Sony a200 kit lens replacement

[kopite]

Hey everyone,

I`ve been using my Alpha for over a year now and my pictures are improving but I cant help but think upgrading the kit glass would help me improve further.

CUrrently I have a minolta 50mm 1.7, tamron 55-200 di2 and the kit lens.

I have a budget of 200 quid so what would be a good replacement at the lower range .

 

[pooma]

I will be watching this thread with interest as I also have a budget of around 200 notes, have been using my a230 since christmas and am looking for a new lens. I currently use the 2 kit lenses that come with the camera, 18-55 and 55-200.

I take pics of anything from the car to snaps of the bairns (which makes me think I should get a 50), but gonna try and start getting out walking for landscape and nature photography and maybe the odd visit to racing tracks and airshows and the like, so a very mixed bag.

Looking at this but if my money could be better spent elsewhere any advise would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/29451/show.html

 

[Jujitsu1]

Hey I just bought a 100-300mm minolta from these guys and its very good for the money. Check them out as cheaper than ebay plus you get a 6 month warrenty.

https://secure.ffordes.com/index.htm

 

[onomatopoeia]

If you can stretch your budget a bit, John Lewis currently have the Sony 16-105 at £339 and Jessops the Zeiss 16-80 for £399. Lots of reviews of both in the dyxum lens database and they both seem well regarded. I have the 16-80 and it is good, if not as robustly built as the other Zeiss lenses.

 

[stan the man]

i would say that either the tamron 17-50 F/2.8..

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy...i-ii-ld-asp-if-lens-sony-minolta-fit/p1013812

or the sigma 18-50 F/2.8..the non HSM one if you can find one in sony fit,would be very good kit replacement lens,but unless you can find one second hand,will be over your £200 budget..

 

[leaky5]

My most used lens when I had an a200 was an old Minolta 35-105 (metal body version)

http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/Minolta-AF-35-105-F3.5-4.5_lens44.html

Cost about £22 on Ebay, you have to be patient and keep looking at Minolta film camera auctions.

It gets a better user score on Dyxum than the Beercan and 50mm

These were taken on an a200 and a mixture of this lens and the 100-200

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leaky5/sets/72157612156643192/

 

[mastertrinity]

you could always go for the newer 18-55mm kit lens which I here is a million times better than the 18-70mm, or alternatively look for a second hand Tamron 17-50mm f2.8, sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4 (or 4.5) and for higher up the end you could opt for the Zeiss 16-80mm for £399 at Jessops.

 

[heyho]

If you can stretch your budget a bit, John Lewis currently have the Sony 16-105 at £339.

Do you have a link for that? Can't find it on their site.

For £200, the choices are a Sony 18-55, a used Minolta, or maybe a used Tamron if you're lucky.

 

[Starastin]

I might be selling my sigma 24-70mm f2.8 EX DG with a hoya 82mm skylight filter on for 300quid as I want a sony 50mm f1.4 or sigma 30mm f1.4, would keep it but don't have that much funds. the lens is fantastic appart from being heavy.

 

[onomatopoeia]

Do you have a link for that? Can't find it on their site.

Nope, but there was on in the Bristol branch on Thursday and one in the Oxford street branch on Saturday, both as special offers, so it seems to be a national thing (based on a sample of the two stores I've visited recently).