Buying New- Sony A700 or Cannon 50D

[fragged3d]

I have a Sony A100 at the moment but I only have 2 lenses for it so I'm not that finantialy into it. I am looking to buy a new camera in the next week and I have been looking at the Sony A700 but I see so much more support for the Cannon cameras. I don't care for Nikon so it's not a choice, I don't care for the way they feel. What are your thouts?

 

[Mgw189]

I also own the A100 and have the kit lens and the 75-300 if I could jump ship Canon and had the cash to do so I probably would. The only reason being is that I see (as you said) more support/products for Canon. The lens prices are more reasonable as well. Sony is still a really new product line. Although for being such a new line they do have some great glass once you get into the CZ line of lenses.

 

[fragged3d]

Yes, Sony glass gets outrageous compared to cannon. I will say I like some features Sony offers on thier camera though, but Cannon has thier own as well! I am having a hard time because both of those models are almost exactly the same price! Every tutorial you see uses a Cannon and most photographers I have seen in a professional setting use Cannon.

 

[Mgw189]

Yes, Sony glass gets outrageous compared to cannon. I will say I like some features Sony offers on thier camera though, but Cannon has thier own as well! I am having a hard time because both of those models are almost exactly the same price! Every tutorial you see uses a Cannon and most photographers I have seen in a professional setting use Cannon.

Canon and Nikon do make up the majority of the professional equipment out there right now. Sony still needs to make a name for themselves. The CZ lenses are the eqivilent to an L series lens I believe. They also have a G series lens which is a little better than base glass. I have yet to find a place near by that has anything other than the 75-300 and the kit lens for sale. Then again I live in a very small city with no real camera store other than a Ritz Camera that is inside a department store. I would really like to get my hands on some of the lenses and play around some. I know renting can get pretty expensive but it may be worth a shot as well to see which you like better.

 

[Harmony]

I'm unfamiliar with Sony lenses but from this thread alone it seems as if they can hold their own. My choice was Canon for two reasons: lenses and feel. If they lenses are the same, then it all comes down to what you really prefer...

 

[fragged3d]

I do not doubt the quality or features of Sony but whether to move into the Cannon camp. The prices for the 2 cameras I'm looking at are the same, but which will I grow into more? I wonder if I get the 700 if I will want to buy the 900 when the time comes or if I buy the 50D go into a Mark? I know the camera does not make the photographer but I wonder which path is the greater?

 

[dxqcanada]

Think about the lenses.

I have the Sony A100.
I am fine with what the camera produces ... granted I do not shoot at high ISO.

I invested my money on lenses ... which I feel is more important.

Sony currently does not have the same range of lenses that Canon or Nikon have ... so that is a bit of a limitation.
Optical quality of the Sony G and CZ lenses are excellent and comparable to those by Canon/Nikon.

I do not buy new lenses ... I pickup Used (Minolta/Sigma) ... so my range of higher quality lenses did not cost me an arm and a leg.

Other than comparing the camera bodies ... make sure you also compare the lenses you possibly may want to use with it.

 

[Early]

As far as used Maxxum glass is concerned, there are some older zoom lenses that would give even Leicas a run for their money. Where Sony misses out is at the long end, the 300's, 400's, etc.

 

[fragged3d]

I am really leaning toward the Cannon camp at this point. I think if I go the Sony route I might as well save a little more and invest in the A900. Although I think the glass for Cannon is more reasonable and there is more of it because of Cannon's popularity.

 

[Mgw189]

I am really leaning toward the Cannon camp at this point. I think if I go the Sony route I might as well save a little more and invest in the A900. Although I think the glass for Cannon is more reasonable and there is more of it because of Cannon's popularity.

More doesnt make better really. If you really sit down and look at the lenses that are out there most of them are repeats of the same focal length just in different good, better, best catagories. The advantage of going with the A700 or A900 is that you could purchase the body only since you already have two lenses for your Alpha series. I would think that the A700 would be a little less expensive since it has been out a while longer.

 

[EhJsNe]

If you have the money, go canon.

Im unfamiliar with the lenses available for sony, but I know canon has a huge range of lenses along with a ton of 3rd party lenses of pretty darn good quality.

Also, if photography fizzles out for you, the Canon cameras and glass (as of now) will be worth a lot more.

 

[fragged3d]

Sounds like a plan then, now I'm doubting my choice, is the 50D really the one I should go with? Will the 50D grow with me or should I be looking at a different Cannon model?

 

[Harmony]

I really hate to break in with something that seems pretty useless but just a note: "Canon". One n.

And the 50D will most definitely grow with you.

 

[zioneffect564]

I started out with the a100 and i was in the same predicament as you are. I just got my tax return back and i was looking at the canon 50d, a700, and the d90. i was pretty sure i was going to go with the d90 and then i shot the 50d and i loved the speed and the feel of the camera compared to the d90. I thought really hard about the a700 because all of my lenses but I couldnt get over how cheap it felt, I also didn't like the way that sony was going with there cameras. The 50d seemed like the most logical choice. Then I looked at the d300 even though it was a little more expensive it out performed the canon in every way. I'm not sure why you dont like the nikons but i would check it out unless it's just too expensive.

 

[fragged3d]

It's not the expense because I have been thinking about skipping the middle and going higher end and not worry about it. I held and shot a Nikon at bestbuy and I did not care for it one bit! I just want this purchase to last me a while and keep up. I want to invest more money in this part of what I do.