looking for a new camera - general use with one specific short term need

bamaspivey · Apr 1, 2014

So I am looking to purchase a new camera. I have ben out of the market for a long time that will be come evident later in this post. Two simple requirements: general use - stills, family shots, scrapbook type stuff Second I need to be able to take pictures of my daughter playing golf. I tried a friend's Nikon 5200 with a 200mm lens and that was not sufficient from the distances that I was shooting and I could not get any closer. So I am looking for a 300, 400 or possibly a 500mm lens. I am however on a budget.....

I have been looking at a $1,000 to $1,500 purchase of a full kit that includes a D5200 with 2 lenses and a 500mm T mount lens. However I have an old Maxxum 300si with 3 lenses and I was considering purchasing a Sony a65 because I believe the lenses will fit and a nicer 400mm to 500mm lens. I would probably have a little less in the second option and I perceive a better solution.

Thoughts?

(yea a maxxum 300si - told you I was out of the market for a while)

BaMa

garykohs · Apr 2, 2014

bamaspivey said:
So I am looking to purchase a new camera. I have ben out of the market for a long time that will be come evident later in this post. Two simple requirements: general use - stills, family shots, scrapbook type stuff Second I need to be able to take pictures of my daughter playing golf. I tried a friend's Nikon 5200 with a 200mm lens and that was not sufficient from the distances that I was shooting and I could not get any closer. So I am looking for a 300, 400 or possibly a 500mm lens. I am however on a budget.....

I have been looking at a $1,000 to $1,500 purchase of a full kit that includes a D5200 with 2 lenses and a 500mm T mount lens. However I have an old Maxxum 300si with 3 lenses and I was considering purchasing a Sony a65 because I believe the lenses will fit and a nicer 400mm to 500mm lens. I would probably have a little less in the second option and I perceive a better solution.

Thoughts?

(yea a maxxum 300si - told you I was out of the market for a while)

BaMa

Your 300si lenses should work on a modern A mount camera.

The A65 will give you 24MP resolution so you can crop those golf shots a bunch. So I think a lens like a Tamron 70-300 USD would serve you well. If you need more reach a good used Minolta 100-400 APO should be in your budget at about $600.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/728346-REG/Tamron_AFA005S700_SP_70_300mm_f_4_5_6_Di.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EX-Minolta-...93896587?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item338624e38b

thebustos · Apr 2, 2014

Your lenses will fit as long as they're A-mount lenses. The Minolta AF 100-400mm f/4.5-6.7 APO looks like it could be a decent telephoto option. They have one at B&H for $489.95 right now which with the A65 + 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM II would put you at $1087.95 and $1287.95 if you go with the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 kit option. B&H has $100 off selected Sony telephotos as well. So if you went with the A65 + 18-55mm + 55-300mm it would be $796 and A65 + 18-135mm + 55-300mm would be $996.

L R Harner · Apr 2, 2014

not suer what old lens you might have laying around. A65 and when it comes out the tamron 150-600

if no lens already A65 35f1.8 tamron 70-300 USD (not sure if the A65 with kit lens woudl work for you or not)

to be fair and not a sony snob the tamron is being made to fit nikon and canon also so get the body that you feel best with

dlkeller · Apr 2, 2014

Of course the Tamron 150-600 is on the extreme of his price range before he gets a camera. However, it is certainly a fantastic option, especially if he has a Canon or Nikon due to availability soon as well as stabilized viewfinder. For Sony users we have to wait quite awhile yet and loose the stabilized viewfinder.

I went with the 100-400 APO and am relatively pleased with it. Not quite the reach, a little slower focusing and maybe not quite as sharp but for less than $600 USD it's pretty darn good.

bamaspivey · Apr 2, 2014

so my lenses are AF Tamaron lenses that 38-55 and a70-185 or something like that, I am not near them right now so I cant verify. So would these lenses fit other body's besides the Sony? I would prefer a Nikon camera, but was looking at the Sony because I did not think they would fit.

bamaspivey · Apr 2, 2014

what about this lens?

Loading…

www.bhphotovideo.com

Ralf B · Apr 2, 2014

bamaspivey said:
what about this lens?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...0_400mm.html?gclid=CMj12ZHDu70CFbTm7AodJwcAaA

Maybe not: Dyxum user reviews

thebustos · Apr 2, 2014

They are A-Mount lenses (that's what your Maxxum used) and will only for A-Mount cameras like the Sony DSLRS and SLTs or mirrorless cameras with an A-Mount adapter. Are there any specific reasons you wouldn't want a Sony? The lenses you have may not be particularly good enough to avoid going with something else you would prefer, but Sony cameras offer certain advantages.
--
Good luck and happy shooting!

