Should I buy a package?

[Furry]

I guess I'm going to buy my wife the Sony 10.2 Alpha A 100 D-SLR. There are to packages at London Drugs

#1 Sony 10.2 Alpha A 100 D-SLR & 1 lens 18-70, $929.98

#2 Sony 10.2 Alpha A 100 D-SLR & 18-70 &75-300 $1199.98

or just buy the Body if we can use her old lens Minolta AF 28-135 Lens, & Minolta AF 50 Lens. $849.98

If I was to use her old lens would it be redundant to buy the 2 new lens.( remember I'm not a photo buff and can't even fake it) If you were me what would you do?

[flashgumby]

Either package would suit nicely. The 28-135 lens on a digital body will have the view of a 42-200 lens, so she will not have a lens to do landscape or other wide-angle shots. Enter the 18-70 lens... her wide angle is back!

All this number-crunching is due to the digital sensor (on all affordable DSLRs, regardless of manufacturer) being smaller than the 35mm film. On Sony, Minolta, Nikon and Pentax cameras, lenses will have what is called a 'crop factor' of 1.5x - this affects all lenses, and you just multiply the focal length by the crop factor to get the equivalent lens in 35mm terms. It's easy when you get the hang of it.

So in buying the 18-70 kit, she would end up with lenses that cover the ranges of:
18-70mm
28-135mm
50mm

In 35mm terms, she would have: 27-105, 42-200 and 75mm.

If she has survived up until now without complaining that she needs a longer lens, then you can probably give the twin-lens kit a miss. If she says that she has 'always wanted a long zoom' then the 75-300 will fit the bill.


Good luck,
Gordon.

[Yarddog]

I think everything Gordon told you is good advice. I might add that the prices you quoted are on the high side. You can do quite a bit better from some of the reliable mail order dealers.

[dll927]

What is London Drugs? Doesn't sound like a place for the best prices, either on drugs or cameras. You need to shop around for prices.

The two-lens package would get my vote, since 70mm isn't very long, even with the 1.5 "cropping factor" figured in. The 135mm you are talking about would be about the equivalent of 200mm, which is more in the ballpark if you want some reach. But if that's an older lens, it may not be compatible with the auto-focus, auto exposure, or both.

Looking at some of the Sony prices in recent ads, I'm not sure Sony is aiming for any 'discount' markets. Lens prices already seem higher than Minolta's were.

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It's not the camera, stupid, it's the EYE.

[dinged]

London Drugs is a Canadian chain. I'm sure B&H or Adorama would have better prices, but by the time he pays the taxes to get the gear across the border, London Drugs may well be cheaper. You have to figure in the exchange rate, too.

[canonist]

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flashgumby wrote:

All this number-crunching is due to the digital sensor (on all affordable DSLRs, regardless of manufacturer) being smaller than the 35mm film. On Sony, Minolta, Nikon and Pentax cameras, lenses will have what is called a 'crop factor' of 1.5x - this affects all lenses, and you just multiply the focal length by the crop factor to get the equivalent lens in 35mm terms. It's easy when you get the hang of it.

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Just in case anyone else thought what I did when read flashgumbys' post, almost all dslr's have crop factors, just different than 1.5x. I had to read it several times before I understood that he meant just those brands have that amount of "Crop Factor". Canon has several cameras with different ammounts of "Crop Factor", the 5d and 1ds Mark II has a full frame sensor with no crop factor, the 20d, 30d, rebel, xt, xti and possibly the 10d have 1.6x and several of the pro cams have a 1.3x crop factor. Olympus cams have a 2x crop factor which is why they have the availability of a 7mm wide-angle. If I got any info wrong please tell me. Flashgumby got all his info correct(I think) but I misread his post and wanted to clear it up for anyone else that was confused.

[canonist]

Furry, I always try to buy packages or "kits" if I can becuse you usually save money, just make sure you're saving money in the first place when you buy the package.

[Furry]

Boy this is a great forum to get ansers Thanks for all the info. London Drugs give the best prices or match any price in the area and a great place to have film developed.To muddy the waters they are offering a package the body (Sony 100 A and a 18-200 for $1349. But I'm still going with the 18-70, & 75-300 for $1199 Canadian.