D3100/Alpha33/D5000

[GrantH]

Alright, so i'm in the market for a good solid camera for multiple uses. I believe my main focus in pictures will be old downtown style buildings, concerts, car shows (indoors and outdoors...different lighting at each), brewery tours/homebrew pictures and little amounts of pictures with friends and such that a PAS could cover if needed. I have went to a few camera shops and the general idea is that this "new" Sony Alpha33/55 series is the cats ass with all the features and great HD video properties.

I'm not partial to any one maker, but my friends shoot Nikon when I visit Florida...so lenses may be interchanged in those situations if I were to run with a Nikon. Of course i'd like my own in the later runnings. The 5000 seems to only do 720p video, where as the 3100 does 1080 at 24fps. The Sony does it at 30. One thing that I like about the 33 is that the screen is multi-position, this would be great for truck shows and I can imagine it may be for architecture as well if shooting in lower positions.

I've noticed this forum loves nikon and canon, but for a beginner that may possibly take hold and do more than just hobby shooting is there a major difference in the two that will make the purchase a bit easier? Do the mirror technologies different between the two cause a large advantage for the other?

 

[Ken Rockwell Fan]

I'm biased. I'd get the D3100. If you can afford it the D7000 trumps them all by a long shot.

 

[GrantH]

Theres no way I can spend 1200 on a camera at the moment. Why do you say the 3100 over the others? I also just realized that the rebel t1i may be had in my price range as well. Not having much experience at all, and making such a big purchase (for me) I am trying to use all of my resources to get whats best for me.

 

[mfrankpdx]

I'm surprised Ken Rockwell Fan didn't mention what Ken Rockwell thinks of the new Sony cameras. :mrgreen:

It's almost a toss up between the 3100 and 5000. You could go with the D5000 and a 35mm f/1.8 DX for the price of a D3100, and you'd have a better setup.

 

[GrantH]

I'm surprised Ken Rockwell Fan didn't mention what Ken Rockwell thinks of the new Sony cameras. :mrgreen:

It's almost a toss up between the 3100 and 5000. You could go with the D5000 and a 35mm f/1.8 DX for the price of a D3100, and you'd have a better setup.

So i've heard, about the "review" from Rockwell. The camera just seemed like it was loaded for the money, which isn't always best as they may skip quality the jam pack features...but I can't find a half decent review anywhere about it and I can't trust a salesman. The 3100 comes with a AFS DX 18-55mm lens which seems to be about normal for a package rather than just a body.

Rockwell claims that the 35mm you recommended is for use in low-light, but is that a limitation or just a feature option of that lens on top of outdoor shooting and such that I would be doing at truck shows?

 

[KmH]

73% of all the DSLR's sold are pretty evenly divided between Canon and Nikon, which explains why so many here use Canon and Nikon gear.

Pentax, Sigma, Fuji, Olympus, Sony, and the others all battle over the remaining 17% of the market.

 

[Ken Rockwell Fan]

Theres no way I can spend 1200 on a camera at the moment. Why do you say the 3100 over the others? I also just realized that the rebel t1i may be had in my price range as well. Not having much experience at all, and making such a big purchase (for me) I am trying to use all of my resources to get whats best for me.

I don't care for the flip LCD on the D5000. I would be scared that it would get scratched or broken. The reason I choose Nikon overall is because of the huge lens selection. Personally I wouldn't buy any of these cameras. I'd pickup a used D90 for around $650. The D90 has a internal focus motor which will let you use all of Nikon's older lenses like the 50mm f/1.8 as well as the newer ones.

 

[GrantH]

Theres no way I can spend 1200 on a camera at the moment. Why do you say the 3100 over the others? I also just realized that the rebel t1i may be had in my price range as well. Not having much experience at all, and making such a big purchase (for me) I am trying to use all of my resources to get whats best for me.

I don't care for the flip LCD on the D5000. I would be scared that it would get scratched or broken. The reason I choose Nikon overall is because of the huge lens selection. Personally I wouldn't buy any of these cameras. I'd pickup a used D90 for around $650. The D90 has a internal focus motor which will let you use all of Nikon's older lenses like the 50mm f/1.8 as well as the newer ones.

Personally, I wouldn't mind used. This is a graduation present as I just finished my BS and with that being said, the parents want a warranty on whatever is bought...but possibly the shop I buy from has something used with a decent length warranty. This is something I may have to ask about when I go in to buy.

 

[PavementPilot]

Here is what I just experienced last week. I went to Futureshop and was looking at getting the T1i, and beside it was the D3100. The D3100 was $50 cheaper, so I was kind of interested. The camera guru for that store came over and I asked about the D3100. I had gone from a PAS many years ago to a Sony F717. Now I was ready for the step up to DSLR. Having told him of my level of understanding of photography, he gave me a side by side comparison of these two cameras. There was no sales pressure of any kind, and I walked away with the D3100, and not because it was cheaper. If you are going from PAS to DLSR, I would suggest the D3100, it has 'Guide' setting. It will ask you what you want to shoot and offer some settings that you can then change aswell. It is a great learning step in going to making your own settings.

 

[Ken Rockwell Fan]

To me Nikon and Canon both make some good gear. It just depends on what flavor you like best. Coke or Pepsi. Elvis or The Beatles.

 

[wtdeane]

I would go for the Sony a55.

As for GrantH not seeing favourable reviews.... Funny, I can't stop seeing them. Popular Photography just named the a55 camera of the year last week. 2010 Camera of the Year: Sony A55 | Photography - PopPhoto.com Offers Camera Reviews and Exclusive Photo Tips

The Sony has some serious points that put it ahead and why I chose Sony 2 years ago.
1) Amazing legacy Minolta glass available.
2) Most Minolta glass is reasonably priced.
3) Image stabilization in the body, NOT the lenses. Therefore ALL lenses are stabilized.
4) Zeiss Glass. No other manufacturer has AutoFocus Zeiss Glass.
5) Cost. Sony was reasonably priced compared to other manufacturers.

Bodies will come and go. You build your photography around your glass. You keep your glass for life. Will you buy other bodies? You bet. But once you own the 135mm f/2.8STF, you will not give it up for the world.

Just my $0.02.

Cheers!

 

[jamesdavidboro]

Sony a580

 

[knightracersi]

Go with a cheaper camera but get a good lens for it. Kit lenses are not great so you can find them cheep on ebay, craigslist, etc. Go with Prime lenses they are great to start cheep and get you to move around so when you do upgrade to another lens you will find the better positioning and be creative.

 

[GrantH]

i've decided to go with a Canon t1i with the 18-55 IS lens included as well as a 55-250 IS lens to accompany the other. A family member shot with this camera and loved it, only to upgrade to the 50 series when he slipped on coastal rocks and broke the camera. He said it was awesome, and a few buddies shoot with the t2i so I feel like i'm making a good decision.