Sony Alpha a100
- 4.0 out of 5
- 4.0 out of 5
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Research the Sony Alpha a100
Editors' Comments
The Sony Alpha a100 is the brand's first true SLR, and fair warning to other camera manufacturers that the industry giant is hot on their tails. The Alpha a100 is the culmination of Sony's recent acquisition/merger with Konica Minolta's SLR division. It's not completely wrong to say that the a100 is the spiritual successor of K-M's Maxxum line, and the camera can accept all the same lenses that Minoltas could.
Specifications
- 10 megapixels
- Sony Alpha/Minolta A-Type lens mount
- image stabilization (CCD shift/SteadyShot)
- auto and manual focus
- auto and manual exposure
- ISO 80-1600
- JPEG and RAW file formats
- Compact Flash/MemoryStick (via CF adapter) storage
- lithium-ion battery
Comments on the Sony a100
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Sony Alpha a100 Reviews
- 4.39059080962801 out of 5
Sony Alpha a100 Reviews by Digital Camera-HQ Users
- 4.0 out of 5
my girlfriend and I use this camera, we're both into photography. it has excellent colors, great focus on daytime, battery life is great. the weight is ok. the best feature is the compatibility with zeiss lenses. a little bit on a downside on focusing during night or low light. overall its a great camera.
- 5.0 out of 5
I've had this camera for two years and it takes breath taking photos
- 5.0 out of 5
Technicaly PURRRRRR! Fect.
So you want a Digital camera that takes ,well lets say is reminiscently close to the "Professional" shot! if you believe that.
I think I've said enough don't you?
- 3.0 out of 5
I got this camera because I own Minolta equipment and was under the impression that all Minolta parts were compatible. This is not true - the MAXXUM 2800AF and 4000AF flash units do not syncronize at all with the camera, and I therefore have to purchase a Sony flash unit. If I had know this, I might have bought a Nikon or Canon.
Everyone raves about the camera, but it sounds clunky when taking photos. I still prefer film photography - it seems to give me more control...
- 5.0 out of 5
I bought it from a megastore in Ostreich, and for that money, about 850 euro, with the 18-70 and 75-300 lenses, is the best money for value /performance you can get in this segment (professional "wanabies":), i shoted about 1500 pictures so far, only 8 of them in program mode....the rest were manual only...this mode is the best, easy to handle, easy to tweak...i can't stop talking ...so... GOOD JOB SONY!!!
- 5.0 out of 5
Have had this camera for +-8 months. Have been taking photos for the last 50 years and can only say that I am very satisfied with this camera ahving taken over 9,000 photos with it, including wild life, birds and insects.
- 5.0 out of 5
I have had this camera for about 6 months. I purchased it because I had a Minolta which I loved. This camera takes great pictures. The only thing I do not like is the lack of lenses for reasonable prices. But I know they will catch up. I have taken many pictures and the quality is excellent. Controls are very easy to master. I bought it for taking fast action dance. I am only disappointed that I need a faster lens to get quality I want but I don't have the money to purchase the lens. I sometimes get a little intimidated when up against a Nikon or Cannon put I know it is the picture taker not just the camera that takes great photos.
- 5.0 out of 5
The Sony Alpha is definitely an outstanding camera for the new DSLR users.
There is no doubt that more professional grade machines will come out (see PMA reviews). This machine is not a weathersealed powerhorse and so it makes sense for it not to have a powergrip (especially since you can shoot 700+ pics on one charge).
People also forget that Nikon etc uses Sony CCDs, so to say that the Sony machine is not outstanding or somehow made by a novice in the market is a mistake (DSLR bodies are more CCD than anything else).
What is more, the idea that there is more noise in the pics at iso800 and iso1600 is a falacy. It is true when you shoot JPGS, but not when you shoot raw, since you do the postprocessing yourself. If you want to shoot in low light you should use RAW and if not you should use a flash to use normal ISO values (any "pro" would accept this).
The ease of use is outstanding, you don't need to read the manual, because all ISO, flash settings, DR/DR+, white balance etc are accessible from one rotating bezel (this is how it should be for a consumer DSLR, the pro versions are yet to come, "with more buttons").
To say that there are not enough lenses for the Sony Alpha is also ridiculous. There are many many lenses on the market made by Minolta (bought by Sony), so there is a lot of very good and cheap glass for this machine. Who would say that the 80-200 APO HS and 70-200 APO SSM lenses are somehow inferior to the Canon and Nikon versions? Same with the 300 F2.8 SSM. There are also many many lenses by Sigma, Tamron and Carl Zeiss lenses.
This machine is also perfect for the DLSR newbie, because of the Anti-Shake (AS) system. This is wonderful at reducing the price of lenses for the normal user and at being able to use lower F-stops in low light.
This machine is very complete, it does not suffer from missing options that a new DSLR user would need. If you are a pro then wait a little bit. You cannot expect Sony to launch everything at once. New pro glass is on the way and it is reasonable not to release this glass for a DSLR aimed at the amateur.
- 5.0 out of 5
I have taken well over 2,000 pics with this camera, it really works for you. Some of the complaints i've seen in reviews like the eye start autofocus (turn it off) and short battery life.. Save your money the battery lasts a long time, buy a 4gig CF card instead. Fells good in your had and haven't really ran into problems. Takes excellent pics.
- 5.0 out of 5
I bought the Sony A100 for a number of reasons. First was the price and 2nd was the fact that as a Minolta user, I could use all my accessorues. I spent the past few weekends getting as much time in with this camera, and the pictures aore phenominal. The auto foucus is perfect and since I suffered eye damage due to diabetes, I am having to depend more on that feature,
Like the Minolta cameras where this evolved, it has a well balanced feel, and is worth the investment/
- 5.0 out of 5
I love it. Great fast shots.
- 5.0 out of 5
I bought a Sony a100 during my recent return to the US. I have been living in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan where the only film available is extremely old 200 speed film and film developing there has something left to be desired. As my film cameras were a Minolta Maxxum 7000 and an old Pentx K1000, I already had lenses for both the Sony and the Pentax digital K-series. After reading reviews and researching both cameras, I decided on the Sony. The Sony is much lighter than the Pentax and is much less expensive. In addition to this, I already had several AF lenses from Minolta, while my Pentax lenses are completely manual.
I have also been teaching several of my English students in Nakh-town how to take photos with it. While most of my students still need to learn how to frame their shots better and other aspects of photography, the photos taken with the a100 come out well.
The anti-shake feature of this camera is another plus. I recently took a bus from Igdir, Turkey to Kars. Along the way was a huge mountain, capped in snow, surrounded by clouds as the sun was setting — a beautiful shot. While this bus rumbled down a bumpy road, I was taking shots out the window. Out of the 20 that I took, only 2 were blurry. The other 18 came out very well and a few were great.
In closing the a100 is great for both the beginning and more experienced SLR user.
- 5.0 out of 5
I have owned many Minolta SLR from the SRT101 on up. They were all heavy an clunky, but I like the feel of them, and they take great pictures.
I have also owned several Sony Digitals and they are the best. The Zeiss lenses the feature are the best in the world. Looking forward to a Zeiss lens for the Alpha!!
Great interface, but it should allow a point and shoot mode using the digital screen.
Kudos to Sony!
- 5.0 out of 5
I've taken over a thousan pics so far and it is
smooth. . . threw legacy Maxxum AF lenses at it with no problem. . . added screw on fisheyes and teleconverters . . . still focused great! Used in the cold no problem below 32 deg . . .
- 5.0 out of 5
Greats digital SLR. Have long been a Minolta SLR owner (Since the XG-1) The Alpha 100 works great with all of my Maxxum 7 lenses and flash. Great pictures, excellent metering and exposure controls. Quick and simple in Program mode, all the creative controls you could ask for in manual...Highly recommend!
- 4.0 out of 5
The great things about this camera are the built in Image Stabilizer (generally, only included in high priced lens), a quick start up, low shutter lag, it's light weight and the dust repulsion.
It has the same features you'd expect in any other DSLR; PASM modes, shutter priority, auto depth of field, ect.
The only complaints I have are the camera is a bit noisy and the aperture controls are in a weird place.
- 5.0 out of 5
I've taken thousands of pics with this camera,...
Love it's ease of use, picture Quality,
Some functions take educating yourself with the owners manual,which you prabaly would have to do with any camera,....
Once you've learned how to use it ,... you'll love the range of features and the professional quality pictures.
I'd recommend this excellent camera to anyone interested in making the step up to dslr photography!
- 5.0 out of 5
I have had older Sony cameras and this one is most like the old 35mms I have enjoyed. Didnt want to switch but Sony makes it easy to go from 35mm to digital
- 5.0 out of 5
Excellent camera easy to use and the best in my opinion.
- 1.0 out of 5
Well I must say loved the camera until we went on vacation to Disneyland. My wife and I took our 4 years old to happiest place on earth. Well on day three we met up with my folks who are snowbirds in San Diego Sea World. After showing my mom the pictures that we had taken already on the camera I set it back in the bag. About 5 minutes later I took the camera out, and not one function worked. We though maybe battery. Grabbed the camcorder and then I remembered this battery will not work. Same voltage but wrong Amp hour rating. Very stupid to not to make it inter changable. Thought maybe the lens was bad. Tried my zoom lens, no difference, bought a disposable. Drove back to Disney and charged the battery for the next morning. No difference, phoned sony USA for help, the guy was terrible. I tried more things than he suggested, in the end he said to send it in. When we arrived home I went to my local store and exchanged it for a new one but kept the old battery for spare. It did not work with the new camera, even though it was the right one. Turns out it was a problem with the camera and the battery. Nice of Visions to give me a over the counter exchange. Sony should have let other batteries with same style voltage but different Amp hour rating work just in case of being in a pinch.
