DSLR camera help?? please read all details?

Question

im trying to decide between a Canon EOS 400D Digital Rebel XTi, or the new Sony alpha A100. the canon looks like it has better performance, and canon has a better reputation with DSLR cameras, seeing how the sony a100 is sony's first slr camera. however, i have a sony cybershot DSC-T1, and i just bought a 2 GB memory stick for it, and that means i could also use it for the new sony a100. dont get me wrong though, sony is defintely high quality. and its a bit cheaper in price than the canon. plus, the lens that comes with the sony a100 (in a package on the sony website), is 18-200mm, which is much better than the 17-85mm that i see comes with the canon 400D, even though there are 1000000's of lens u can get. THATS ANOTHER QUESTION. if i were to get a lens for the canon, what one??? it ok, i may sound ignorant, w/e. i need more info, which one??? it would have to be better that 18-200mm right??? idk, please help me. i appreciate any useful feedback.

Answer 1

I'm just about to buy the Sony A100. One of your responders said that Sony parts is a problem. Not so. Starting very recently, this is really a Minolta camera. Minolta has gone pro only and merged with Sony for their retail technology. My engineer husband read up seriously on the Canons, Nikons and Sony before picking the Sony.

On E-Bay, you can find incredible deals from a place in Brooklyn, J&K, that include two or three lenses, including a 200 or 300 plus wide, a hard and a soft case, 2 or 4 GB card, 2 tripods, etc.

Whatever you choose, have fun with it.

Edit: Check out the Canon repair ratings. They're are terrible. I have NO personal experience, but have read that they just won't fix their stuff. That's another thing that pushed me off the Canon.

Answer 2

For DSLR's, I suggest to pick between Canon and Nikon. I'm sure that the Sony A100 is a fine camera, but its limited market cripples its appeal. For biggies like Canon and Nikon, there is a plethora of great lenses, cameras, and accessories available both brand new and second hand. If you are looking at the Canon Rebel, or Sony A100, why not consider the award winning Nikon D80?

What comes normally with DLSR's are what we call "kit lenses". Versatility dictates that it is better to have a lens with a large zoom range (18-200 move versatile than 18-135). But note that I said "versatile" not "better". Outdoors, the 18-200 is fine. But indoors, you cant really zoom and use the flash. Longer zoom does not mean a better lens. The 18-135 is already a lot of zoom.

Also, dont let the memory stick dictate to you what camera to get. Thats the issue with Sony. Since SOny also makes SOny parts, they deprive you of using better brands. Canon and Nikon DSLR's are much better.

Here's my final suggestion - go for the award winning Nikon D80 (which outclassed the Canon Digital Rebel and all other prosumer DSLR cameras) and get the 18-200 VR lens. VR stands for Vibration Reduction which limits vibrations when shooting at slow speeds. And yes, the 18-200 is a great versatile lens if you plan on just having one lens.

Answer 3

You've received several good responses to your Sony vs. Canon question. I agree with them - the Canon is a bit better.

As for lenses, you can select several lenses with either camera. If you want the Canon with an 18-200 zoom, you can get that too. Sigma and Tamron both make one for Canon cameras (Canon doesn't make their own yet) You can also get the Sony with a Sony 18-70mm lens. It's no problem.
But you should know that with lenses (as well as with bodies) you get what you pay for. Those 18-200mm lenses provide lots of convenience but they're not so great for image quality and auto-focus speed.
The Canon 17-85mm lenses has a relatively limited zoom range, but it's a fantastic lens. It's much better than the Canon 18-55mm kit lens, much better than all of those 18-200mm lenses, in fact... it's much better than just about anything out there. It sells separately for $510.

A Sandisk 2GB Ultra ll CF card costs $45. (The off brands are dirt cheap but I'd stick with a quality card.) So yeah, it would be an extra expense if you went with the Canon but don't let it dictate your choice.

The 400D with the 17-85 is a pretty sweet combination. It's what I'd get.
But before you commit… try them both in a shop. If the Canon doesn’t feel right and the Sony does, get the Sony.

Answer 4

The Nikon D5000 isn't fairly from now on progressed than the D40. All DSLRs have a tremendously comparable set of useful properties. the adaptation between fashions comes right down to sensor length, build high quality, and a few progressed useful properties. i don't be attentive to Nikon that nicely, yet possibly the Nikon D3000 fits what you're searching for? additionally, the Canon XSi isn't a bad decision for an get admission to-point digicam.