Hi all the new folks i havent said hi to yet, and welcom, spending a lazy afternoon here catching up on my reading. Dwessel welcome, I work in a courthouse built in the 1850's if your ever in Ohio I can hook you up! When you say your thinking about getting a 500mm reflex for the long shots are you talking about the fixed 500mm f/8 ? it sounds like a cool lens, Don I think has one, but it depends what kind of long shots your wanting that lens produces really cool, or notorious 'doughnut hole' bokeah You may want to compare with the Tamron 200-500mm for your needs wants and desires of shooting?
Sony A700_____________Minolta AF 50mm. F/1.7
Minolta AF 70-210mm F/3.5-4.5 Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR DiII LD Asp. [IF]
Tamron SP AF 70-200mm. F/2.8 DI LD [IF] Macro
Tamron AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2
Tokina AF 28-70mm F/3.5-4.5
Tokina AF AT-X 80-400mm F/4.5-5.6 http://flickr.com/
Hi all the new folks i havent said hi to yet, and welcom, spending a lazy afternoon here catching up on my reading. Dwessel welcome, I work in a courthouse built in the 1850's if your ever in Ohio I can hook you up! When you say your thinking about getting a 500mm reflex for the long shots are you talking about the fixed 500mm f/8 ? it sounds like a cool lens, Don I think has one, but it depends what kind of long shots your wanting that lens produces really cool, or notorious 'doughnut hole' bokeah You may want to compare with the Tamron 200-500mm for your needs wants and desires of shooting?
Seanhoxx:
Thanks for the offer. Yeah, I'm thinking about the fixed 500mm f/8. But might go for a 200-500mm for the versatility. I like to capture the details - usually at the top of roofs and high vaulted ceilings. Like this photo of the Riverside County Superior Courthouse.
Darin Wessel α 900
Zooms: Tamron SP AF70-200mm f2.8 Di LD Macro; Sigma 28-90mm D macro, Konica-Minolta 18-70 f3.5-5.6
Primes: Minolta 28mm f2.8; Sony 50mm f1.4
Minolta RC-1000 remote commander
My 500mm f/8 Reflex lens is not a Minolta/SONY model ... it is VivitarMF model and there is no way it is even close to the TAMRON SP AF 200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD. The TAMRON is one of the understated lenses of its kind and on a SONY DSLR, it is exceptionally well-suited and sharp, as the camera body provides stabilization for this long lens, when handheld. Considering the costs of the two lens are within $50 of each other ... the TAMRON is the obvious choice, unless you need really exceptionally lightweight ... then you would compromise with the SONY/Minolta AF 500mm f/8 Reflex.
Being stuck at a constant 500mm though ... that's a little tough, as we're not talking about taking a couple steps back, "to get it all in", but more like a couple hundred. LOL The 200-500 can be adjusted and you get a very sharp, brighter image. How do you quantify that? I know ... shoot through it and find out for yourself.
Last edited by DonSchap; 04-05-2009 at 06:20 PM.
Don Schap - BFA, Digital Photography A Photographer Is Forever
Look, I did not create the optical laws of the Universe ... I simply learned to deal with them.
Remember: It is usually the GLASS, not the camera (except for moving to Full Frame), that gives you the most improvement in your photography. flickr® & Sdi
Looks like we're going to have to redo this poll ... the numbers have really taken a turn.
Don Schap - BFA, Digital Photography A Photographer Is Forever
Look, I did not create the optical laws of the Universe ... I simply learned to deal with them.
Remember: It is usually the GLASS, not the camera (except for moving to Full Frame), that gives you the most improvement in your photography. flickr® & Sdi
Hi my name is Michelle and I live on the Gold Coast in sunny Queensland Australia.
I am so glad I found this web sight, I have spent the last couple of weeks reading all the great information.
I chose the Sony because a friend has an A350 and I liked his photos. but before I brought it the camera store told me I can take home up to three cameras for a week each before I decide. I tried a Canon and a Pentax, sorry I cant remember which models.
I liked the feel of the Sony plus the flip screen is great for me because I have a bad back, so no bending down.
I am a total novice and have lots to learn.
My SonyA350 is my first DSLR and I am getting really frustrated.I have done two six week camera courses at the local tafe. I take lots of photos but still am not happy with the shots I take. I know its me and not the camera (I hope) I try to not put it in Auto but I end up with lots of bad photos. The colour is poor or the photo is blurry. I thought I would get great photos with the Carl Zeiss lenses but they are no better then the kit lenses
One thing I don't understand is how do I know what aperture I can use for each lenses?