- 5.0 out of 5
We did a lot of research and reviewing before we made our final purchase and I have to say, I think we made the best possible choice for the amount of money spent. For a beginner photographer, this camera is easy to start using immediately and gives you enough options to slowly learn them one by one, experimenting and learning, but still getting professional results! I was glad we bought the DVD tutorial made for this camera also. The only problem we are having is with finding the right lenses to learn with. We bought the A100 body only originally because we believed our Minolta Maxxum lenses would work with it; however, beware! One of the lenses (Quantaray 80-200) works great, but my "walk-around" lens, (the Quantaray 28-90) does not work with it in the Autofocus mode, only manually... So now we have to start from scratch finding a new walk-around lens. Other than that, we are completely satisfied with this camera for the price. I would highly recommend it for anyone, but especially a beginning SLR photographer.
- 2.0 out of 5
I haven't used an SLR for thirty years and this camera is a big disappointment. With the 18-200 lens it is absolutely huge. It's very heavy and unbalanced towards the front, the shutter sounds like a '72 Pinto hitting a pothole and the images are soft, soft, soft. Nothing like the detail in a 35 mm slide from my old Canon EF with prime 50mm or 28mm. I read reviews noting the high ISO noise, but figured an amateur like me would never notice it. Purple spots in a TV surround that's actually gray? I noticed. For $1,000 and loss of portability, I sure didn't get the improvement I wanted.
- 4.0 out of 5
... which is the A100's film-version precursor. The AF lenses are interchangeable between them. I like the A100's menu navigation - it is easy to understand. Even more, I like the multi-functtion buttons and knobs, which make setting up for special (manual) shots very fast. And then the camera remembers the last manual settings you used so you're ready to shoot in 1 or 2 seconds.
I purchased a high-end Tamron 28-300mm for the A100 a few weeks ago and find it has crisper imaging than the kit 18-70mm lens. The Tamron was 4x more expensive than the SAL but worth it.
I still recommend this camera even though my first A100 was replaced by Sony because it stopped auto-focusing after one month. The new camera is flawless and was replaced quickly.
- 5.0 out of 5
Having been a Minolta SLR user for about 20 years I was horrified to see the sale of the DSLR line to Sony. Fearing a cheap, nasty and badly designed successor to the previous Minolta DSLRs of which I own two, I was amazed at the a100. It has the same 'feel' as the previous Minoltas and the lenses work just fine. The 10Mp CCD is good and the RAW data processing is v-fast. Shutter release is crisp with no delay and the best part is the excellent LCD. Unlike Cannon and some others, all the info you need is on one LCD, bright and easy to see. The camera is light and handles well even for people with smaller hands. I'm glad to see that even if the brand has gone, the spirit of Minolta lives on in the a100.
- 5.0 out of 5
Just got this camera so far it has been great.. Love the idea of my lens choice and the on camera IS..I do a lot of nature and outdoors shooting and from what I have seen thus far it is a winner..
Zoomdaddy
- 3.0 out of 5
I have a SONY DSC-N1, a piece of amazing camera I have. Absolutely great. I'm thinking about getting my first SLR, but every time I check the review about the SONY customer service, never been a good one. Unresponsive and keep claiming that we dropped the camera and all that. I'm having a second thought now, as I get used to a brilliant Mac customer service.
- 5.0 out of 5
I have a Minolta Maxxam 35mm SLR and have a really nice pocket digital. I wanted a digital SLR but also wanted to be able to share the great lenses I already have. This camera TOTALLY ROCKS! I have been spending more time showing it off and recommending it than shooting pictures! It has excellent presets and excellent ability to be customize the image.
- 1.0 out of 5
Have now had 2 Alpha a100 and both have not been unable to load and format the memory card. I even bought a new CF card thinking it was defective. Now have spent $60 plus returning cameras. Sony service has been nonresponsive to the problem and unable to talk to anyone who has a clue. Waiting to get my second camera back and see it it works. Alot of $$$ for nothing!!!
- 5.0 out of 5
I am a first time DSLR user,so far I just loved it,it takes great pictures.
- 5.0 out of 5
" She's a Lady. " The camera owner is a lady. Loves the IN BODY IMAGE SABILIZATION, AUTO EYE FOCUS, INCREDIBLY LIGHT, SUPERB ZEISS LENSES. SONY YOUR ABOUT TO KICK CANON & NIKONS BUTTS IN DSLR SALES!!!
- 5.0 out of 5
Fast access to everyday controls. Very Fast write speed for Raw files. Fast autofocus. Kit lenses are particularly good. Loved the image quality of zeiss lenses with the Sony R1 but the autofocus was unreliable and the EVF drove me nuts. This is the answer for me, when the 16-80mm (24-120mm) zeiss lens is finally here.
- 5.0 out of 5
Love the price and the 10mp gives me more than what I'm looking for, and I'm a first time SLR buyer..Sony u guys are 4 sure to grab a big piece of the slr market with the Alpha 100..Great & Easy to use, plus the buttons are all there for easy accessability..This camera is MUST BUY and have no complaints...Sony you guys have out done yourselves..I'm very pleased with the Alpha 100 and in the future when I choose to repurchase a SLR I will be comming back !!! Cannon and Nikon, keep your game up Sony is in Town.
- 5.0 out of 5
By far the best camera out there for the price. It over takes canon's 30D that cost several hundreds more and it will have some carl Ziss lenses with it! This is no mere toy, but a quality camera easily used for intermideate work as a photographer. Don't over look this one, you would be kicking yourself later
Sony Alpha a100 Comments & Questions (write your own!)
How do you feel about that lens? What about those Ebay packages with the cam, lenses and filters (generic most likely), mem cards, carrycases, etc? Whats the best route to purchase these products? In store? Online? Thanks again for all the help
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Message was edited by: Administrator
The lens you noted is a "prime", not a zoom, that is, it's only a 200mm lens. It is a very good lens (Canon's "L" series are professional lenses). But as a first lens or two, I would recommend a zoom, and for anything over 200mm, consider image stabilization.
When shooting at a long focal length like 200mm, any camera motion is amplified, compared to a "normal" 50mm focal length. The rule of thumb is that you can reasonably hand-hold 50mm at 1/60th second. At 100mm, it's double (1/125th) and at 200mm it's double again, (1/250th). At such a fast shutter speed, you need some combination of these things to handle lower light situations:
<ul>
<li>A wide aperture, e.g. f/2.8, f/3.5, f/4.0, f/5.6 are each increasingly <i>narrow</i>, letting in 1/2 the light for each stop</li>
<li>High ISO, e.g. 1600, 800, 400, 200 are each slower by 1/2 for each stop</li>
<li>Image stabilization, which when turned on cam give you from 2 to three stops slower shutter speed to work with and still hand-hold a clear shot, so using the example above, at 50mm, minimum handheld speed is 1/60th second whereas with image stabilization it's 1/15th second</li>
</ul>
The wide aperture and image stabilization are why you would pay $1,700 for the <a href="digitaladvisor.com/lenses/c... target="_blank">Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L-series image stabilized lens</a>, $1,100 for the <i>same lens without image stabilization</i>, and $550 for the same lens without image stabilization and with a minimum f/4.0. In addition, for all of these lenses, you're paying for the L series and also a fixed aperture and length: it doesn't get longer (and slower) as you zoom.
I lusted after all of these lenses, but ultimately found the right balance with the <a href="digitaladvisor.com/lenses/c... target="_blank"> Canon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 IS lens</a>, which I paid around $1100 for. It's much slower (f/5.6 at full zoom) -- this is 3 stops slower than the f/2.8 lens. The image stabilization, however gives you from 2 to 3 stops slower shutter speed when handheld. So it's all a trade-off. The reason I like this lens is that zoomed in (at 70mm) it's very compact -- the L lenses are all rather massive. But then again, the L lenses with their white bodies look cool :-).
And just to confuse matters a little, there are two new camera out that do Image Stabilization in a different way: instead of moving elements inside the lens, they actually moves the image sensor in the camera itself, and I think also use information from the gyroscope in the camera to potentially adjust the digital image also. The Sony A100 was originally made by Konica-Minolta as the Maxxum 7D, but Minolta has sadly gone out of business and Sony bought their SLR line and have reintroduced the camera as the <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... target="_blank">Sony Alpha a100K</a>. The other with in-camera IS is the <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... target="_blank">Pentax K100D</a>. Since the image stabilization is in the camera, you don't have to pay the premium for each lens you buy. But these are two new cameras, and haven't been reviewed very much, so caveat emptor.