EvilOne · Apr 2, 2014

bamaspivey said:
So I am looking to purchase a new camera. I have ben out of the market for a long time that will be come evident later in this post. Two simple requirements: general use - stills, family shots, scrapbook type stuff Second I need to be able to take pictures of my daughter playing golf. I tried a friend's Nikon 5200 with a 200mm lens and that was not sufficient from the distances that I was shooting and I could not get any closer. So I am looking for a 300, 400 or possibly a 500mm lens. I am however on a budget.....

I have been looking at a $1,000 to $1,500 purchase of a full kit that includes a D5200 with 2 lenses and a 500mm

Is this D5200 for 1000 dollars with three lenses, something you can buy today, or is this what you want to buy right now for 1000 dollars? It is not a real deal?

bamaspivey said:
T mount lens. However I have an old Maxxum 300si with 3 lenses and I was considering purchasing a Sony a65 because I believe the lenses will fit and a nicer 400mm to 500mm lens. I would probably have a little less in the second option and I perceive a better solution.

Thoughts?

My thoughts? you want to purchase an A65 and you have three amount lenses ( you didn't mention what they are ) then you say you want to purchase a nicer 400mm to 500mm also. does this mean you want to buy an A65, use the three lenses you have on the 65 plus buy a 400mm prime or 500mm prime, all for 1000 to 1500 dollars

bamaspivey said:
(yea a maxxum 300si - told you I was out of the market for a while)

BaMa

I would be happy to try to help you but your comments are vague. The one thing I think I get is you have about 1000 to 1500 to spend, you want to buy an A65 and a long prime lens at 400mm or 500 mm. You Have 3 Minolta lenses but none of them are long enough for your golf shots, but buying a Sony will allow you to use those unidentified lenses.

Do I have it right so far?

Also do you want to buy a New A65 with a warranty or do you want to buy a used A65.

Lots of questions need to be addressed. The camera will eat up most of your budget, you will be hard pressed to buy a 400mm prime ( will cost you 15K ) if you are talking a 70-400 ( this will cost you used 1000 dollars or a 500 mm prime other than a Reflex which really isn't a prime. You would be better off with a telle zoom, the new Tamron 150 600 would be perfect but that would eat up a lot of your budget and you will have to wait atleast 6 months for that.

So do you want new or used camera?

used lenses OK ?

EvilOne · Apr 2, 2014

You can get a New A65 body with a one year USA warranty from B&H photo for 500 dollars and a nice used Tamron 200 to 500mm for 700 dollars and your existing 3 lenses and your good to go.

You can get a New A65 body with warranty for 500 dollars

and a New Tamron 200 500 with a 6 years warranty for 998, and have you three other lenses. and for your high end budget 1500 dollars have a new camera and a new long lens.

D Williams · Apr 2, 2014

I haven't owned the 100-400mm Minolta in a while but my recollection is that if you close it down to f/8-9 and shoot at 380mm, it is a very decent lens. I doubt that you could tell the difference between it and any of the Tammy zooms at 400mm. Lens speed and focusing speed were too slow for birds on the A100 but it should be fine for golf, especially if you have a little sun and a newer body where you can bump the ISO up a little more. The big advantage the Minolta has in a golf situation where you might be hauling it around is weight and length. After hauling it around for 18-36 holes you'll appreciate it's relatively small size. With the 500mm lenses you would probably want a monopod by the end of the day.

Combined with an A65 or A77 and one of the very good Minolta intermediate zooms (RS 24-85mm for instance) and you would have a very pleasant system to handle your stated requirements.

PS

You mentioned that you were thinking about a 'nicer' 400-500mm lens. My experience is that nicer lenses of that length are several thousand dollars. Almost 'nice' 400-500mm lenses look about the same at f/8-f/11. The difference seems to be lens speed. If you can get by at f/9 instead of f/6.3 you might as well go with the less expensive, lighter lens.

bamaspivey · Apr 2, 2014

thebustos said:
Your lenses will fit as long as they're A-mount lenses. The Minolta AF 100-400mm f/4.5-6.7 APO looks like it could be a decent telephoto option. They have one at B&H for $489.95 right now which with the A65 + 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM II would put you at $1087.95 and $1287.95 if you go with the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 kit option. B&H has $100 off selected Sony telephotos as well. So if you went with the A65 + 18-55mm + 55-300mm it would be $796 and A65 + 18-135mm + 55-300mm would be $996.

dlkeller · Apr 2, 2014

A couple of 100-400 APO shots with an older A700 camera.

--
Dave

eastriding4310 · Apr 2, 2014

Here is a lens that you probably have not thought of: the Mamiya 645 medium format 500mm lens. This lens is big and sharp! It is also very sharp with the Mamiya 645 2X teleconverter, which was a big surprise to me. I use it on my A77 with a fotodiox adapter, which is glassless. My lens cost $600 on ebay, but KEH has them at around $450. Several were less expensive, but this one was like new. It is manual focus and is best used at f8, f11 and f16, especially where depth of field is critical.

