Calling all Sony Alpha users! (Part 4)

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Andy - didn't you get the 70-400mm G after 80-200mm ? just looked at the prices for the minolta - they must be joking.
 
Starastin said:
Andy - didn't you get the 70-400mm G after 80-200mm ? just looked at the prices for the minolta - they must be joking.
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Yes, I got the 70-400 SSM after the Minolta 80-200 f/2.8 APO HS.

The Minolta is a superb lens, and I think its worth the £850 or so going rate (focusing is amazingly fast, easily faster than the Sigma 70-200 HSM or the Sony 70-400 SSM).. but the fact is you can buy a new Tamron or Sigma new, for less than the Minolta used.. which perhaps tells you how good the Minolta is.. :)

The 70-400 SSM is an *amazing* lens - I have Pro Nikon prime lenses, and honestly I'm using the Sony more.... the 3 lens that really stand out for me in Sony mount is the Zeiss 24-70, Ziess 135mm f/1.8 (stunning, but not a lens I'd use much), and the 70-400 SSM. All 3 of those are easily as good as (if not better) than anything Nikon or Canon has.
 
a850, a900 and the 135mm is why I went for sony, but I only have a200 + sigma 24-70 now, lol. I think i would still go for sigma (or the mighty 70-400mm) as focus speed is not that important at the moment.

thank you for your insight !
 
boobster..i had the same problem when i was looking for a sigma 70-200 2.8,couldn't find one for love nor money and was told by sigma UK that i was looking at up to 3 or 4 months minimum before they had stock in from japan...so i bit the bullet and got the sony 70-200 G...a fantastic lens,expensive..yes,but worth the money IMHO.

DSC03724.jpg
 
puddleduck said:
I had the HSM for for a bit - its very good, but a 20 year old Minolta 80-200 f/2.8 APO HS outperformed it for focus speed and wide open sharpness. I sold the Sigma (let mine go for £450 UK stock, boxed and mint as a price guide a week or so ago).

I think I'd recommend it, but I'm very confident a Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 will be sharper wide open. I'd put money on it in fact. However I wouldn't pay the new price for the Sigma really... if you can find a nice used one for less than £500 go for it. I'd pick the Tamron if I bought one again
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stan the man said:
boobster..i had the same problem when i was looking for a sigma 70-200 2.8,couldn't find one for love nor money and was told by sigma UK that i was looking at up to 3 or 4 months minimum before they had stock in from japan...so i bit the bullet and got the sony 70-200 G...a fantastic lens,expensive..yes,but worth the money IMHO.
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Thanks for the responses guys. Stan that is a fantastic pic :)
Been searching on Ebay and there doesn't seem to be much in the way of used Sigmas. The Minolta is cropping up but they're all abroad. Mint condition but would probably get stung with customs etc.

The best price I can find on the Sony is £1499 (gulp!). The Tamron comes in at £599, a little more reasonable.

Why does it get so difficult? :thinking:
 
is the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 lens a decent lens for the money, the reason being is that I shoot a lot street photography/portraiture and the 70-200mm suits my needs however the Sony one being £1500 put me off a 70-200mm but since then I've pondered about the Tamron. So is the Tamron decent for the money?
 
stan the man said:
boobster..i had the same problem when i was looking for a sigma 70-200 2.8,couldn't find one for love nor money and was told by sigma UK that i was looking at up to 3 or 4 months minimum before they had stock in from japan...so i bit the bullet and got the sony 70-200 G...a fantastic lens,expensive..yes,but worth the money IMHO.

DSC03724.jpg
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Stan please stop posting images like that! I so want the 70-200 and you just made me want it more!!
 
mastertrinity said:
is the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 lens a decent lens for the money, the reason being is that I shoot a lot street photography/portraiture and the 70-200mm suits my needs however the Sony one being £1500 put me off a 70-200mm but since then I've pondered about the Tamron. So is the Tamron decent for the money?
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It's very good. I'm looking at getting another 70-200mm lens myself.

In all honesty.. I think I might go for the Nikon 70-200 VR rather than Sony fit for my needs on this.. but I'd get a Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 in Sony fit (it doesn't have the slow motor that plagues the Nikon and Canon versions)

I wouldn't pay £1500 for the Sony either.. especially as its more expensive the the Canon and Nikon versions and doesn't have built-in VR. I think Sony needs to look at there pricing on a few lenses - the 70-300 SSM is an insane price for a average lens.
 
puddleduck said:
It's very good. I'm looking at getting another 70-200mm lens myself.

In all honesty.. I think I might go for the Nikon 70-200 VR rather than Sony fit for my needs on this.. but I'd get a Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 in Sony fit (it doesn't have the slow motor that plagues the Nikon and Canon versions)

I wouldn't pay £1500 for the Sony either.. especially as its more expensive the the Canon and Nikon versions and doesn't have built-in VR. I think Sony needs to look at there pricing on a few lenses - the 70-300 SSM is an insane price for a average lens.
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I totally agree about Sony's ridiculous pricing, I understand that Sony do make quality equipment but it's really not worth justifying the price. the 70-300mm as you mention is an excellent lens and punches above its weight compared to Nikon and Canon equivalents but its not worth another £200!
 
Any kindly tog in the Northeast (Durham area) with an A900 who would like to meet up for a couple of hours?