I buy everything online -- I have a wonderful local camera shop where I used to get my film developed, but their prices are nowhere near as good as what you can get from very reputable dealers online. The chain stores are a nightmare, if you ask me. I completely trust B&H Photo, Adorama, 17th St. Photo, Vanns, BuyDig, NewEgg, Beach, and Abe's of Maine (which is actually in New York City :-). Amazon is also probably a good bet, but they typically sell through one of these merchants anyway. Do be careful about others that have lower merchant ratings or none at all -- there are many tricks that shady merchants play -- selling refurbished as new, selling non-US warranty, or advertising a low price then calling to tell you they don't have that one but have a "package" (a.k.a bait and switch). All the ones I noted have been around a while and live and die by their reputations and all buy in volume so get the best real prices you're likely to see. This is not an exhaustive list...
Good luck! Tom
Will this lens also work for night time sports? I'm trying to keep my costs as low as possible, so i dont want to have to purchase a bunch of different lenses.. I'll be shooting night time high school and college football games (some daytime) mostly, and also outdoor and indoor photos (for cd covers, posters, flyers, etc.)
If you want to spend the $1700, you'll get the 70-200 f/2.8 IS lens; if you can afford it, and the extra bulk is something you can live with, it's a killer lens.
For night sports shooting, I would consider a monopod; it gives you a good deal of flexibility, unlike a tripod, but can mitigate a lot of the camera shake from handholding.
Assuming the 70-300, in addition to regular IS modes, it also has a panning IS mode, which is perfect for horizontally moving subjects. It's a great versatile lens, and is a good complement to the 18-55mm lens that you can get as part of the 350D kit. In addition, the 350D (or maybe just the 30D) has an "AI Servo" mode which locks onto a moving subject and sets focus and exposure continuously.
Under any circumstances, sports shooting at night is perhaps the most difficult challenge in photography. It's also not cheap. You need to be quick, you need a great camera and lens, and know them well, and you need lots and lots of practice to get the kinds of shots you see in Sports Illustrated.
Tom
Joan --
I assume the black band occurs with all your Sigma lenses? If so, it's likely that the problem is in the camera. If you're perfectly happy with your film camera, you might consider either taking the camera to a photo store (a good one); they might be able to fix it. Or, consider buying a replacement for your camera body on eBay, where the price will certainly be right.
<p>
Of course maybe the dog is really a sign from above telling you, woof, buy a digital SLR :-). As it happens, our dearly departed Minolta sold their digital SLR line to Sony, and your Minolta lenses should fit the <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... target="_blank">Sony Alpha a100</a>. Of course that's a $900 camera, and you should double-check that your Sigma lenses are compatible (A-mount, and probably fine if your Minolta was a Maxxum). The a100 is very new for Sony, but appears to be Minolta's Maxxum 7D with a Sony name tag. We liked this camera, and even though Minolta was going down the tubes, it seems like a pretty cool idea -- especially for you, since it has a kind of image stabilization that works with all (Minolta mount) lenses, and that would make your pictures sharper, especially at slower shutter speeds.
</p>
<p>
Hope this helps!
<p>
Tom
But don't despair -- they sold their SLR line to Sony (ok, maybe a little despair :-), and they just came out with the "Alpha 100", or are maybe coming out with it soon. It's their update to the Maxxum 7D, and takes all your nice Minolta lenses.
Check it out at digitalcamera-hq.com/digita...
As long as it's as as good as the Maxxum (digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... you should love it.
And best of all, the image stabilization is built into the camera (not into the lens like most SLRs), meaning you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars more for image stabilization, and if your existing lenses don't have IS, you're already good to go.
Tom
Recommendation(s):
Get the 7D while you still can....
or
Wait for the next generation from Sony, pass on the A100.
Point is, Yes I have jumped ship and was pretty miffed about the situation esp. not having a camera for months on end while vacations passed with plenty of opportunities to take great photos. As far as Sony's Photography department is concerned, I willl not touch that with a 100 ft. pole. I've had Slews of $200 Sony point and shoots and they always fail, plus they make you buy their exclusive memory sticks instead of traditional SD or Compact flash cards. Their quality control leaves a lot to be desired. All those comments about them feeling cheap and plasticy is spot on! I should have just sold the fantastic old Minolta stuff, and invested in Nikon DSLR technology. After all my first camera, my fathers F-body, nikkor and vivitar len's are built like tanks, they even got run over in the '80s by a volvo (Sweedish tank) with no harm but a scratch on the prism corner. Plus 99% of the lens from the first F body will work on modern day DSLRs! It's a shame, Minolta was a great brand and their products highly robust!
I need recommendations for start-up camera and lens combinations that will yield good results for under $2,000. We have film slrs, and want to use digital at 8 megapixel or higher.
thanks
Canon: Canon 400D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) or the more durable Canon 30D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )
Nikon:
Nikon D80 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) or the more durable Nikon D200 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )
Sony (formerly Minolta, now out of the camera biz):
Sony Alpha a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )
Pentax:
Pentax K100D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )
I do aerial photography as a part of my job. I use a Canon 10D and with some Photoshop plugins, have made prints up to 20"x30" that look pretty good.
I agree with TomH's camera recommendations and suggest that most of your money be budgeted towards a Vibration Reduction lens that is fast (has minimum aperature setting of f/2.8 or less). When doing aerial photography, one of the biggest problems is the constant vibration of the airplane transferred to the camera. With a fast vibration reduction lens, you will greatly minimize this.
Nikon got a late start in the digital camera business, and their older models were, eh, not so great. But recent models are getting good reviews from users, for example the Nikon S6 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ).
Sony got an early start in the consumer oriented cameras, and have had a lot of winners. Their latest hotshots are the H5 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) , the Sony T10 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) and their new SLR, the Sony Alpha a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) all seem like great products.
Sony is new to the still photography industry and has to improve its products for taking professional quality photographs
henrys.com/webapp/wcs/store...
There are others if you search.
There are also adapters which seems to be popular is for older threaded M42 lenses which are popular because they are cheap and have good optics.
Hope it helps.
Most digital cameras come with a Macro function for closeups. A SLR camera will work fine, but if you don't want to spend that much money, you can get a good <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... and shoot</a> or <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... zoom</a> camera to suit your needs as well.
Andrew
Setting a camera to B&W mode doesn't affect the actual taking of the photo. The camera still takes a color photo, and just modifies the digital image information to make it B&W. A lot of SLRs don't bother to include this functionality because of that.
You can still make the image B&W in a post-production program like PhotoShop or Paint Shop Pro, with the same end result as if it were done in-camera, it will just take an extra step.
The Sony a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) does have a view finder as well as a 2.5" LCD screen. You can see an image of the back of the camera here ( sonystyle.com/intershoproot... ). I hope this help.
is used to compose a shot. The LCD is "just" for display of settings,
playback of stored images, etc.
Still need help? If so a few more details will make it easier to find you the right camera. Let me know what price range you're in and what kind of features you want or pictures you'd like to take. Thanks!
I suppose we'd go from $300 to maybe $600. We'd be wanting to take still shots immediately. After taking the senior pictures it would be given to our daughter who is entering college for general use. She has taken some photography classes in HS and may explore photography some more in college.
Jeff
Thanks for the details. Since your daughter knows some about photography and wants to learn more I'd definitely lean towards something with optional Manual controls (so she can play with the settings and learn how they work, but still put the camera on auto when she wants to). Your price range is pretty widespread, so I'll give you a few ideas from each area and you can check out the details on them:
Canon Powershot A640 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )- I love the Powershots because they take great photos in low light as well as in bright sun... very rich, pure colors. This one has auto and manual exposure options and a nice 4x zoom. All-around stable and dependable.
Kodak Easyshare P712 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )- another nice all-around camera; super user-friendly. Nice big zoom.
Most of those are in the same 300-ish price range. If you're looking to spend more than that, you can possibly look into a digital SLR. Those are the more advanced cameras that take multiple lenses and have more complicated instructions and functions. While they are great for photo students, it is also easier to take a bad picture with a DSLR than it is with a point and shoot. You really do need to learn how to use them, and that's a committment I'm not sure if your daughter is looking for or not... and it may also mean buying separate lenses since the ones that come with DSLRs aren't always the greatest. If that's a route you're interested in, the Canon EOS 30D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) is my favorite.
Hope that helps somewhat. Let me know if you need further help!
Nikon D40 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) -- a cool new Nikon oriented toward people learning photography, Canon Rebel 400D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) -- the cheaper cousin of the 30D Brenda recommended (a totally great camera by all accounts), the Pentax K110D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) or Sony a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) -- both have image stabilization built in so you can buy much less expensive lenses. But all of these are real SLR cameras: fast, high quality and good for real photography.
I will recomend you cameras from $400, and up to $700... despite you said $600. Why? Because SRL prices start at $500... so you don't have too many of them by that price. The average, is around $800 and $1500.
Recomended Point & Shoot:
* Canon Powershot G7
* Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5
* Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1
* Ricoh Caplio R5
* Samsung NV7 OPS
* Samsung S850
This ones, are point & shoot cameras... but they are kind of small. You also have those with ultra versatile lenses, but much bigger. Some of the bests are:
* Samsung Pro815 (with 15x lenses, and a decent sensor)
* Panasonic FZ30 (you also have the FZ50, but you should know that there's almost any difference between 8 and 10 mp, than the $100 extra bucks) I would recomend THIS ONE!
* Kodak P880
* FujiFilm FinePix IS-1
SRL's I recomend for the price:
* Pentax K100 (or K110... the difference is the image stabilization)
* Nikon D40
* Canon Rebel XT EOS 350 D
To decide between these three, you should first know some things about them:
1º Pentax K100 was the surprise in the last photography event of 2006. It has even better picture quality than the Nikon D50, and it has shift sensor image stabilization.
