Yes, I want to be able to evaluate the DOF in camera, BTW Do Kit lenses that comes with Canon or Nikon are any good ?

Well you can't do that particularly well even with DOF preview. The apparent resolution of the viewfinder is such that with DOF preview depressed, what will appear in the viewfinder as in-focus may not be.

And of course the light coming through is dramatically reduced.

DOF preview is useful in certain types of advanced flash applications.

I personally don't think it's a feature you'll miss. I would hazard that 95% of photographers don't even use it and 99.9% of the time it's not used even by photographers who do use it occasionally.

So I can I see if something is in focus or not

Is good idea to scratch off the minolta off ur list since it's shutting down and selling the leftovers to sony (the minolta's sensor is sony), and stick to something that will still be covered for the next few yrs.

Again, as I said earlier, (and as Peripatetic said better), the viewfinder resolution and darkness make evaluating focus difficult under the best of circumstances using DOF preview. Unless you are shooting wide open (which allows a lot of light in) what you see is not always what you get. Honestly, because you can review your shots with a DSLR in the LCD, DOF preview is not nearly as useful (after all, you won't be wasting frames of film). It's just as quick, and much easier on the eyes to fire off a test shot and then adjust aperature or subject position based on your test shot. This is especially true if your shooting at smaller aperatures.

ellover009 wrote: Honestly, things are advancing so quickly, you'll likely be buying a new camera before the 5D you buy today wears out. In addition, Sony will be making DSLR's that utilize Minolta's lens mount, so any lenses you purchase now will still be usable on future camera's. The only thing being lost is the Minolta branding.

I think this is a good thing for any one buying a KM slr, as I have a friend that works for KM and they have been making some very strange buisness decisions. The proof of this is how long it took them to come out with a DSLR. Minolta's tech support has not been so great. I had my 35 mm serviced and they did not fix some of the things I asked. Sony wants a peice of the action but seemed to be having problems coming up with a body/lens solution. Sony is in a much stonger situation than KM has been in many years. I give KM about another 7 or 8 years and it will be gone alltogether. Shame to becasue I love my Maxum 7000. But I will be going Canon 20D (or its replacement) or Nikon D200, but I am looking for more than the KM 5D will offer. I do like the idea of the on body stabilization. Could really lower the cost of long lens pucheaces, and work on an ultra wide, as there are none that are stabilized. (such as the 10-20 range).


JbradleyA wrote:

My preferred cameras are the Nikon D50, the KM 5D, and the Canon EOS 350d. If you wanted to do in-camera DOF evaluation, you can eliminate the Nikon D50. I'm not sure about the KM 5D, but the Rebel definately has the DOF preview. However, I know that I won't need the DOF preview when I get my camera, so I plan on getting a Nikon D50. They're all good, really. The D50 is $649.99 and the KM 5D is $669.99? at www.newegg.com. That's for the kit with the lens. Also, the KM 5D has a $50.00 mail in rebate, so it ends up being $619.99 with the lens! Amazing prices!

However, the problem has now become the fact that there are not many KM 5D's in the retail supply line. Most large suppliers are already out of stock, as of today (01/27).

mt

From a image stabilisation standpoint:-

My opinion is if someone gets the KM 5D, they sould have to 'write' off this camera when they upgrade the body to something bigger as the additional lenses you would buy do not have IS.

With the Canon, you would of course spend £700 on the body and a good 17-85 IS lens (compared with the £500 of the KM 5D).

The Canon in some respects 'forces' you to invest that little bit extra in your initial purchase.....