SLT-A35

[Mr_Mac]

Yesterday I made the final payment on the wife's Christmas present, a Canon Powershot SX40 camera. The unit we bought was a return but still carried a full warranty and was priced at $309, not a bad deal. I went and picked it up and brought it home to her and we opened it up and started to go through everything and found out that it was missing the battery charger. I went back to Sears and spoke to our favorite sales guy, Mobeen, and told him of our issue. He immediately went to look to see if the charger was there or find an alternative. While he was in the back I wandered over to the camera aisle and was browsing when I spotted the Sony SLT-A35 sitting there with a $299 price tag. This is the point where the thought process began.

While the Canon is a fine camera, it is limited to the fact that it is, after-all, an enhanced P&S and the Sony is a true DSLR. Since the wife is a novice who has a good eye for what makes a good photograph I figured she would like the versatility of an interchangeable lens camera over a P&S. Add to that the Sony A35 would be a pretty good segue into the world of photography from the old Nikon Coolpix P&S and it was a little cheaper and had a battery charger to boot!

In all, I think I made a good deal on this trade!

Mac

 

[ConradM]

$299 :shock: Damn you scored.

 

[cosmonaut]

Nice find.

 

[brunerww]

You really scored, Mr_Mac. Congratulations! And I love that you found it at a Sears brick and mortar store.

For anyone still looking for a good price on the A35, it is listed for $399.99 (free shipping) at the Sears online store - not as good a deal as Mr_Mac's, but a lot better than Amazon

Best of the holidays!

Bill

 

[Kolia]

Merry Xmas !!!

 

[Mr_Mac]

She started to read the manual and is now in love with her new camera! Already she has me looking for new lenses! I suppose that's a good thing!

 

[nycphotography]

$300 for a SLR? you scored.

If as you said she has a good eye and is moving up to an SLR... I'd recommend this inexpensive add-on: The Basic Book of Digital Photography: How to Shoot, Enhance, and Share Your Digital Pictures: Tom Grimm, Michele Grimm: 9780452289550: Amazon.com: Books

"Basic" as in proper exposure, use of P, S, A, and M modes and learning to look for composition and light.

GRIMM is possibly the best all around book for film, and while I haven't read the version for digital, the treatment of the fundamentals should hold true.

 

[2fastlx]

Winning!!! Great find

 

[bunny99123]

Great Deal! If limited budget is a problem, which is in my case, I bought a Minolta Maxxium lens. They have the same A mount. I would recommend buying them from either Craigs list where you can try it out or some where like B&H. I bought a good 70 to 210 for $75 dollars from a friend. I have an A55, and it is my first DSLR, and I love it. If you didn't buy a flash, that is what I suggest next. The field flash is only made to help out. I couldn't afford a Sony one, so hubby got me a ProMaster Flash for Christmas. Jury still out on it, since I just got it. Good job Hubby!

 

[2fastlx]

She started to read the manual and is now in love with her new camera! Already she has me looking for new lenses! I suppose that's a good thing!

Start searching for a minolta 70-210 f4.0(aka beer can). You won't regret it. Just make sure to find the 4.0 and not the variable aperture version. The minolta 50 1.7 kicks butt too and can be had for under $100.