2º The Nikon D40 is the last release of Nikon, and it's made to compete with the Pentax. The image quality is slightly better (let's say that the throne was for the Nikon D50, until the Pentax K100 was lounched to the market, and they just released the Nikon D40 that has some better end details, but there are almost no differences). BUT! this camera doesn't have a built in autofocus... so you have to buy every lens with it's own autofocus system, which makes them more expensive. Much more... if you want image stabilization... you will have to buy much more expensive lenses, when the K100 comes with it.
3º There's no difference between 6 and 8 mp. But much more... this is the most expensive of the three, and Canon is well known for bad quality kit lenses... so you will have to buy extra lenses. This one doesn't come with image stabilization neither.
My opinion: buy the K100 camera body, and then look for lenses around 120 and 200 bucks. Sigma is a very good brand for the price you pay them. Look for versatility, something like 18-90 mm, or 28-120... or even more. I've done that.
Hope this helps you to find the best camera for you and your daughter, and I expect you to post in the future what you bought, and how pleased you are.
Alan.
I want to know a camera about 8+ megapixel. When I se an object I want within seconds to make the photo. Which one is so quickly. Can you recommend me? I am not professional but I want good photos and especially night or evening photos. Thanks.
You have a couple options for the Sony Alpha A100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ). You can find them about 2/3 of the way down the page on the Sony site ( sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERS... ).
Andrew
Most of the retailers we list prices for are US stores, however they often will sell overseas. Click the links on the Buy tab for various merchants and check their sites for international shipment policies.
Tom
In my opinion the sensor issue is a toss-up. If there's a Canon camera that you like exactly as well as the Sony and the sensor noise in higher ISOs concerns you, you might shoot for the Canon. But if you really like this camera above the competition, I wouldn't let it bother me. The anti-shake in the camera body is a HUGE plus for this one.
In terms of the Sony Alpha, I haven't heard a single bad thing in terms of the images produced and the Super Steady shot gets really good reviews. It can't hurt to research it a little more, but I would consider it a safe buy.
That is quite a challenge. The problem is that when you get into quality zoom lenses, you're paying for the stabilization among other things, which is why they get so expensive. This is where the A100 is good news: with the stabilization built into the camera the lenses need not be as expensive.
Really, it sounds like the results you want can best be obtained by an SLR with a few different lenses... as you know already. I haven't personally played with the Sony A100 much but I do know that the line of lenses out for it (Carl Zeiss) are supposed to be very well made. The A100, of course, is also inheriting all the old Minolta lenses made for its original birth as the Maxxum 5D. These lenses are being rebranded for the Sony A-series and resold under the new name, along with the new Zeiss ones.
So right there is 21 years' worth of lenses to choose from. I know that there was a Minolta A-series lens (500 mm f/8 Reflex) that was the world's only AF telephoto reflex lens at the time... Minolta made some fantastic SLR lenses in their day. You can find some really good info from users of these lenses at <a href="dyxum.com/lenses/index.asp&... Of course, none of them are cheap persay- but the good news is that many of the old Minolta lenses are discontinued and available used at serious discounts, and none of them seem to be selling for thousands.
I really don't know of any other way to solve the photo problems you mentioned... in my opinion upgrading to an SLR is an excellent idea. Point and shoots, even advanced ones, can only go so far, and they're just not designed for certain types of shots and at some point you really do have to move up, especially if conversion lenses aren't doing the job. Because you seem to know what you're doing, I am assuming that any fuzziness you're experiencing isn't from the typical reasons (incorrect settings) and that most likely the equipment you're working with just isn't designed for what you're trying to do.
My best advice in this situation: buy an OK-to-decent SLR and save up for some quality lenses. And there are some out there that won't break the bank.
Glad you found a working solution!
Will these lenses match up with any other digital camra body?
Are you still in need of help? If so, I recommend re-submitting your question at digitalcamera-hq.com so it has a better chance of being noticed. Lately questions are being answered within just a day or two. Good luck!
Zoom
Do you think that the Sony A100 has a short shutter lag? I would like to be able to take a sequience of photos manually triggered and up to 3 per second. (A/F gets in the way and slows down the process) It would be nice for the camera to A/F at the beginning of the sequence though.
Thanks,
Belynda
Are you still in need of help? If so, I recommend re-submitting your question at digitalcamera-hq.com so it has a better chance of being noticed. Lately questions are being answered within just a day or two. Good luck!
Toby
henrys.com/webapp/wcs/store...
There are others if you search.
There are also adapters which seems to be popular is for older threaded M42 lenses which are popular because they are cheap and have good optics.
Hope it helps.
I've read the sony's are very good, and with the 10 MP it seems like it would be better but not Digital experienced, but if I'm just delivering small prints and hi-res CD's, wouldn't the nikon do OK? the Canon's are just out of my price range.
Plus, add to that the +2 stop (even though they say +3) gain from image stabilization. To me, the image stabilization gives a wedding photographer an edge in lower light conditions.
The other benefit, is the mass amount of good quality used Minolta lenses. With the introduction of the Sony Alpha, more lenses are being reborn, and new lenses are being built for the Minolta mount style. I find great deals on eBay like a 35-70 F4 lens in mint condition for 40.00; a 50 mm 1.7 lens in mint condition for 50.00. The "Beer Can" 70-210 mm lens in mint condition for 200.00.. This lens array is probably all you would ever need.
Regarding these two cameras, my opinion is that the Rebel ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) does better with handling image noise, and also seems to have more natural color in most lighting situations.
For a really comprehensive look at these cameras side-by-side, (plus the Nikon D80 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )), I HIGHLY recommend <a href="digitalcamerainfo.com/conte... webpage</a>. It takes forever to read all the comparisons, but there are some great sample images and graphs there so you can really make an informed purchase.
The Minolta AF lenses should fit the Sony A100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ). With Konica-Minolta going out of the camera business, Sony has taken over support for their products.
Andrew
$50.
henrys.com/webapp/wcs/store...
Andrew
I have not tested out the alpha yet, but I managed to palm off my r1 to buy a canon 400d. I am much happier now ,though I will have to live with the guilt of selling someone a lemon. It was everything a camera should not be. And the alpha..... well I dont want to touch another sony for a long long time.
I noticed you haven't marked a Best Answer... are you still looking for help? If so, I recommend re-submitting your question at digitalcamera-hq.com so it has a better chance of being noticed. Lately questions are being answered within just one or two days. Good luck!
-Stop down metering only
-No automated stuff (auto focus, image stabilization will not work)
-Manual center-weighted metering only
-Minor image softness and field curvature caused by the adaptor.
-The adaptor is a teleconverter and has a multiplier, depending on what brand you buy it is 1.2x or 2x.
-Some scene modes etc. may not work.
I have seen these adaptors on Ebay, other than that not sure where to buy them, but they are out there.
If your Minolta SLR is part of the "Maxxum" line, the lenses will fit on Sony's new SLR digital cameras, notable the Sony Alpha a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ).
There are several dSLRs that offer solid continuous burst mode shooting. I'll try and detail them for you here.
Under $1500, Canon's 8MP <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... 30D</a> is going to get you the fastest FPS at 5FPS for up to 30 consecutive images. You can find it for around $1200, but since it's pretty much a pro camera, that's without a kit lens. With the kit lens you're looking at more like $1300 or $1400. And, as I'm sure you know, you'll probably want to get a couple more lenses and that'll end up running you several hundred dollars more.
Other 8MP dSLRs under the $1500 limit: The <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... Digital Rebel XT</a>, which costs about half the price of the 30D and gets 2.8FPS for 14 shots. The Olympus E-500 and E-330, which get 2.5FPS each, shooting continuously until your memory card is full. These are even cheaper than the Digital Rebel.
If you're willing to step down to the 6-7MP range, there are several other options, including the <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... D40</a> at 2.5FPS unlimited and the <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... E-330</a> at 3FPS unlimited.
Finally, there's the brand new <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... A100</a>, which gets 3FPS unlimited but boasts a huge 10MP sensor. It's been fairly well reviewed and it's quite reasonably priced at roughly $800-1000.
I hope this helps you narrow down your choices. Good luck!
The biggest advantage that the Rebel has over the 30D is price. It's going to be roughly half the cost of the 30D, or possibly even less if you catch it at a black friday special. Pretty much everywhere else it's going to be inferior to the 30D, except in size and weight. Is the average non-pro going to find the 30D's extra features worth double the price? Probably not.
However, the extras ARE nice. The 30D's build quality is a lot more solid (more metal, less plastic). It is more adjustable in just about every manual setting. It has a sharper LCD display. And it does get that nice 5FPS mark in burst mode, nearly double the Rebel's 2.8. It's a camera that will last you for years to come, and hold up in the toughest conditions.
One other camera you might want to consider is the new Digital Rebel XTi/400D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ). It's an upgrade to the Digital Rebel that brings it marginally nearer to the privileged status held by the 30D. It offers a 10MP sensor, a minor jump to 3FPS, and retails only a little higher than the Rebel.
I'm not sure how much this will ultimately help you. The only other thing I can suggest is that you go to your local electronics superstore and see how each of the cameras actually feels in your hand. Many times, this is the deciding factor when you're down to just a few choices.
