Sony cameras: Post your fav. Pic.

[Wirraway]

Hi Tullio, arrr mate you succumbed to the DSLR, you are now on the slippery slope to lens lust, I hope you get a lot of fun out of your new camera.

Yes, interesting Sarah's post and there is a lot of truth in what she says, I'm convinced the image quality of digital camera's is about the same as 4-5 years ago, and the main camera company's are winding people up with with extra megapixels to get them to upgrade.

DSLR's are a different kettle of fish depending on what type of photography your into, my 3 Sony fixed lens point & shoots keeps me happy and they will have to pull a rabbit out of the hat to get me to upgrade, mind you increased ISO up to 3200 without noise would just about get me.:-)

[Tullio]

Well, I've had dSLRs since 2006 when I bought my first one, the Nikon D40. Then I sold it a couple of months later due to it's limited DR, lack of in-body AF, IS, etc., and bought myself a K100D, which I recently sold in favor of the E510. The nice thing about the E510 is that for a mere $625, I got a camera with sensor anti-dust system, IS, live view (it allows me to use the LCD LIVE just like any P&S out there (although it's a bit slow) and two lenses (a 28-84mm and 100-300mm - I'm already converting the focal lengths based on the 2x multiplier of the 4/3 system used by Oly). So, it's a system hard to beat. In terms of performance, the E510 has a very smooth operation and produces very sharp images. After doing a lot of reading, the general concensus is that the Oly kit lenses are much much better than most kit lenses shipped with Nikon and Canon cameras, and it really shows. I'm amazed by the IQ produced by those lenses. Add to that the fact that the 4/3 system allows the lenses to be much more compact and light weight and bingo! You've got an SLR package for just a bit more than you'd pay for the little Canon G9. With that said, yes, I'm already contemplating add on lenses. I have my eye on either the Sigma 55-200mm (which would give me a range of 110-400mm) or the Zuiko 70-300mm (range of 140-600mm). I'm also thinking about getting the Zuiko 18-180mm as a walkaround lens. It gives me a bit less WA than the WA kit lens but a bit more zoom than the zoom kit lens. The nice thing about it is that I'd have 36-360mm range w/o having to exchange lenses all the time.

[Cyberf828]

Well time for a photo post before this goes to page 2 on here. :G

[Mercurycu]

I too got an Olympus Evolt 510 for Christmas (with the two lens kit). Also added the 70-300mm lens. I like the Live View option. :-) I have always loved the "Olympus colors" from my earliest digital camera days. I said when a DSLR had built-in IS, a anti dust system thatactually works, and Live View, that I would think about getting DSLR. That plus I always loved the small size of the Olympus film SLRs. Even though the E-3 has an articulating LCD, it's just too big and heavy for me.

We are planning a zoo trip soon the the Memphis Zoo. I'll give the new Oly a workout there. :-)

I tried out a Nikon D300 at Best Buy and again it was just too darn big and heavy. I have small hands plus I don't want a brick around my neck. I know Nikons are good, but I just can't get past the fact I hated the Nikon 8800 that I had. Also hated the Canon 1s IS. Worst focusing P&S I ever had. So I'm sticking with the three camera brands that are my favorites: Sony, Panny, and Oly. :-)

I can't wait toget my hands on the Sony 350R alpha. It looks to have the best Live View implementation yet. I'm spoiled by the P&S cameras. I don't want to have to look through a peep-whole viewfinder anymore. Composing uding the LCD is just so much more fun for me. (Ever since my first Olympus digicam in 1998, my old Maxxum Pro SLR has been gathering dust.) If I like the Sony 350R, I may eventually get that two lens kit.

The most used of my P&S cameras are still my H9, and Pany FZ20 and FZ18. (Kinda like my sexy little red Sony T200 that goes everywhere with me.)

Good to hear from you, Sarah. :-)

Chrystie

[Tullio]

Unlike you, Christie, I really don't care for Live View that much. I've been using EVF all my life and even though it can be challenging with certain camera models, it is not nearly as challenging as having tolook atthe LCD on abright sunny day. I bought the E510because of the Zuiko lenses (they are increadible!), the 4/3 system, which allows the lenses to be so much smaller and light weight and its many features (live view not being one of them, though). I'm loving it and as a result, my two Sony cameras (H1 and R1)are stored away!

Now, like you, Christie, Sony, Pana andOly are the three camera brands Istick with. I've had a Canon and a Nikon and did not care for either.

How about Sony's new H50 announcement? Any thoughts anyone???As usual, the specs look good on paper.Apparently Sonycorrected some design flaws they had with the H9 and added some new features to theH50 (can anyone give a good explanation why they jumped from H9 to H50? I hope Sony's marketing department was not trying to follow Panasonic's naming standards because the H50 has absolutely nothing to do with Pana's FZ50). The thing that bothers me is the increase in # of MPmaintaining the same sensor size (at least they did notmove toan 18x lens, which would simply make matters worse). I'm curiousto see how it will perform.

[Mercurycu]

Tullio,

When the price drops on the H50, I will probably pick one up. My daughters love using the Pany FZ18 and the Sony H9 at the zoos. That's three girls and two superzooms - 15X and above. To preserve the family peace, it looks like a H50 will be in my future. (That plusI actually like the face detection feature. My girls are fast as any toddler even though they are all over 20. I have whip out the camera on the slyand shoot quickly to get their candid pictures.......

To be honest, I hardly ever use the multiple shots mode either. I'm not a "pray and spray" shooter. One shot at a time for me...... As my kids tell me..I'm just am old turtle on everything. :-)

Chrystie

[Tullio]

I don't shoot in burst mode either. Burst mode is useful when you are shooting action because it's easy to miss. That way, one would hope that at least one shot out ofxxx is good. Boy, I wish I could justify to my wife the acquisition of new cameras all the time. I'm tempted to sell my FZ18 in exchange for the H50, if the reviews are good. Actually I've been investing on Zuiko lenses. Got the 14-54mm, 70-300mm, 40-150mm (old version which is far superior than the E510 kit) and now I'm about to get the 35mm macro. Fun, fun fun!!!

[mtclimber]

Hello to all-

We are home for a month, and there has not been much activity in this thread, so I thought thatI would leave a sample photo from the Sony H-3. The Exposure was F 4.0 at 1/10th, ISO 400, no flash, handheld.

Sarah Joyce

[paniolo]

mtclimber,

I read your comments regarding the H-5. Here is a shot of a bug that I took on the island of Lanai with my H-5. Turned out better than I expected.

[mtclimber]

Very nicely done, paniolo!

I like the photo a lot. Like you, paniolo,I find the H-5 to be a very dependable and consistently good camera. It is a lot like my H-2's which I also like.

Sarah Joyce