Jumping ship

Jujitsu1

Jujitsu1

Messages
805
Name
Darren
Edit My Images
No
I currently own a sony alpha 200 with 3 lenses ( 18-70 kit....70-210 sigma and a 100-300mm minolta ) I find that half my images are soft no matter what lens I use. Well I was out yesterday with a fellow tog and he as a canon 450d with 3 lenses for sale ( atfer christmas ) as he's after a canon d1 I believe so I told him I'd buy is equipment at the right price. Well I think the price is right at £300 for the camera 3 lenses ( 18-55.....55-200...and a 50mm f1.2) Bargain or what. plus a battery grip. So looks like canon here I come.
 
Sorry, but I don't think changing camera will improve your photos

Your sony gear is perfectly capable of producing good sharp images - the problem is much more likely your technique in both camera craft and digital workflow.
 
well we both went out yesterday and shot the same things and his photos was much sharper than mine. yes the 50mm is a l series and I'm also sure the 55-200 is f2.8 so I've been told I'd pay that for just the lenses. I can borrow it too before I buy it to see if I can get on with it.
 
If you're right about that 50mm being the 1.2 rather than the 1.8 then that gear is worth getting on for £1,000 more than your being asked to pay for it.

Things that look too good to be true usually are... are you sure you're not about to buy stolen goods?
 
SixToes said:
If you're right about that 50mm being the 1.2 rather than the 1.8 then that gear is worth getting on for £1,000 more than your being asked to pay for it.

Things that look too good to be true usually are... are you sure you're not about to buy stolen goods?
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Yes I'm sure it isn't stolen as I've seen all the paper work for it. He's an old friend and thats why I can have it cheaper than if he sold it on else where.
 
Jujitsu1 said:
yes the 50mm is a l series and I'm also sure the 55-200 is f2.8
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The 55-250 is *NOT* f/2.8. Canon make a 70-200mm f/2.8, but their 55-250mm is f/4-5.6.

Are you still really sure the 50mm is the "L"?

Look at it this way. The 50mm f/1.2 L retails for £1200 new. Old friend or not, is this guy really going to give you a £1200 lens for £300, AND throw in a DSLR and two other lenses for free?
 
Jujitsu1 said:
Yes I'm sure it isn't stolen as I've seen all the paper work for it. He's an old friend and thats why I can have it cheaper than if he sold it on else where.
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Bite his arm off then, you can't go wrong.

Can't imagine why he's be selling that lens if he's going to a 1 series though.
 
StewartR said:
The 55-250 is *NOT* f/2.8. Canon make a 70-200mm f/2.8, but their 55-250mm is f/4-5.6.

Are you still really sure the 50mm is the "L"?

Look at it this way. The 50mm f/1.2 L retails for £1200 new. Old friend or not, is this guy really going to give you a £1200 lens for £300, AND throw in a DSLR and two other lenses for free?
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Especially as the 50mm would work perfectly well on his new camera.
 
i'm pretty sure but i'll ask him again then but i'm sure it come with a 50mm lens.
 
Jujitsu1 said:
well we both went out yesterday and shot the same things and his photos was much sharper than mine. yes the 50mm is a l series and I'm also sure the 55-200 is f2.8 so I've been told I'd pay that for just the lenses. I can borrow it too before I buy it to see if I can get on with it.
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So the only two differences between the shots were
a) The camera
b) The photographer.

Surely the best test would be borrow the gear for a day and see how you get on. That will rule out one of the two options above.

I'm guessing the actual lenses you will get for £300 are: -
55-200mm
18-55mm
50mm F1.8

The 50mm F1.2L is a big lens, did you see it yesterday?
Did it look like this
Now, if so, buy it without question. You probably don't need to buy anything to improve your photography, but it's your money.
 
RichardtheSane said:
So the only two differences between the shots were
a) The camera
b) The photographer.

Surely the best test would be borrow the gear for a day and see how you get on. That will rule out one of the two options above.

I'm guessing the actual lenses you will get for £300 are: -
55-200mm
18-55mm
50mm F1.8

The 50mm F1.2L is a big lens, did you see it yesterday?
Did it look like this
Now, if so, buy it without question. You probably don't need to buy anything to improve your photography, but it's your money.
Click to expand...

No I never seen the 50 mm yesterday.
The 18-55 looks about right
the 55-200 I believe was white
 
Jujitsu1 said:
No I never seen the 50 mm yesterday.
The 18-55 looks about right
the 55-200 I believe was white
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If it's white, it isn't a 55-200mm. A few google searches, there are no L series 55-200mm lenses in or out of production.

Could it be a 70-200 f/4 L?
 
Surely no one in their right mind would sell a £1200 lens as part of a package for £300???

One born every minute though....has he got any £30k mercedes he wants to sell for say £3000?

:)

Rosie
 
Ok I had it wrong just contacted him and this is what I'm getting with the 450d
the lenses are 18-55mm is 55-250mmisand you can use the 17- 55 f2.8. i will want that one back tho as its 750quidand you can have 50mm f1.4
 
Jujitsu1 said:
Ok I had it wrong just contacted him and this is what I'm getting with the 450d
the lenses are 18-55mm is 55-250mmisand you can use the 17- 55 f2.8. i will want that one back tho as its 750quidand you can have 50mm f1.4
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Definitely worth the money even with those lenses:

The 450d and 18-55IS cheap would be £250-300
The 55-250 would be £100-150 (and is a very underrated lens, very sharp and good IS)
The 50 1.4 is £100-150

Even at a "mates rate" I would expect it to be more like £450 for the package.