Good luck!
costco.com/Browse/Product.a...
You can also get a new Rebel Xti from Costco. This deal is valid until Jan 2007. I hope this helps!
Aileen
the grips on the Rebel XT and Rebel XTi are a little cramped and will most likely become uncomfortable after a while. I'd suggest going to a store and checking it out for yourself.
(Yes, the cap is off. I can see through the viewfinder and have taken some decent pics)
I think you'll find that composing through the viewfinder is a good option. I have an SLR and also another digital with live preview through the LCD. The LCD is neat, in some ways, but I find it might harder and much less intuitive to get the exact composition I want with the LCD. This could just be a matter of habit since I have been shooting with an SLR for 30 years :-). I guess I'm just saying "you'll get used to it", and be happy you have such a great camera as the a100 long after lesser cameras are showing their age.
I still use the 35 mm for "serious" shots but I'm hoping I can get close to the same quality with this camera.
Joe
Considering the above models, what would you recommend as matching teleobjectives for birding
Many thanks in advance for your kind help!
Greg (beginner in photography)
PS: I'm already using a Canon Powershot S80 for macro photography and look for something that would complete my equipment.
Both the A100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) and the Rebel XTi ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) are fine cameras. The Sony's anti-shake technology IS nice, and it's a big benefit that it automatically applies to every lens you use with the camera. The Rebel XTi DOES eke out a small victory on image quality, especially at higher ISO sensitivities (the Sony is iffy above ISO 400). Between these two it's a pretty close race, and I'd have to recommend that you go to a store where you can try both cameras in-hand, as this is usually the best way to make a tough call.
The FZ50 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) is of an entirely different class of cameras, as I'm sure you know. It's going to save you several hundred dollars over the other two, but it'll cost you in terms of options down the road. The SLRs can be fit with any number of kinds of lenses, while the FZ50 leaves you stuck with pretty much what you started with. Not that what you start with on the FZ50 isn't good--it's just not nearly as good as what you get from the SLRs. Consider that the FZ50 is packing 10 megapixels into 7.18 x 5.32 mm, while the Canon is working with 22.2 x 14.8 mm and the Sony adds another mm in each dimension. The image quality from such a small sensor just can't compare.
What you have to decide is whether the extra few hundred dollars is worth sacrificing in order to get that extra jump in image quality and the unlimited potential that SLRs bring.
Good luck!
Cheers
Greg
Because you're asking about these two cameras, I will assume that you already know you want a DSLR as opposed to a simpler point and shoot. If that's not the case, let me know and I can give you some advice regarding point and shoot cameras that might work just fine for you- or maybe a 'hybrid' camera that isn't quite a full-fledged DSLR but not as simple as a P&S either. Are you interested in anything like that?
In terms of the two cameras you mentioned, there are a few differences, and which one you choose will depend a lot on your preferences. As you mentioned, the <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... doesn't have the built-in stabilization that the <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... A100</a> does. I would personally choose the Rebel in terms of image quality and general useability; however, since you mentioned that you don't want to spend much on lenses, I should also say that the kit lens for the Sony is a little better than the one that comes with the Rebel, so if you do buy the Rebel you may be better off buying it body only and investing in a slightly higher quality lens. Then again, plenty of users are perfectly happy with the packaged lens that comes with it.
Can you give me an idea of how much you're willing to spend, what factors are important to you, etc? That might help in narrowing it down.
Also, if you're into technical specs, <a href="digitalreview.ca/cams/A100v... is a pretty good rundown of these two cameras head-to-head (plus the Nikon D80 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )). Note that is just one reviewer's opinion, but his points pretty much agree with everything else I've read about these cameras and I think it's a pretty accurate summation.
If she's a photo major and she wants to go pro eventually, you'll probably want to get her a dSLR. There are several good entry-level dSLRs on the market right now, including the Canon Digital Rebel XTi ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ), the Nikon D40 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ), and the Sony A100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ). Any of them would be a good start, and all are under $1000 with a starter (kit) lens. Of course, when you factor in memory cards and additional lenses you'll probably end up at or over $1000 in the long run.
If you're not into spending that much money at the moment, there are many "SLR-like" digitals that offer excellent manual controls, long zooms, and great optics. The class leader among these is the Panasonic Lumix FZ50 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ), with the Canon S3 IS ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) and the Sony H5 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) coming in close behind. All of these cameras feature optical image stabilization and 10x+ optical zoom, as well as a bevy of manual options (ISO, aperture, shutter speed, white balance, etc). You can buy adapters to fit select custom add-on lenses to these models, but they don't come close to the versatility of the dSLR's detachable lens design. They also don't match the dSLRs in the clarity of their photos or their range (low light capability, extremely low shutter lag, powerful burst mode, RAW/TIFF capability).
If it's a question of money, you can go with the FZ50 or one of its competitors and then later on, your daughter can pick up a decent film SLR used for a very reasonable price (they're dropping like crazy as digitals take over the market). If $1000 is within your range (and these dSLRs can go as low as $600 with kit lens), a dSLR is the way to go here. Good luck!
The D40 is a good entry-level digital SLR. You might also want to look into the Pentax K110D, which you can currently get at Amazon for $432 after a $50 rebate. That's $432 with a kit lens (18-55mm). It's about the cheapest deal you'll find for getting into the SLR range.
Good luck!
I intend to get the D40 very soon.
The cameras you've mentioned are all serious contenders, but I would say that in the non-SLR class, the clear winner is Panasonic's Lumix FZ50 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ). Following that link you'll find a little debate over wildlife photography (one negative comment and one rebuttal), but overall the feature set on the FZ50 outclasses the Canon S3 IS ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ), the Sony H5 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ), and the Fuji offerings by a country mile.
That said, if you want true manual control, additional lenses, and really stunning image quality you're going to want to bump up a price class to the digital SLR range. The cameras mentioned previously are all under $500 (some are even under $300). Once you step up to the SLRs, though, you're talking $600+. Of course, for your money you also get a substantial increase in quality and options.
Most digital SLRs can use lenses from film SLR cameras. This means that if you've been shooting on film with Canon lenses, you can buy a Canon dSLR and snap those babies right on. There are several new entry-level dSLRs that would appeal to the wildlife photographer. Among these are the Sony Alpha a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) (which features image stabilization built into the body), the Canon Digital Rebel XTi ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ), and the Nikon D40 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ). All of these cameras come in under $1000 with a kit lens, and all of them are compatible with their brand's film autofocus lenses (the Sony accepts Konica-Minolta lenses).
Hope this helps!
As you know, a SLR can be a huge investment, both in terms of money and of time involved in getting to know the machine. However, in exchange for that investment you'll get pictures that no non-SLR can touch in terms of image quality. SLRs perform better in low light, are far quicker all-around (shot-to-shot, burst mode, autofocus timings), and have a much broader range of abilities (due mostly to interchangeable lenses). You've said here that you don't want to change lenses, but that desire might change in the future and it might be nice to have the option.
I've answered so many questions from parents who want to take pictures of their children and are frustrated by the performance of lower-end digitals, particularly in indoor settings and other poor lighting conditions. Honestly, no non-SLR digital is going to be perfect in low light. Because of the way digital imaging sensors work, and because of the kinds of sensors that are used in consumer digitals, low light will always cause higher image noise. There are things you can do to minimize this, both in-camera and in post-processing of the images, but it's always going to be a factor unless you go the SLR route.
Super-zoom consumer cameras have many great features to recommend them: long, often stabilized zooms, high megapixel counts, advanced manual controls, etc. They're fine cameras and, in good light, they can produce images that will be virtually indistinguishable to most people from those produced by dSLRs. Furthermore, they're hundreds of dollars cheaper, which is a huge factor to most people. However, if I had the money to spend, I'd definitely go for the SLR--it will be a huge source of relief for the kind of frustration you're getting with your point and shoot. The ability to manually focus in low light alone would be enough to sell me.
One final note: you might want to take a look at Nikon's new D40 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ), which is around the same price as the D50 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ), is a little newer, and will serve your purposes just as well. Good luck!
Thank you so much. That is really helpful. I will look into the difference between the D40 and D50. Would it be silly for me to buy the camera without the other lenses? Can I still take good shots with just the body that comes with it and down the road buy additional lenses? I also noticed that Pentax has come out with a relatively inexpensive SLR camera. I may look into that too.
Thanks again,
Anne
The Pentax K100D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) is also an excellent entry-level SLR, yeah. There are some other inexpensive new ones from Sony (the A100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )) and Canon (the Rebel XTi aka 400D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )) as well.
You can most definitely wait on additional lenses. The kit lenses that come with the bodies on most dSLRs are very nice and cover a pretty large range of shooting options (they're usually 18-55mm--wide-angle to mild telephoto). I'd suggest playing around with the kit lens for a bit before trying to figure out what additional lenses you need, if any. Hope this helps.
The SLRs most similar to Canon's Rebel XTi ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) are probably:
Sony's Alpha a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )
Pentax's K10D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )
Nikon D80 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )
They're all 10MP cameras, they all come with similar kit lenses, and they're all in the same general price ballpark. Good luck!
I'm no expert on lenses, but you might want to consider the Tamron AF 28-105mm for Maxxum/Sony mount ( amazon.com/Tamron-28-105mm-... ). I've only been able to find one review ( epinions.com/pr-Tamron_AF_2... ) for it (different mount, same lens), but it's very positive.
