What is the least-expensive DSLR that...

Senor Hound · Oct 20, 2008

skieur said:
Kit lenses are not 2.8 lenses as I am sure you know. I am sure you also know that fast lenses are usually heavier too.

As far as live view is concerned, the Sony has the best implimentation of it, according to Popular Photography. I like to use the viewfinder but I have to admit that for street photography, low and high shooting with a tiltable LCD screen such as what is on the Sony, this cannot be beat.
Even shooting babies or children is easier without your eye to the viewfinder and the result is a more natural, less posed looking shot.

I braced a Sony A350 on the overhead beam of a coal mine and used the tilted LCD screen for framing. I could not have got the shot any other way.

skieur

You get it!

Its just preference. I'm not saying live view is like a Leica, but I compare it to using a rangefinder in that its just a different way to take photos as opposed to the conventional way. Live view is for some people , but not most. And you really don't get it, unless you get it.

Village Idiot · Oct 20, 2008

Learn to shoot with two eyes open. Problem solved.

Overread · Oct 20, 2008

dosn't work if you look with your left eye - all the right can see is the back of a camera

frXnz kafka · Oct 20, 2008

Village Idiot said:
Learn to shoot with two eyes open. Problem solved.

What problem, exactly, is solved by shooting with both eyes open?

Overread · Oct 20, 2008

being able to see around you - if I shoot with my right eye I can see action in the area with my left - and with more practise you can focus the right eye (and viewfinder) by finding things with the left eye - bcause our eyes follow the same movement patters (its a case of training you arms to follow your eye)

frXnz kafka · Oct 20, 2008

Overread said:
being able to see around you - if I shoot with my right eye I can see action in the area with my left - and with more practise you can focus the right eye (and viewfinder) by finding things with the left eye - bcause our eyes follow the same movement patters (its a case of training you arms to follow your eye)

I suppose that makes sense. I use my left eye, so I just see camera when I shoot with both eyes open (which I do sometimes, just to reduce strain on my right eye). I don't know if that solves the OP's problem, but then again I don't really know what that problem is.

skieur · Oct 20, 2008

Village Idiot said:
Learn to shoot with two eyes open. Problem solved.

I always shoot with two eyes open. It was an absolute requirement in my work with a television camera.

skieur

Senor Hound · Oct 23, 2008

frXnz kafka said:
I suppose that makes sense. I use my left eye, so I just see camera when I shoot with both eyes open (which I do sometimes, just to reduce strain on my right eye). I don't know if that solves the OP's problem, but then again I don't really know what that problem is.

I wouldn't call it a problem as much as a preference. I don't need live view, I just really, really want it. It makes me enjoy the photographic experience more. But if you don't get it, you don't get it. I can't really explain why.

Anyway, is the a300 the least-expensive non-Olympus camera to have live view?

bikefreax · Oct 23, 2008

Why so anti-Olympus? I have an Olympus E-510 and am happy. I bought it because of the live view, and other things, but have not really used it yet but I see myself using it eventially.

Senor Hound · Oct 24, 2008

bikefreax said:
Why so anti-Olympus? I have an Olympus E-510 and am happy. I bought it because of the live view, and other things, but have not really used it yet but I see myself using it eventially.

Truthfully, the only reason I'm anti-Olympus is because I plan on buying used lenses and whatnot. With the Sony, Pentax, Canon and Nikon, I can get some old-school lenses to use. Especially the Sony, cause then I could get the old-school Minolta AF lenses to use with it.

skieur · Oct 24, 2008

Senor Hound said:
Truthfully, the only reason I'm anti-Olympus is because I plan on buying used lenses and whatnot. With the Sony, Pentax, Canon and Nikon, I can get some old-school lenses to use. Especially the Sony, cause then I could get the old-school Minolta AF lenses to use with it.

By the way in the category of old-school Minolta AF lenses that are cheap as in under $100 and excellent in quality is the 50mm 1.7. Check out small town used stores for treasures like a Minolta Maxxum and 2 lenses for under $300. It was worth buying just for the lenses.

skieur

Dao · Oct 24, 2008

You know, it doesn't matter what brand and what camera you are going to get as long as you feel happy about it. At the end, you are the one who use it. Even it is the state-of-the-art camera, if you do not like it, you just do not like it.

So I am glad you find the one you like. Just get it, use it and enjoy it!!