Is Sony a good brand for DSLR's?

[settons]

Hey Everyone,

I was wondering what you thought about Sony DSLR's? I went looking for a DSLR (my first), planning on purchasing the D80. The sales person said that Sony A300 was a great camera especially for the money. The live-view isn't that important to me (nice to have), but the anti-shock built into the body sounds really interesting.

I'm just wondering whether anyone has any opinions regarding Sony or whether I'm best to stick with a more well known brand like Nikon.

Please help!

 

[benp2k6]

I have the A-200 and really like it. I have never owned any other DSLR. The biggest problem I have run into is that there aren't as many lenses made for sony like there are for Nikon & Canon (there are some very sick lenses made for it, just not as many to choose from). I personally like the interface of sony over others.

 

[dEARlEADER]

From what I hear the Sony's are just fine....


everyone hear is going to tell you to hold and play with them both.... i guess that helps....


I would advise you to consider when buying a camera you end up buying into a system... If all you are ever going to have is one DSLR and one lens it really doesn't matter but once you start getting into multiple lens purchases you wanna make sure your in the right camp....

 

[dEARlEADER]

The biggest problem I have run into is that there aren't as many lenses made for sony like there are for Nikon & Canon

this is kinda the point i was getting at....

if you are a cheap o like me you may end up supporting your lens habbit via the used market.... and when looking for used Canon and Nikon just have more out there...

if any of your buddies are into photography you may want match up with them so you can swap lenses etc...

 

[Big Mike]

The biggest problem I have run into is that there aren't as many lenses made for sony like there are for Nikon & Canon

Keep in mind that Sony bought out the photo division of Konica-Minolta...so the Sony DSLR cameras are currently compatible with modern Minolta lenses. That does give you a fair bit of used lenses to choose from, but the selection of new 'Sony' lenses are limited when compared to the market leaders, Canon & Nikon.

 

[overparduffer]

I also have an A200 and like it. Bought it a few weeks ago... first DSLR. Only negative I heard about it was the length of time between flash and shutter. Of course now it seems like too many shots of my daughter are with her eyes shut or partially shut. Not sure if it's the camera or just my awareness of it since that's what I was told.

 

[bullitt453]

I'm also an A200 owner and love my camera. I've shot with borrowed enrty level Canons (XTi & XT) and Nikons (D40 & D70). The A200 was far more comfortable in my hand than any of the others. They were all just too small for my hand, with the exception of the D70. The antishake built into the body was another good selling point for me. And, like Big Mike said, you can get used Minolta glass all the way back to the early '80s for the Alpha mount Sonys.

If you are truly interested in the Sony and don't care for Live View, then I would strongly recommend the A200. They are pretty much the exact same camera with the exception of Live View.

 

[dEARlEADER]

Keep in mind that Sony bought out the photo division of Konica-Minolta...so the Sony DSLR cameras are currently compatible with modern Minolta lenses. That does give you a fair bit of used lenses to choose from, but the selection of new 'Sony' lenses are limited when compared to the market leaders, Canon & Nikon.

even with minolta backing some simple searching will show the sony/minolta combination has less than half of the raw availability of either canon or nikon lenses in the used market....

for example a crude search on ebay

canon lenses = 170

nikon lenses = 164

sony lenses = 25

minolta lenses = 42


not scientific by any point... but you see what i mean...

 

[Crimsonandwhite]

I had the a200 and just upgraded to the a700. The a200 is a very capable camera, in fact I can make you a great deal on an a200 with kit lens.

 

[manaheim]

WARNING! Non-technical rant about Sony follows...

Speaking entirely outside of technology, Sony is a horrible company with extremely questionable business practices. Remember we all vote with our dollars, and if you buy from them you are basically saying you're ok with that.

Obnoxious sub-par incredibly expensive proprietary technology, root kits on Sony music CDs, investing major time and energy to make it basically impossible for people to legally own their music, while pirates can continue to get around it, suing kids and grandmas for file sharing, yadda yadda yadda. The list goes on and on and on.

I used to buy Sony products for everything... need a stereo? Hm, what does Sony have to offer? Ok, I'll buy that. Need a TV? A monitor? A (god save us) phone? Sony sony sony...

I, like many people, no longer purchase ANYTHING Sony.

 

[sdowden]

WARNING! Non-technical rant about Sony follows...

Speaking entirely outside of technology, Sony is a horrible company with extremely questionable business practices. Remember we all vote with our dollars, and if you buy from them you are basically saying you're ok with that.

Obnoxious sub-par incredibly expensive proprietary technology, root kits on Sony music CDs, investing major time and energy to make it basically impossible for people to legally own their music, while pirates can continue to get around it, suing kids and grandmas for file sharing, yadda yadda yadda. The list goes on and on and on.

I used to buy Sony products for everything... need a stereo? Hm, what does Sony have to offer? Ok, I'll buy that. Need a TV? A monitor? A (god save us) phone? Sony sony sony...

I, like many people, no longer purchase ANYTHING Sony.

I was the same and everything I owned was Sony, I then stopped buying anything sony and went the other way.
When buying my DSLR I spent a month looking at each camera, in Melbourne (Australia) there are about 6 camera store within 100 meters of each other. I went to each, spent about an hour and felt each camera, asked a ton of questions and went home, I read every review I could find of each camera (A200, 400D etc.) & in the end the feel of the sony was the way I went.
The only issue I have is the lack of lenses, yes Nikon & Canon have over 150, but I can buy Sigma who make some great lenses.
I'm by no means are a Sony fan, but I'm in love with this camera and would tell anyone to at least look at the Sony cameras.

 

[Sirashley]

Dude, Listen to us when we tell you that the a200 is a freakin awesome camera. I too am a noob, I had never owned a DSLR before, but I did a ton of research before I bought one. The best buy for the money is hands down the Sony and for a noob, it has all the features you'll need and then some. I have the a200 and I absolutely love it. It was between the D60, the Xti, and the a200. I work in the electronics department at my job so I got to play with each one extensively. The Xti was the first one I ruled out, it felt cheap to me (before all you Canon people kill me, its just an opinion...LOL...) I was down to the D60 and the a200, the D60 was 200$ more, and did not have the auto-focus motor built in. Also, the D60 is more compact, and I have big hands. Lastly, I am a noob, so after I read the reviews, I bought the Sony.

If I had it to do all over again, I'd still buy the Sony. It really is a great camera especially if you are on a tight budget. Just my two cents...

 

[TSelman]

My cousin has an old Sony Alpha, I saw it a week ago. They seems pretty good. I don't know how the lens compatibility is though.

 

[LeroyLion]

Ive done a lot of research on entry level SLRs recently, and I went with the sony alpha a100. I think any camera in the sony alpha line looks good.

 

[STICKMAN]

I have family members that shoot with the A100 and love it. I too have given it a once over and think it has some great key features. I shoot with a d40 and it seemed to be well paired with the a100. All in all there both great units that will provide for years to come hopefully. The biggest difference i notiice was sound, the a100 was louder then the d40 but sound aside neck and neck...........