DCHQ actually has an entire site ( digitaladvisor.com/lenses/ ) devoted to lenses (though it seems to be a little behind on Sony stuff at the moment. You might try asking your question over there and see if you get a better response. Good luck!
I'm very interested in the Sony 100a ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) because of the internal image stabilization. Although the Canon XTi ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) does not come with this feature, I would still lean towards it more. The 9 point auto focus and faster processor make it a very viable option as well as the vibrational/ultrasonic dust reduction and "dust mapping." I just love the Canon.
Andrew
The 400D doesn't have any in-body image stabilization technology, unfortunately. The only dSLRs I know of that include this feature are the Sony a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) and the Pentax K100D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ). However, you can buy lenses for the Canon that have an in-lens stabilization feature.
Good luck!
Honestly, any dSLR is going to be pretty good at this provided you're using the right settings (adjusting ISO, aperture, and shutter speed accordingly). However, two that you might want to consider are the Sony Alpha a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) and the Pentax K100D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ), as both of them feature an in-body image stabilization mechanism that will compensate for hand movement when shooting in low light. This will allow you to use settings you might not otherwise get away with. For example, you could use a slightly slower shutter speed and thus a lower ISO setting, which would give you a clear image with less image noise. This won't work 100% all of the time, but it will certainly help.
Good luck!
You're looking for something with a fast shutter speed then. The Sony a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) would be a great choice for the type of photography you're doing. Good luck and happy shooting.
Andrew
Your old lenses have a Minolta MD mount. You can purchase an adapter ( cgi.ebay.com/MC-MD-To-Minol... ) to get the lenses to work with modern A-type bayonet lens mounts. A few cameras that will fit with this adapter are the new Sony a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ), the Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ), or the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ). Remember that your old lenses are manual focus, so the autofocus of these cameras will not work. Good luck and happy shooting.
Andrew
Andrew
The Sony a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) is compatible with the Minolta A-type lens mount. The Minolta 5D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) uses the same lens mounts.
Andrew
Manual focus will work, stop down metering.
pbase.com/pganzel/image/711...
i am missing something.
i've figured out how to go from camera --->computer--->printer.
my question is directly from chip ---> printer.
Sony only has one SLR on the market (the Alpha a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )), and it doesn't have a vari-angle screen. As far as I know, no SLR does, because SLRs don't have live LCD preview when shooting. The Sony you're probably thinking of is the R1 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ), which is SLR-like, but not quite an SLR (no removable lens, no mirror/real shutter, etc). Hope this helps!
Thanks for your help.
If your Minolta lenses are manual, they will work both with Minolta's Maxxum dSLRs (here ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) and here ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )) and with the new Sony Alpha a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) (Sony recently purchased Minolta's digital camera business and retained most of their technology). However, you'll need to purchase a lens adapter ring like <a href="bhphotovideo.com/bnh/contro... to use them, and you'll of course have to meter and focus manually. All Minolta AF lenses should work with the Minolta and Sony dSLRs right out of the box.
Good luck!
If your Minolta lenses are manual, they will work both with Minolta's Maxxum dSLRs (<a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... and <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... and with the new <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... Alpha a100</a> (Sony recently purchased Minolta's digital camera business and retained most of their technology). However, you'll need to purchase a lens adapter ring like <a href="#">this</a> to use them, and you'll of course have to meter and focus manually. All Minolta AF lenses should work with the Minolta and Sony dSLRs right out of the box.
Good luck!
for birding you will need the 75-300 lens since it allows you to take pictures from distance. Birds are really shy so you can not get very close. If using 300 zoom then you will also need to set the shutter speed to 1/500 or faster to get sharp pictures. But this needs good light or increasing ISO number.
Here is a link:
bhphotovideo.com/bnh/contro...
There are converters available that will allow you to use your old manual Minolta lenses with both Minolta's Maxxum dSLRs and the new Sony Alpha a100. However, there are some strings attached. As Brenda P explained in this other DCHQ question thread ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ), you will have to use:
"-Stop down metering only
-No automated stuff (auto focus, image stabilization will not work)
-Manual center-weighted metering only
-Minor image softness and field curvature caused by the adaptor.
-The adaptor is a teleconverter and has a multiplier, depending on what brand you buy it is 1.2x or 2x.
-Some scene modes etc. may not work."
Some users ( photography-forums.com/t807... ) have experienced significant image quality loss with the adapter's teleconverter, so be warned that you might not get as sharp a result with an adapter-mounted lens as you would with an AF lens made for Minolta's newer mount system.
Good luck!
Good Luck!
Now for the nitty gritty,the cameras are prob 15 years old or more!!
I have a Minolta XG-M and X-300 camera bodies and the following lenses all with the same bayonet fittings,Tamron SP 1:25 90mm,Tamron SP TELE MACRO 1:8 500mm (F8),Tamron 1:4.5 70-350 mm TELE ZOOM,Tamron SP F System 2X Tele-converter for M/MO,Minolta 50-135mm F tele zoom,Minolta close up lenses 21mm and 28mm,Telemore II O.C. K for XD Komura ,
Can you tell from that info if these lenses are AF or maxxum mounts.
I am not sure what these mounts look like ,and what the difference,perhaps you could enlighten me,ant help would be greatly appreciated.Dont want to invest in this Sony camera if the lenses dont fit!!
If they dont is there any sort of adaptor that can make them fit??
Is there info you need from me that might give a clue of some sort??
Kind regards
Tchagra
I have a Minolta X-500 (next model up from X-300), and am considering buying a Sony A100, so I can answer your questions. The lenses you have are all Minolta manual focus lenses, known as Minolta MC/MD mount lenses. They are not compatible with any of the Minolta/Sony auto-focus cameras, including the Sony A100. There are adaptors to enable them to work, but you will only get very limited functionality of the camera with your old MD mount lenses, and frankly, it's not worth the expense of getting an adaptor. Save the money and put it towards getting a new digital SLR and lenses. Like me, unfortunately you'll have to start from scratch with a digital SLR.
You can always sell your old manual focus Minolta cameras and lenses, and if you include each camera with several lenses, you'll probably get some interest, although prices will probably be less than US$100 for each camera/lens bundle.
You really can start with any type of digital SLR sytem, either Sony, Pentax, Canon, Nikon or Olympus, as you'll be starting from scratch. Because Minolta didn't make its AF Maxxum/Dynax system backward compatible with the old Minolta MC/MD mount lenses, you really have to start again. I know it's not what you wanted to hear - I didn't like it when I found out, either. But, the good news is that there is still a ready market for your old gear, particularly online at places like Ebay, so you can get some money towards a new camera. However, because it's twenty years since it was superceded by the AF system, it's not worth anything like the price you'll have to pay for a new camera.
Regards,
Don
I've found some more info for you on a Minolta manual focus camera website, Rokkorfiles, about adaptors, and what auto-focus cameras can use your lenses by using adaptors. It's at rokkorfiles.com/olympus.htm , but, as I said before, I wouldn't really bother. The adaptors are an additional expense, and the functionality that you'll get with any DSLR will be sadly lacking compared to the genuine AF lenses for that system. They won't be able to supply any of the distance info that AF lenses can supply to the camera, for instance. You're better off leaving the MF lenses with your X-300 and XG-M, and either keeping them as a film backup, or selling the lot as a going concern to enthusiasts wishing to start photography cheaply with a MF film SLR.
You can always lower the cost of entry into a DSLR by buying cheap film cameras and lenses that are compatible - for the Sony A100, for instance, it's compatible with all Minolta AF mount lenses, so buying cheap second hand Minolta AF lenses is a low cost way to build up a lens system. According to Sony, there are 16 million Minolta AF lenses that were sold, so there are plenty of them. And for Nikon and Canon, there are many more lenses, because their SLR's dominated the professional market. Pentax is probably similar to Minolta, although perhaps slightly less popular, and really the only system which has started up recently is the Olympus four-thirds lens mount system, so you probably have to buy new or near new lenses if you buy an Olympus or Panasonic DSLR.
See also here: digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... and here: digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... for other answers to your question about lens compatibility, on Digital Camera HQ.
Regards,
Don
If you want to sell the 70-350 Tamron, please email me at Director@EvergladesInstitue.org.
Thanks
The camera does not seem to sense the lense being there at all. I can manually focus only. No meter sensing occurs and I can't adjust aperture manually. I can take photo's by adjusting the shutter speed with (I think) the lens wide open and guess - but not much use really!
I checked as much as I could pre purchase and was convinced it would work - any help as to how many functions SHOULD work or how to adjust a setting somewhere would be much appreciated!!
Of these three cameras, the D80 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ) is by far the best rated by pros and users. Of course, it's also the most expensive. For you, however, someone just getting into fully manual photography, I might agree with your choice of the A100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ). It is probably a better beginner SLR than the Nikon and roughly equivalent with the XTi ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ). Additionally, it has the benefit of in-camera image stabilization, which will work with any compatible AF lens. You can use Minolta AF lenses with the A100, which means that you have a cheap source of new glass.
Hope this helps!
Sounds like you got a heck of a deal. Hope it works out well for you. :)
Supports FAT16 / FAT32
You should have no issues with these cards.
I searched the camera's manual but either I missed the information or it is not in my basic camera manual.