This lens is sharper than most of the zooms mentioned earlier. I know, because I have the 100-400 Minolta (a nice lens) and the 70-300 Tamron, and the 500 Minolta reflex.

Another big surprise was the Mamiya 645 medium format 300mm 5.6 lens (about $129 on ebay), which can also be used with the teleconverter. In my opinion, it is sharper than the Tamron.

Both produce great images for less money if you don't mind manual focus, which should be no problem with golf using the A65's peek focusing.

Jim Arrnold · Apr 3, 2014

Depending on how long the short term need will be

How about a used Minolta or Sony 500 mirror they seem to be holding their value so you could sell it on in a year or two without losing too much value

The same would apply to most Minolta lenses but I doubt if any other 500 would be in your price range - hence the sugestions of 100-400

plus you can use it hand held - not sure if tripods allowed on golf courses

I would certainly stay away from cheap t mount 500

splashy · Apr 3, 2014

You said;

"I am sure at some point I understood fstop and all the other variables but to be real simple."

Then you might have high expectations on a more expensive lens and camera, there will be all kind of traps here like, camerashake, needs of light, high shutterspeed, high Iso and so on.

Maybe you better focus on a superzoom bridge camera, when posting on social media, you don't really need high mp pictures.

There are very nice superzooms with long reach on the moment and some work good in lower light situations. And probably these camera's produce better out of hand pictures.

With a 500 mm it's almost impossible to work without a tripod.

MikeInOr · Apr 3, 2014

If you want a Nikon and a buddy already has a Nikon I would recommend buying a Nikon.

I would guess that you probably don't have a very large investment in Minolta lenses so now would be the time to switch brands.

I like Sony because of the In Body Image Stabilization but I would assume most Nikon lenses would have In Lens Optical Stabilization. I also like many of the other features Sony offers but every brand has their unique list of features. I would not underestimate the value of having a system compatible with yours friends system. Being able to share equipment, tips and tricks with a fellow Nikon user should be considered in your purchasing decision!

antares103 · Apr 3, 2014

Find a good deal on a good, long lens and sped the money there. Then buy a used body to match. Even 4-6 year old entry level cameras from any brand will do fine in everyday shooting and golf. AF speed and high ISO's are not critical in this sport

The lens will be far more of a factor in IQ than the camera, and will hold its value longer than a cheap one.

I would not recommend a lens that uses a Tmount. I have never seen a Tmount lens worth the shipping cost. At least not a modern one. Plus they dont AF.

I would also suggest, if you get a Nikon, get one with a screw drive AF mechanism. The lower end D40, D50, D60, D3x00, D5x000 dont, and are more limited to the lenses they can AF with.

D80's are great cameras, and cheap.

--
Film is a four letter word

39 Steps · Apr 4, 2014

bamaspivey said:
thebustos said:

Your lenses will fit as long as they're A-mount lenses. The Minolta AF 100-400mm f/4.5-6.7 APO looks like it could be a decent telephoto option. They have one at B&H for $489.95 right now which with the A65 + 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM II would put you at $1087.95 and $1287.95 if you go with the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 kit option. B&H has $100 off selected Sony telephotos as well. So if you went with the A65 + 18-55mm + 55-300mm it would be $796 and A65 + 18-135mm + 55-300mm would be $996.

--
Good luck and happy shooting!

Click to expand...

Thanks you for the information and I have learned one thing today, I have got to go back and refresh my memory on all this stuff. I am sure at some point I understood fstop and all the other variables but to be real simple. I want to be able to take decent pictures of my daughter playing golf from a distance that a 200mm lens will not do. I thought I might save some money by getting a camera that the Minolta lenses will fit but I see that may not be the case. I am not looking to sell these pics most of them will be uploaded to some social media site or stored on my mac for personal viewing. So the last kit you mentioned for $996 looks like a real possibility if the Minolta guys tell me the lenses I have will not be a good fit got the a65. If the will work then I am going to get the a65 body and put the rest of my budget into a long lens and the $489 100-400mm looks like a good direction.

Thanks again for the great advice!

The reduced pricing available from Sony on the 18-135 and/or 55-300 lens with the A65 body is very attractive at this time. Either of those lenses could be resold individually at a price point near your cost. At least one 55-300 reviewer on the Dyxum site points out that the size and weight of this APC lens is considerably less than that of the longer lenses designed for full frame cameras, but that the image quality at 300mm can be quite good.

Decisions, decisions, but remember that the A65 camera body has "digital zoom" that is of little consequence for still photos, but can be quite handy for filling the frame on distant video.

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