the adrenaline pumps up and the testosteron level in the front row went overboard the exposure meter, I humbled myself, swallowed my pride, and set to Portrait Mode. Enough time to get perfect shots as the ladies lined up for the final appearance. Next jumping dancers -- can make us of sports and anti-shake technologies. I know seasoned DSLR users scorn at Auto Modes, but for newbies like me, its a good fall back position. Master told me not to use Auto, why not? I paid for it!
So get your Alpha or any DSLR you can afford and start snapping!
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