Here's a link to an image shot with it just last night using the Minolta 28-75 F2.8 Lens at F7.1 (4 seconds exposure)
pbase.com/kevgre/image/7339...
As an example, I have the 400mm 5.6 Sigma lens for Minolta and that works great on the 9000 but not on the alpha (examining the contact points for the lens shows extra connections on the alpha that are not there in the sigma lens).
Consequently, all of the Minolta lenses in my collection worked so that may be a good sign.
I have not had much experience with the older flashes, and I would recommend checking the voltage levels first before testing the flash unit. The Sony Alpha has a Minolta compatible Mount for the Hot Shoe, and there are adapters (hot shoe adapters made by 3rd party companies) that will allow you to use standard hot shoe compatible accessories (like pocket wizards etc)
I use the Sony flash for it (you can view the details on this flash at the link below)
It's about 249 and the thing I like about it is that for 44.00 or so more you can get an off camera flash hot shoe so the flash can be triggered remotely.
Link to flash info and pricing
bhphotovideo.com/bnh/contro...
As a final note, the Zeiss glass that has been released for the alpha is nothing short of amazing. I tested out the 85mm lens which sells for about 1399 or so, but as soon as you look through the viewfinder, you will realize what a great bright lens this is.. Ultra sharp too..
I still have my 9000.. Won't part for it for the world..
In that price range, I'd recommend getting a low-end digital SLR. A couple you might consider:
Sony's Alpha a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ): This is the new Sony dSLR, their first. It's a redesign of Konica-Minolta's old dSLR line, as Sony recently bought out Minolta's camera business. It features a 10 megapixel sensor, image stabilization built into the body (works with all lenses), and backward compatibility with Minolta's autofocus lenses. It's getting great reviews and can be had for around $650 without a lens, or a little under $1000 with a 18-200mm lens (wide angle to telephoto).
Pentax's K100D ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... ): This is one of the cheapest digital SLRs available, but it rivals cameras that cost nearly twice as much in terms of quality. It too has in-body image stabilization technology, and is much beloved by users. It has a 6MP sensor, much smaller than the A100's, but 6MP is plenty for most people's purposes. There's no kit with a wide-angle-to-telephoto lens, buy you can buy it with the kit 18-55mm lens for ~$550 and spend another $200 or so on this telephoto lens ( amazon.com/Pentax-50-200mm-... ), which gives you a body and two lenses at a much smaller price than the Sony.
Hope this helps!
Bernie
I was told it would fit by two different people.
Thanks
However, I do not expect the same lens to fit Sony Alpha body because Alpha will only accept lenses with Minolta mount.
To answer this question, I dig out my Nikon SLR from the store room and tried to mount my Minolta lens to it. True enough it does not fit.
2. If you really want to use your Tamron lens, check and see if the mounting is removable for I had a Tamron lens with a removable nikon mount adapter.
If yours is the same type of lens as mine, you can replace the Nikon adapter with a Minolta adapter. Then it will fit the Alpha body.
However, it may not perform exactly the same way as lenses designed for digital cameras.
There is a compatibility chart regarding Minolta lens and Sony body which you can find in any Sony website and is worth looking at.
For your convenience, here is one of them :
css.ap.sony.com/index.html?...
Thanks Charlie
As long as it has the correct mounting, and I believe it has since you won't buy something else for your Minolta body, the answer is Yes, it should work.
MINOLTA 35-70mm/4
MINOLTA 70-210mm/4
It has been a long while that such camera has not appeared in the market and with the advent of digital cameras, probably half-frames has had it's day and become a part of history.
Digital cameras use CCDs and are not classified into full frames and half frame cameras.
If you equate the CCD sensor to a single frame of a 35mm film, you will find that the whole sensor area is dedicated to taking one picture only.
In that sense, Sony A100 is a ' full frame camera ', if you feel comfortable with the definition.
The "no lens attached " message is one of the signs that Sony Alpha cannot establish electrical contacts with the MC lens, even though an adapter is in place.
There have been many discussions over the internet on Minolta lenses and Sony body. The general view is that if you have auto focus Minolta lens, then it is worthwhile buying Sony body.
One chap just gave up the idea when he was told by another that after mounting the MC or MD lens on Sony body, he was " astonished at how awful it (the result) was "
To sum up, if quality is your primary concern, matching MC/MD lenses to Sony Alpha body is not a good idea because you just cannot be " 100% sure " that it works the way you want it to be.
The second raw will read "Shutter lock: On: no lens".
Change it to "shutter lock: Off: no lens".
This will enable shooting even if there is really no lens mounted to the camera.
Works for me with M42 adapter and 1100mm mirror lens with manual focus and fixed aperture.
I cannot tell what functions you will lose when mounting MC-Rokkor lens.
This explanation was posted by VAgreyman at
lensbabies.com/phorum/read....
I am merely a messanger.
Your 4th sentence "This will enable shooting even if there is really no lens mounted to the camera." is a misconception and does not make sense.
A camera needs a lens to take pictures, no matter what camera it is.
2. The link you provided is a forum for ' Lensbabies '. The original Lensbabies' instruction for unlocking the shutter of Sony A100 is found at <a href="lensbabies.com/faq/minolta_... location</a>
You will find that you need to do more than just unlocking the shutter before it works, like switching the mode dial from Auto to Manual and using the lens in stop-down mode.
For further information,take a look at Robert Paul's comments on May 02, 2007 at <a href="photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fe... site</a>
3. As reported in the Internet, many people have used adapters to mount and take pictures with MC/MD lens on Sony A100, but this is not recommend by Sony.
Thank you for clarification but...
1. My name is not "Julia" but "Jura"
2. My 4th sentence says "shooting" and not "taking pictures". It makes perfect sense. If you follow my instructions the mirror will flip up and down and shutter will expose the sensor. The picture will not be sharp at all but I made no promises about that.
3. If you check the original Marco's question it was about getting rid of the "no lens attached" message on the display. My answer replies to that question while both of yours do not.
4. What was your point in replying to the first question and confronting me for giving the right answer???
5. How old are you anyway and don't you have better things to do?
6. Please don't reply. I don't want to get into a fruitless argument over nothing.
Regards
Jura
P.S. After writing this note I found a suggestion to clean the contacts on lens and on camera. I had done this before with microfibre tissue - no help. This time I cleaned the contacts carefully with spirit - and it worked! It's too early to jump from happiness, but during a whole day no refusals.
Also, you can only use it as a fill-flash and not controlled automatically by the Camera.
The lenses should work with the new Sony body, although ideally you should be buying the latest lenses designed for Sony Alpha A100.
DMC-FZ250. Thank You Everyone for the advise if someone thinks this is an unwise decision PLEASE let me know...Thanks Again
However, after an experience or two, one learns to be more careful about the lens cap and it usually does not happen again.
Professionals have cultivated individual habits and routines to take care of their cameras and accessories and they seldom get problems like we do.
Worked for me.
I have found a great source on eBay (JD Katz) which can be found here
photography.search.ebay.com...
She has been most helpful and sells accurately described items which also indicate whether or not they are compatible with Alpha / Minolta etc.
Hope this helps. I love my Alpha. Great camera!
Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Sunny/Beach, Night/Night Portrait, B&W, AdobeRGB
Contrast, Saturation and Sharpness 5 levels
You can take black & white pictures with this selection.
Thanks, I figured it out. The mode dial can't be on Auto. Thanks
However, there is only one choice and that is Sony A100.
For further information , you may log on to <a href="digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... site</a> to check the compatibility chart for Minolta lens and Sony A100 body
There's a review <A HREF="digitalreview.ca/cams/A100v... which compares the A100 with the Nikon D80 and the Canon Rebel 400D. In this comparison, only the Nikon has a built-in "retouch menu" that allows you to trim/crop photos within the camera itself.
Hope this helps,
Mark
All the best - Josh
Thanks, Andy
DPI doesn't really mean anything in terms of the image file sitting on your computer or on the camera. It's simply a ratio between the image and the printer, which determines how high of a resolution it will print at. It is technically called PPI (pixels per inch) rather than DPI (dots per inch) when talking about digital images.
You can set the DPI setting to whatever you want in Photoshop and it won't affect the quality of the image on the computer. What it WILL affect is how large the image prints out. Try changing one of your photos from 72 to 300 ppi in photoshop and watch the "print size" fields change. :]
72 PPI will produce a much larger print, because at 72 PPI you're only putting 72x72 pixels (5814) into each square inch, rather than 300x300 (90,000).
Hope this helps!
Alpha will not be able to read or write to a card formatted by a computer, most camera would not be able to do the same either.
The only way to re-use the card is to wipe off all data written by the computer and reformat the card with your camera.
Go to <a href="whitecanyon.com/mediawiper-... site</a> to read about how to wipe your memory card and reformat it for reuse in a camera.
The sentence".... some cameras need to place special folders on the card for operation. The camera's format command will create these folders if needed. " probably explains why a card formatted by the computer won't work in a camera.
" I think the problem is you '... formatted the card on your laptop'
Thanks
If you are interested, have a look at <a href="cgi.ebay.com/LENS-ADAPTER-M... site</a> for the supplier.
However, with so many minolta auto focus lens for sale at below $100 and one as low as $26, you probably want to visit <a href="search.ebay.com/minolta-len... first</a> before making a decision because Auto focus Minolta lens will fit Sony A100 body without the use of an adapter.