Would like to try a few shots with a couple of my lenses on a 900 before either buying one or jumping to Canon.


Sky'
 
puddleduck said:
I'm sure everyone has already seen this...

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/sony-d...om-lens-03753560-pdt.html?srcid=369&xtor=AL-1

Use "hot5" to get 5% off to bring it down to £408.48

Sell the lens for £75 (just sold mine for that ex postage)

£80 cashback from Sony (my cashback form is on the way)

Sony A500 for <£250 that way.

Absolute stonking bargain!!!
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This must have been a mis-price from Curry its gone from the site now. And £529 everywhere now...http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/prod1174.html
 
TurnipFarmer said:
Guys just a quick question I have an opportunity to get an a700 to upgrade from my a200. Is it worth getting the a700 or one of the new ones like a450 500 or 800? Or should I wait for the a700 replacement.
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Depends on the price, the a700 is still better than most of the newer Sony models.
 
Get this.. I sent a lens for a quick adjust (just one day before UK warranty expired) on 6th July, and its just come back today. That's 5 working days :clap:
 
Boobster said:
Thanks for the responses guys. Stan that is a fantastic pic :)
Been searching on Ebay and there doesn't seem to be much in the way of used Sigmas. The Minolta is cropping up but they're all abroad. Mint condition but would probably get stung with customs etc.

The best price I can find on the Sony is £1499 (gulp!). The Tamron comes in at £599, a little more reasonable.

Why does it get so difficult? :thinking:
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Well the Tamron is now in my hands. Literally arrived 20 mins ago. Fired off some shots on the A200 and it's fantastic. Well worth the money. Going to have a better play with it when the weathers a little better. First impressions are it's a great lens, well built, not as noisy as a lot of people say and focuses really quick too. I'm a happy bunny :)
 
Right....just been browsing on the net and need help in buying a monopod. It's got to be able to take the Sony A200, HVL F42AM and Tamron 70-200. I'll be mounting it to the tripod collar on the Tamron. Any suggestions guys?
 
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Not sure if anyone here spotted the Sony 100mm f/2.8 macro for £299 at Jessops but they seem to be honouring it, even though it was clearly a mis-price (shot back up to £529!)

I picked mine up from Jessops in Cambridge yesterday.



DSC00082.jpg


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I saw that macro bargain on a couple of other boards. I already have a Minolta version so I didn't pursue it further but I'm glad someone here at TP got their hands on one. It's a cracking lens.
 
£299!!!

when I checked a couple of days ago on the website the Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro was £279 and the Sony 100mm f2.8 macro was £399.

Has anyone noticed that a few months back Jessops were selling the Sony 50mm f1.4 at a standard price of £250 but then they stopped stocking them and now they have started selling then at £299!
 
mastertrinity said:
£299!!!

when I checked a couple of days ago on the website the Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro was £279 and the Sony 100mm f2.8 macro was £399.

Has anyone noticed that a few months back Jessops were selling the Sony 50mm f1.4 at a standard price of £250 but then they stopped stocking them and now they have started selling then at £299!
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Yep £299! - just for about 36 hours:

http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/prod1076.html

Tamron 90mm is down to £249 now (very good price)
 
I see he's from Braintree......i wonder which tree his brain came from ;)
 
Just got the Sony A450 from Comet for £269 new (I get 10% off through my company)

Havent had chance to test it out properly but the high ISO seems to produce much better results than my old A200 :)
 
Anyone else use a Metz flash with an A700? I recently had my flash module upgraded from M5/6 to M8 to work with the A700 and at the same time I got a Tamron 28-75 2.8. When using the flash in TTL at 2.8 is over exposes by about 2 stops (that's the amount of compensation I have to give it to get a decent exposure).

I checked the flash in manual and I could get a decent exposure so I knew it wasn't a problem with there being too much power for the aperture, iso and subject distance. I then used the flash in auto (using the built in thyristor) and the exposure was again perfect so there's something wrong with the TTL exposure of the flash.

When I get back home in a couple of weeks I'll try it with the 24mm 2.8 and see if it does the same thing but I thought in the mean time I'd put it out there and see if anyone else had experienced a similar problem.
 
noneforit said:
Just got the Sony A450 from Comet for £269 new (I get 10% off through my company)

Havent had chance to test it out properly but the high ISO seems to produce much better results than my old A200 :)
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Blinding deal that is - amazing how much camera you can get for so little at the moment :)
 
I spotted that Play.com have got a few Sony bits and bobs in their Clearance. Lens caps and stuff:

http://www.play.com/Electronics/Ele...-F62Z-Replacement-front-lens-cap/Product.html
http://www.play.com/Electronics/Ele...-F77Z-Replacement-Front-Lens-Cap/Product.html
http://www.play.com/Electronics/Ele...-F72Z-Replacement-Front-Lens-Cap/Product.html

I picked up a type "M" focusing screen for my A900 for only £9.99!

Item : Sony FDA-FM1AM Type M Focusing Screen
Price : GBP 9.99

What with Jessops knocking out the 100mm macro for £299 the other day, and the A450 + lens for only £299 (still can't get over that price!), its a good time to pick up cheap stuff at the mo :)
 
The 85mm sounds interesting but I don't get how they're making it so compact. A 55mm filter thread is the same on this 85mm 2.8 as on the 70mm 5.6 of the kit lens.
 
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