As I said I am a total novice so excuse me if my questions are silly, thanks.
Sony A700
Minolta: 50mm
Sony: DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA Zeiss lenses
Sony: 75-300mm F4.5-5.6 kit lenses
Sony: 18-70 F3.5-5.6 kit lenses
Tamron: SP AF 90mm F2.8 Macro
let's move this to a different thread posting and we shall go from there. I will start it, in the SONY DSLR Forum as "Aperture is worth a thousand bulbs"
Hope we can help you get this figured out. Ryan ('Dr4gon') is a darn good resource for the A300/A350 internals. He may just join in for particulars on those. Generally, the lenses are very similar to one another.
Don Schap - BFA, Digital Photography A Photographer Is Forever
Look, I did not create the optical laws of the Universe ... I simply learned to deal with them.
Remember: It is usually the GLASS, not the camera (except for moving to Full Frame), that gives you the most improvement in your photography. flickr® & Sdi
Hi my name is Michelle and I live on the Gold Coast in sunny Queensland Australia.
I am so glad I found this web sight, I have spent the last couple of weeks reading all the great information.
I chose the Sony because a friend has an A350 and I liked his photos. but before I brought it the camera store told me I can take home up to three cameras for a week each before I decide. I tried a Canon and a Pentax, sorry I cant remember which models.
I liked the feel of the Sony plus the flip screen is great for me because I have a bad back, so no bending down.
I am a total novice and have lots to learn.
My SonyA350 is my first DSLR and I am getting really frustrated.I have done two six week camera courses at the local tafe. I take lots of photos but still am not happy with the shots I take. I know its me and not the camera (I hope) I try to not put it in Auto but I end up with lots of bad photos. The colour is poor or the photo is blurry. I thought I would get great photos with the Carl Zeiss lenses but they are no better then the kit lenses
One thing I don't understand is how do I know what aperture I can use for each lenses?
As I said I am a total novice so excuse me if my questions are silly, thanks.
great to see another aussie here, even if you do shoot with a sony. i'd be a bit worried about having done a 6 week course but not understanding aperture yet !! do yourself a HUGE favour and pick up "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. its superb.
btw: zeiss glass is very good and nothing like the crap kit lens, so your "faulty" photos are far more likely to be technique rather than equipment. post a few up and see where that leads you.
D800e l D60 IR l 16-35 f4 l 24-120 f4 l 24G l 50G l 60G l 85G l 105VR l 300VR lXE-1 l 18R l 35R flickr
Hi my name is Michelle and I live on the Gold Coast in sunny Queensland Australia.
I am so glad I found this web sight, I have spent the last couple of weeks reading all the great information.
I chose the Sony because a friend has an A350 and I liked his photos. but before I brought it the camera store told me I can take home up to three cameras for a week each before I decide. I tried a Canon and a Pentax, sorry I cant remember which models.
I liked the feel of the Sony plus the flip screen is great for me because I have a bad back, so no bending down.
I am a total novice and have lots to learn.
My SonyA350 is my first DSLR and I am getting really frustrated.I have done two six week camera courses at the local tafe. I take lots of photos but still am not happy with the shots I take. I know its me and not the camera (I hope) I try to not put it in Auto but I end up with lots of bad photos. The colour is poor or the photo is blurry. I thought I would get great photos with the Carl Zeiss lenses but they are no better then the kit lenses
One thing I don't understand is how do I know what aperture I can use for each lenses?
As I said I am a total novice so excuse me if my questions are silly, thanks.
Welcome, what lens are you using? The 16-80mm Carl Zeiss?
In addition to understanding exposure, a more basic level book I started out with were these two, volume 3 is on the way this year.
It's a no-nonsense kind of a book to help get you rolling. I have to admit one year ago, I was disappointed in my pictures and really second guessed my purchase. Just keep at it! The more you use it, the more you'll learn and come to enjoy it.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by seanhoxx
Long Zoom vs Long PRIME
The 200-500 can be adjusted and you get a very sharp, brighter image. How do you quantify that? I know ... shoot through it and find out for yourself. 
New models?
.
do yourself a HUGE favour and pick up "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. its superb.