Buying a DSLR, a200, EOS1000d or D60

[Mohai]

Hey, ill cut the story short as i need to leave soon.

For a long time i was set on getting the a200 but i realised if i want make a good investment perhaps Sony isn't the best way to go compared to Canon and Nikon's lens range.

The Sony is the cheapest though, and i know the specs on all of them, the one thing i need to see which one "feels" best to me.

But i wanted to know your opinions on any of these cameras which is an "obvious" advantage over the other one, thanks.

 

[Katier]

They are all cheaply made, very entry level models and simply none of an obvious advantage.. and frankly none are worth going for. Best buy at the total low end is almost certainly the Pentax k-m, but it's worth adding a little and getting the K200D.

The advantages of the K200D over the other offerings are several fold :-

1) excellent build quality.
2) will work fine with any Pentax lens ( including M42 - with a Pentax approved adapter) in the last 50 or so years. A point highlighted tonight when a fellow student challenged me when I told him the above fact. He handed me the 17mm prime lens on his K2000 film camera, I attached it to my K200D and fired off perfectly exposed shots with not problem at all.
3) Weatherproofed body.
4) excellent ( arguably class leading ) image quality and ISO control.
5) In body Shake reduction, means you get SR on any lens.
6) Top panel display.

 

[Mohai]

I have a pentax point and shoot, its just that no one recommended Pentax DSLR to me ever, I only got bad views on it, ill check it out.

I checked the cameras yesterday and i was leaning towards the 1000D but apparently they've stopped making them and is going to get totally replaced by the 450D?

 

[Iron Flatline]

Sony is an excellent product with a good lens line-up. They're new to the market, so they're trying harder - pricewise, too.

What does the Sony lack that you might need in the future?

 

[Katier]

I have a pentax point and shoot, its just that no one recommended Pentax DSLR to me ever, I only got bad views on it, ill check it out.

Given your using the English names for the Canon range I'm going to take a wild guess here.. you've been to Jessops for advice?

If my guess is right then that's why you've only heard bad things.. Jessops assistants are useless and wouldn't know a good camera if it was dropped on their heads.

If you are in the UK then stores such as Jacobs or the London Camera Exchange (LCE has stores throughout the UK) are better choices, more informed and ironically both stock Pentax. SRS is another good store but unless your close to them it's only a male order option.

 

[nikonpreap]

nikon but only cos im bias

 

[Katier]

nikon but only cos im bias

LOL I freely admit I'm biased but at least I can back up my bias with good solid reasoning

 

[Mohai]

Given your using the English names for the Canon range I'm going to take a wild guess here.. you've been to Jessops for advice?

If my guess is right then that's why you've only heard bad things.. Jessops assistants are useless and wouldn't know a good camera if it was dropped on their heads.

If you are in the UK then stores such as Jacobs or the London Camera Exchange (LCE has stores throughout the UK) are better choices, more informed and ironically both stock Pentax. SRS is another good store but unless your close to them it's only a male order option.

Actually Jessops recommended the Sony, but this was before i was thinking of the Canon.

I just liked how Canon and Nikon had a vast range of lenses, im not looking for one now but i want to buy a camera i can spend on later instead of buying another one a year later.

Next time i go out ill look at the k200d

 

[nickisonfire]

all minolta lenses that were made in the last 20 years will also fit on alpha bodies, therefore there is quite the selection of lenses.

 

[Katier]

all minolta lenses that were made in the last 20 years will also fit on alpha bodies, therefore there is quite the selection of lenses.

aye, the only bodies that are badly limited on range are the 4/3 system bodies as it's comparitivly new technology.

Pentax and Nikon (as long as you go for a decent body not the cheap and nasty entry level Nikons) have the largest/longest going range. Nikon have been using essentially the same bayonet fitting for 50 years, older lenses don't work on the cheap Nikons though ( needing an additional method of metering ). Pentax have 'only' been going about 30 years with the K-fit but the M42 lenses have the same settings at the K-series and Pentax supply a M42-K series adapter. They will happily meter all the lenses without a problem.

Canon have probably the 3rd longest range of lenses followed by Minolta/Sony.

 

[JustAnEngineer]

Canon made a clean break from their old FD mount to the all-electronic EF mount in 1987. The good news is that all of the EF lenses sold since 1987 are fully-compatible (including auto-focus) with even the cheapest Canon DSLR.

Sony's lenses may be a bit more expensive, but you've got more lenses available from Sigma & Tamron for the Alpha cameras than you do Sony lenses. You've got access to a reasonably-sized market of used Minolta lenses, as well.

 

[skieur]

In terms of information, Popular Photography magazine in testing the Pentax DSLR found that the autofocus was slower and not as sensitive as it is on the Sony, Canon, or Nikon.

skieur

 

[Katier]

In terms of information, Popular Photography magazine in testing the Pentax DSLR found that the autofocus was slower and not as sensitive as it is on the Sony, Canon, or Nikon.

skieur

Pentax AF is actually slightly more accurate, the slowness is because it tends to do a rough focus then fine tune it.

BUT that said, I don't find it slow. If AF is going to be a factor I put it in manual mode which I'm sure most people would do. (street photography, snap shots etc. )

 

[Mohai]

I got the Canon EOS 1000D, its the new kit lens without the Image Stabilizer and thats the only stock they have of it which is a shame really, but yeah im glad with it etc.

The Sony was nice but i a bit bulky for my liking =P