Recommendation for a first DSLR+lens

[tehzeh]

I remember Courts Megastore has some Cameras on display. I played with their 50D before~ hehe,.

 

[nathaniel]

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Testing the camera hands on is more useful than all the technical readings. That is when you realize that all cameras can take good photos and usability in terms or ergonomics and interface will play a bigger part in using the camera. You can use Canon hands on at Canon, Vivocity and other brands at the Harvey Norman there.

Very much agree... i was in fact quite pleased with the Sony alpha + 50mm f/1.4... got to try out their full frame and cropped bodies, plus their 70-200/300mm zoom as well. Will go back when I have more time to a Sony Style shop as well as those of Canon & other brands (if I can find out where they are). Personally, I think the hands-on experience can't really be replaced by web reviews/photography magazine reviews, etc. especially when looking for something that fits your personal style/tastes.

 

[android17]

Hi,
(b) trying out Sony Alpha with some old Minolta lenses (from a film camera) which I have access to. My current cameras are the Canon S90 and the Kyocera/Yashica film SLR with 35-70mm + 70-210mm lenses. Although (b) is the cheapest option, most people seem to advise me against it as the Minolta lenses won't be very good and won't have IS.

Wrong misconception.

The old Minolta lenses are very good actually. Just check out the number of sony users with autofocus lenses as old as 1985 and still using them on the Sony Alphas. Infact the Minolta 70-210 F4 lens is an excellent lens despite being 25yrs old, or the Minolta 28-135mm which is same age as the above mentioned lens and still highly traded in ebay due to its value for money and sharpness. I think Minolta lens are probably one of the best value lens among different systems.

Some of the old minolta lenses are even better than current "new generation" lenses actually...

With regards to IS, u are right, yet also horrible wrong...
Right in the sense that Minolta lens do not have build in Image Stabilizer. But its also wrong, as Sony Alphas utilize sensor image stabilization technology, therefore ALL lenses when mounted onto the Alpha body gains image stabilization.

PS: The old minolta lenses are all Full Frame lenses, which is a good consideration if there is ever a day whereby u decided to go full frame.

 

[nathaniel]

Wrong misconception.

The old Minolta lenses are very good actually. Just check out the number of sony users with autofocus lenses as old as 1985 and still using them on the Sony Alphas. In fact the Minolta 70-210 F4 lens is an excellent lens despite being 25yrs old, or the Minolta 28-135mm which is same age as the above mentioned lens and still highly traded in ebay due to its value for money and sharpness. I think Minolta lens are probably one of the best value lens among different systems.

Some of the old minolta lenses are even better than current "new generation" lenses actually...

With regards to IS, u are right, yet also horrible wrong...
Right in the sense that Minolta lens do not have build in Image Stabilizer. But its also wrong, as Sony Alphas utilize sensor image stabilization technology, therefore ALL lenses when mounted onto the Alpha body gains image stabilization.

PS: The old minolta lenses are all Full Frame lenses, which is a good consideration if there is ever a day whereby u decided to go full frame.

oops you are right, the body will have IS, so the lenses won't need to have IS. I don't think I have a wide-angle full frame Minolta lens in the collection, though, so a crop-factor camera might still require the purchase of a wide angle lens. Agreed that there are many good Minolta lenses... however will have to check which Minolta lenses are in the collection, and whether they are the good ones or the budget ones, whether they have dents/scratches/etc and are maintained properly.

 

[Foxshade]

Don't really count on IS though. i find out that tripod & monopod kills camera shake more effectively. Maybe my hand is too shaky for IS (for my case the term is VR) to handle?

 

[torak]

Don't really count on IS though. i find out that tripod & monopod kills camera shake more effectively. Maybe my hand is too shaky for IS (for my case the term is VR) to handle?

Tripods of cos is the best la, but not all the time can use tripods also.

Image Stabilisers are for situations whereby u don hv a tripod available, or in places where its not convenient to use tripods, or u r just walking about and saw something interesting but there's no time to set up a tripod (example street photography)

 

[nathaniel]

The Minolta lens are actually pretty good. I grew up with photos taken by a Minolta Since you have a film slr, you should have experience using lens with IS. Personally, I don't find it that useful since camera shake is only 1 part of the picture. If your subject is moving, IS will not help you get rid of the blur. I prefer using wide aperture lens and faster shutter speed even though I have to manual focus.

However, since you have already invested so much time into getting to know the canon system and you obviously like it from your previous experience using it, go with the 550D. Personally I don't think full frame will take over. Even if full frame drops to a $1000 price point, there will be people around who want to buy $500 dslrs. Of course when we make statements like that, we are only guessing. I don't think anyone has inside information at this point of time. If you are worried, start with full frame lens. They will perform better anyway due to the 'sweet spot' effect.

I just realized the Minolta-mount lenses that the Minolta film SLR camera is using are actually Sigma/Tamron/etc. As for my Kyocera/Yashica film SLR lenses (a 35-70mm kit lens plus a 70-210mm telephoto of the same brand), there might not be any digital camera that takes them, hence I'll probably do a complete switch to a new lens system. Will probably pay a visit to one of the showrooms (maybe Funan or Vivo) to try out the cameras+lens combinations there before I make a decision.