.
 
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Cheers Dave for the break down on the prices. I thought it was still a good deal
 
I regularly see the 50 1.4 go for £220ish alone so i reckon your near enough getting that package at half price! Buy it asap and hopefully you could sell your existing setup to someone else in time for Xmas : )
 
Rajkay said:
I regularly see the 50 1.4 go for £220ish alone so i reckon your near enough getting that package at half price! Buy it asap and hopefully you could sell your existing setup to someone else in time for Xmas : )
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I would love to but he's not having his new camera until after christmas so I cant have that one until he gets his new. Nweither of us want to be with out a camera over the christmas period so I just have to wait.
 
Darren, It sounds like you are getting a great deal there, so :thumbs:. But a word of caution if I may and it has already been mentioned and pretty much ignored already in this thread. Your current camera and 3 lens lineup will produce some great results. You seem to have it in your head that the reason your pictures aren't sharp is because of the camera, and when you gets your mates camera, everything will be OK. I would hate for you to be disapointed when you do get it - You really must rule out bad technique as being the issue here :)

Easy to do - When you next go out with your mate, get him to take some pics with your camera. Then have a look at his pics compared to yours. Are they sharper? If so, then you need to improve your technique before changing your camera. I'd also make sure they're taken on the same settings. Have you done that at all? That would be my first thing to do as the chances of your camera causing the less sharp shots is less likely than it being a human thing.

I'm NOT saying that your technique is bad, just that it may be, and that if it is the case, you will be very disapointed when you get the other kit.

Hope that helps and is not taken in anything other than a helpful way :thumbs:
 
The a200 is quite capable of producing sharp images, sharper at low ISO than bodies further up the range due to its CCD sensor. Put a Minolta or Sony 50mm prime on it and you will see that. You are using lenses that do not have good reputations for sharpness.

If you had the Sony 18-55 rather than 18-70, this would be better and still kit lens price.
If you had the Minolta 70-210 f/4 rather than a sigma, this would be much better (and still a cheap lens at £100-120 s/h)

Even so the lenses you have will produce reasonably sharp shots stopped down a bit.
 
I had a Sony a200 and it was extremely sharp...I'm afraid that the issue is more likely to be a mis-understanding of technique / how the equipment works.

Saying that, 450D has more resolution and better high ISO performance, as well as liveview, so it should certainly be a step up. I seriously advise you to take time to learn the basics of the camera, lenses and technique though :)
 
Well thank you all for you advise. I thought it was the way I used it but even on the tripod and on different setting I still find them to be still soft. Maybe I should try sharper lenses on there before hand. trouble is if I'm still not happy then I would of spent the money I have saved for the canon. If you care to look at my earlier posts you will see what I mean about the softness.
 
Jujitsu1 said:
Well thank you all for you advise. I thought it was the way I used it but even on the tripod and on different setting I still find them to be still soft. Maybe I should try sharper lenses on there before hand. trouble is if I'm still not happy then I would of spent the money I have saved for the canon. If you care to look at my earlier posts you will see what I mean about the softness.
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The lenses with the Canon are all better than what you have now, at the price you can buy the Canon for you might even make a profit on your A200 + lenses. If it was me, I wouldn't hesitate, its a nice upgrade for zero outlay.
 
Jujitsu1 said:
Well thank you all for you advise. I thought it was the way I used it but even on the tripod and on different setting I still find them to be still soft. Maybe I should try sharper lenses on there before hand. trouble is if I'm still not happy then I would of spent the money I have saved for the canon. If you care to look at my earlier posts you will see what I mean about the softness.
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How about starting a thread about the softness on your A200 - that we we can help you determine if the fault is with the camera. :thumbs:
 
RichardtheSane said:
How about starting a thread about the softness on your A200 - that we we can help you determine if the fault is with the camera. :thumbs:
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I'll do that the weekend I'll go take a dozen shots or so and post them up without any pp done to them
 
Ok Ok Ok I know a few of you said it sounded to good to be true. Well he still asn't bought his new camera so I'm not jumping ship I'm gonna up grade instead and buy myself a Sony A500
 
That's a shame :'( (the gear offer bit I mean).

Good that you will get a new body though :thumbs:

Have your pictures become sharper?
 
Quoth said:
That's a shame :'( (the gear offer bit I mean).

Good that you will get a new body though :thumbs:

Have your pictures become sharper?
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Yes thank you....well I think so. with the aid of a few good friends off here and a basic photography course. I now have a little better under standing of shutter speed and when I really should be using a tripod to help keep the image sharper. I still just point and shoot alot of the time but adjust the shutter to help. lol
 
Quoth said:
In which case a faster lens might be a better investment that a new body ;)
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Yes I know that but I do like the look and sound of the A500. Once I get used to that i can then sell my trusted A200 and buy lenses out of that.

The A500 as better sensors and alot of new functions on it.
 
Jujitsu1 said:
when I really should be using a tripod to help keep the image sharper.
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Hi, Darren, I've started using my tripod far more recently and it's really made me ssslloooowwww down and consider my photographs, compose them better and get far sharper photographs.

Cheers and good luck..:thumbs:
 
posiview said:
Hi, Darren, I've started using my tripod far more recently and it's really made me ssslloooowwww down and consider my photographs, compose them better and get far sharper photographs.

Cheers and good luck..:thumbs:
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Very very good advice.
 
Ok I've know bought the Sony A500 and I'm very impressed with it. It came with the 18-55mm sam lens. I've taken a few photos and find them alot better and sharper than the ones I was taking with the A200
 
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