You can check the lens compatibility chart by logging on to <a href="esupport.sony.com/US/perl/m... site</a>.
Just click the hot topics question of " What lenses are compatible with the camera? " will lead you to the chart.
I was pretty much sold on the Nikon D80 and went to purchase it and ended up talking to the Ritz sales associate about all my Minolta equipment. He showed me the Sony a100.
I still have my heart set on the Nikon but I do have some nice Minolta lens, including my fave; it's a 24-105mm AF 1:3.5 (22)-4.5 by minolta and lots of filters for it which I don't think I can use on many other lens because the lens is a 62mm.
I knew Minolta had sold to Sony before I did any research but I never explored it because I preferred a company like Minolta or Nikon that had the majority of it's business in the camera biz. I was worried that because Sony has it's hands in so many other areas it might mean their cameras were not as good. It this an unfair assumption?
The majority of my camera use will be for portraits at an in-home studio with light kits etc... so quality is a must esp. if clients want a poster sized enlargement. I read the a few Sony users remark on the noticeable noise on their prints.
I have about 2k right now with the potential for more later.
So if the Nikon is the way you suggest I am fine with slowly getting good glass as I go.
If Nikon is the best choice, can you suggest which lens I should start out with? Don't need the mega zoom right now (100-400). I can get that later. I need a good piece for close-up and portrait. And I will spring for good quality glass.
And if that is your suggestion don't worry about my minolta, I use it every day for personal use, I have a 16 month old son (firstborn) need I say more?
I thought I would take a shot at this, since I use both Minolta and Nikon systems in film and digital. Frankly, I find that Minolta glass stands up to most of the Nikkors, with the exception of a very few of the Nikon lenses. Anyhow, I got a really good buy on a Minolta 5D, and have been very happy with it. This is the platform on which the Sony Alpha 100 is based. The main reason I like this platform is the IS (image stabilization) (pun intended). On the Nikon side, I have a Fuji Finepix S2 Pro, which of course, uses Nikon glass. I have never had a noise problem with the Minolta, but I never shoot above ISO 400, and it sounds as though most if not all, of your shooting will be under controlled conditions, where you should be at ISO 100-200, so I don't think noise will be a factor.
That said, with the amount you have to spend , I would seriously recommend you think about upgrading to a D200, which is a truly serious camera, and at about $250, you can pick up a 55-200 Nikkor VR lens, which would give you the best of both worlds. You can always pick up a used Minolta DSLR later, for a relatively few bucks to shoot the snapshots, and still use your minolta glass.
As for why the Sony is so inexpensive (not cheap), I suppose you would have to ask their marketing people that, but I suspect that since they took over Konica-Minolts, Sony wants to get their name out there for their first serious DSLR, and are willing to operate on slimmer profit margins to do so.
If you want to be sure, there is a compatibility chart that lists all Minolta lenses that can be used on Sony A100.
The website where you can find the chart is <a href="esupport.sony.com/us/perl/m... this location</a>.
In case you have difficulties, you can log on to <a href="esupport.sony.com/US/perl/m... webpage for A100</a>.
Under 'Hot Topics' there is a subject ' What lenses are compatible with the camera?'. Selecting the subject will lead you to a page where you can choose Konica Minolta lens. That will also lead you to the chart.
NO TTL, NO HSS.
And it fires in FULL flash, so anything at less than 5m tends to be completely overexposed!
Thanks in advance.
External Flash Units Cameras
Model Number DSLR-A100 DSLR-A100/H DSLR-A100/K
HVL-F56AM Yes Yes Yes
HVL-F36AM Yes Yes Yes
HVL-MT24AM Yes Yes Yes
HVL-RLAM This flash is compatible when using the FA-SA1AM adapter provided with the HVL-RLAM. Yes Yes Yes
FA-ST1AM Sync Terminal Flash Adapter Yes Yes Yes
Thanx in advance..jh
See voitzsch.net/index.php/en/f...
Most dSLRs, because of the way the internals work, don't allow you to compose the image you're shooting on the LCD. There are a couple exceptions (mostly Olympus models, if I remember correctly) but they're very rare. There is no way to do this on the A100.
Sorry!
I called Sony Co. and talked to a Nathan T. and he had no idea what I was talking about. He said Sony only made a Sure Shot.
Thanks for your time.
Gary Clark
Most probably SRT101 lenses will not be compatible.
However this should not stop you from checking the ' Sony A100 - Konica Minolta lens Compatibility Chart' at <a href="esupport.sony.com/US/perl/m... A100 FAQ</a>
There's also going to Sony's Customer Care ( sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/st... ) site and clicking on the "learning center" link under sales support. This will give you a pop up window. Select "Cameras" under Cameras and Camcorders and it'll take you to a few video tutorials on using Sony cameras.
Currently own the Sony Sigma 100 and wish to upgrade
If these lenses are for your current camera (I think its the Sony a100 ( digitalcamera-hq.com/digita... )), they should work with the . They both accept Sony Alpha/Minolta-A lenses. I cited the Sony Alpha cameras because there was no reference to the "Sigma" type on this site or the [url=sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/st... site ( ]Sony a700[/url ). Good luck and happy shooting.
Andrew
Thanks, Larry. I did that at one local store, but they didn't have any. The clerk told me she thought the camera could only be purchased online, but it might not be true. I'll check around at other local stores and see. We don't have a large city here, but I might luck out. I agree with your approach to this problem.
Well, all right then! Thanks, James. I'll do some more investigating and get back.
Thanks in advance.
on line. adapter finally arrived(was so excited!) but the camera doesn't recognize it.
it says 'no camera attached'. is there any setting i need to do?
thanks
took me a while reading through the manual looking for manual lense use(there was no such section, obviously)
do i deserve 20 pts for myself! lol
A Washington Post reporter who accidentally dropped his Blackberry in the toilet was able to retrieve it and dry it out to working order again: by leaving it turned off in a bowl of uncooked rice. Reader Chris writes in to say:
There's a grain of truth (punny, huh?) to this in that rice quickly sucks up the surrounding moisture. Make sure the environment is free from excess humidity, drop the wet device in a container of rice and let it sit. For a better desiccant, it'd be a good idea to store all those little silica gel packets that come in anything from shoe boxes to moisture-sensitive gadgets.
Rich
Duane
Thanks for the answer. It ends up that the flash is defective and is on its way back to the vendor.
I took it into a local camera store where we slid it onto a pair of other Sony a100 models and it failed
to respond in any case.
I was disappointed, but will have another on its way soon.
Thanks for your help,
Kevin Gallagher
I can reassure you that its not you, and its not the camera either. Its the lens you're using. For indoor sports photography, you need a "fast" lens. This is a lens with an extra wide aperture f/2.8 or lower. This will allow more light into your photos so you can use a faster shutter speed. While this will cost a little more, its definitely worth it. I would suggest the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 lens ( amazon.com/Sigma-28-70mm-As... ) for when you can be courtside for basketball or volleyball type games, or if you want more zoom, go with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 lens ( amazon.com/Sigma-300mm-Tele... ). The long zoom lens will run you over $2000, so you might pare it back with the Sony 135mm f/2.8 ( amazon.com/Sony-SAL-135F28-... ) lens. Good luck and happy shooting.
Andrew
Converters effectively increase the distance between the lens and the sensor. This throws the image out of focus and the distance markers on the MD lens will be completely out.
You probably need another lens on the converter to refocus the image to fall on the sensor. This brings in another issue of lens quality to match the originals.
Unless the converter is manufactured by Sony, I would not expect to get a good picture out of it.
If at all there is any suggestion, it is to strip the mounting ring of the adapter to replace the mounting ring of the MD lens so that the lens can mount directly on the camera without a ' middle man '.
one think you may want to do though, is check to see if there's that firmware update. You can get it over at sonystyle.com under customer care/support. Follow the directions step by step though because a failed firmware update could "brick" your camera. But honestly, you aren't really missing much that i know of.
Thank you so very much for your answer.
Your answer memtioned a Sony web site and now I cannot find it.
Please be so kind to post it again,and again,Thank You! Roy
(translated with Google Translate)
Je moet in staat zijn om de camera aansluiten op uw pc en het interne geheugen van de camera als een station te lezen. Maar je kan ook drivers moet installeren van de camera voor. De software die bij de camera worden gebruikt. Maar er zijn ook opties, waaronder Adobe Photoshop Elements.
(vertaald met Google Translate)
I can not stick my camera without a memory read or memory stick with
Als je geschoten foto's zonder een geheugenkaart, dan hoeft u geen afbeeldingen die zijn opgeslagen als DSLR's komen niet met intern geheugen. Sorry. Maar als je praat over afbeeldingen op uw geheugenkaart, dan kunt u een geheugenkaart lezer kan krijgen en aansluiten op uw computer. De PC leest de kaart als een station en het is een eenvoudige drag en drop.
The pictures I'm talking about are indeed made without memory card and I am so lost??
Er is geen geheugen ingebouwd in de Sony Alpha 100. Dus als je geschoten foto's met geen geheugenkaart in de camera, was er niets aan de foto's schrijven, dus helaas, ze niet bestaan.
Vertaald met Google Translate
There is no memory built into the Sony Alpha 100. So if you shot pictures with no memory card in the camera, there was nothing to write the pictures to, so sadly, they don't exist.
Translated with Google Translate