Bestbuy: Sony A300 (Liveview) 2 Lens Kit $580

[Skipper]

Best Buy has, in their print ad (also viewable online) the DSLR Sony Alpha 300 + 2 kit lens (18-70, 70-300) for $580. This model has (a good) implementation of live view. Note that I can't find the package price for order on their website, but it is on the ad.

It is a great alternative to the Canon's that ppl may be looking at. Note that it does take all Minolta AF lenses, which includes some pretty nice glass. Also has a 2 year warranty.

Sigh... if only it was this price 6 months ago when I got my A200 pkg for the same price...:(

[mxz600]

anybody buying a DSLR and plan on using liveview.. your kidding yourself, just buy a point n shoot for 99$

Live view slows the dslr to PnS speeds which defeits the purpose of DSLR. Novilty marketing ploy for people to upgrade to DSLR's from PnS

[Maro15]

anybody buying a DSLR and plan on using liveview.. your kidding yourself, just buy a point n shoot for 99$

Live view slows the dslr to PnS speeds which defeits the purpose of DSLR. Novilty marketing ploy for people to upgrade to DSLR's from PnS

How (and what??) does it slow down?

While this might be indeed a selling point for people used to P&S, adding a live view on a screen that you can tilt enables one to easily shoot from uncommon positions, such as mini-tripod on the ground or shooting from above the head (concerts?). I agree though, that for first-time SLR user it might boil down to P&S in auto mode.

EDIT: If anyone doesn't need the live view, BLACKs has Sony A200 on sale for $450 (http://blackphotostore.com/english/proddetail.asp?sku=3370). The Sony 75-300 Lens (http://blackphotostore.com/english/proddetail.asp?sku=3306) is also on sale for $130. Funny how at BLACKs A200+75-300 costs as much as A300+75-300 at BestBuy... Personally I'd get A200 and save the $130 to get some better lens than the Sony's 75-300, as I don't want live view.

[minilarkie]

Sony Liveview is very good. Compare to Cannon.

[Viper98]

anybody buying a DSLR and plan on using liveview.. your kidding yourself, just buy a point n shoot for 99$

Live view slows the dslr to PnS speeds which defeits the purpose of DSLR. Novilty marketing ploy for people to upgrade to DSLR's from PnS

actually the sony alpha SLR's have live view that is just as good as any P&S and substantially better than any other SLR

[deppiz]

Best Buy has, in their print ad (also viewable online) the DSLR Sony Alpha 300 + 2 kit lens (18-70, 70-300) for $580. This model has (a good) implementation of live view. Note that I can't find the package price for order on their website, but it is on the ad.

It is a great alternative to the Canon's that ppl may be looking at. Note that it does take all Minolta AF lenses, which includes some pretty nice glass. Also has a 2 year warranty.

Sigh... if only it was this price 6 months ago when I got my A200 pkg for the same price...:(

Just bought it yesterday, no regret! Truely impressed.... Same price can't even get a Canon Xsi...

[Stabilo7]

I got the A200 because I didn't really like the a300/a350 viewfinder. It is smaller than the A200. The Liveview is nice, but for a dslr, you should be relying on it anyways.

[KorruptioN]

anybody buying a DSLR and plan on using liveview.. your kidding yourself, just buy a point n shoot for 99$

Live view slows the dslr to PnS speeds which defeits the purpose of DSLR. Novilty marketing ploy for people to upgrade to DSLR's from PnS

Get a clue. Sony's live-view implementation is by far the best for the average consumer. It is miles ahead of any other manufacturer in terms of speed, because it uses the fast phase-detect AF system, rather than the slow contrast-detect system everybody else uses.

[lorenzo1000]

Try this link:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=BDL10001688&catid=20222

[Rx-87]

too bad FS doesn't sell this.. so no price match

=(

Clever FS.. in not stocking the A300.. but only the A200 & A350

[jumoyolin]

Get a clue. Sony's live-view implementation is by far the best for the average consumer. It is miles ahead of any other manufacturer in terms of speed, because it uses the fast phase-detect AF system, rather than the slow contrast-detect system everybody else uses.

Exactly, its by far the best live-view system out there.
Doesn't even have to flip the mirror, unlike other DSLRs which uses the sensor for live-view which is like a point-n-shoot.

Just check the bottom of this page @ dpreview:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydslra350/page9.asp

[bluga]

anybody buying a DSLR and plan on using liveview.. your kidding yourself, just buy a point n shoot for 99$

Live view slows the dslr to PnS speeds which defeits the purpose of DSLR. Novilty marketing ploy for people to upgrade to DSLR's from PnS

True if you use Canon, Nikon, Olympus....etc.

However Sony's live-view is ultra FAST, it performs just like an DLSR.

[night_day]

It's just a stupid comment in general. There is always situations where live view is useful. Certain angles where you can't see the viewfinder, etc. It's a good feature even for 1 off shots. I hate camera snobs :)

[lewdvig]

Poor Sony and their memory cards. I love these cams but hate CF.

A SD card would be better, in my case (probably rare) even a MS would have been better.

[deppiz]

Poor Sony and their memory cards. I love these cams but hate CF.

A SD card would be better, in my case (probably rare) even a MS would have been better.

There's DUO/CF adaptor as well as SDHC/CF adaptor.

[Cero21]

Poor Sony and their memory cards. I love these cams but hate CF.

A SD card would be better, in my case (probably rare) even a MS would have been better.

CF is the standard for DSLRs. It's not a Sony thing.

However, some manufacturers are starting to add SD slots too.

[Busta]

i like my A200 cause of the view finder is bigger ... if the view finder was bigger on the a300 then it would be much worth it ... and i already bought the 75-300 lens from blacks saturday night sooo ... alls good for me

nevertheless the price is HOT ... remember though it doesnt come with a carry bag

[golden]

I don't think Live View is really that useful. Ok, Sony Live View may be faster than the others, but one of the main feature on SLR (at least to me) is to view what you actually see in the lens vs some LCD screens. At least I haven't even used the Live View function on my Nikon once, that's right, not even once.

I can imagine if the SLR can take HD video, then viewing through LCD is useful though.

[milhaus]

I don't think Live View is really that useful. Ok, Sony Live View may be faster than the others, but one of the main feature on SLR (at least to me) is to view what you actually see in the lens vs some LCD screens. At least I haven't even used the Live View function on my Nikon once, that's right, not even once.
Good for you, but so what if you're not in shooting situations that take advantage of the Live View implementation? The articulated live view in the Sony cameras is excellent for taking shots of children/pets at eye level, concert footage, or anything where there's crowds involved. I don't use the Live View implementation in my XSi very much, but that's because it doesn't have an articulated screen, and Canon's implementation blows.

[prod]

I can imagine if the SLR can take HD video, then viewing through LCD is useful though.

Im thinking now that they have liveview they will be putting video capture in the next generation. Its pretty much a software update now.

[MrDisco]

Im thinking now that they have liveview they will be putting video capture in the next generation.

you're behind :P check the new Nikon D90 and Canon EOS 5D Mark II

[prod]

you're behind :P check the new Nikon D90 and Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Ah cool. Hopefully it will come down to the lower end then. Sure its not customary in the DSLR market, but if most of the hardware is already installed, why not?

[jaisan]

Ah cool. Hopefully it will come down to the lower end then. Sure its not customary in the DSLR market, but if most of the hardware is already installed, why not?

As the DSLR + HD video getting into the market, this will happen soon.

[TheGreek]

Is the 75-300 lens any good? I want to get a zoom lens but have no idea what to get. Aren't these telephoto lenses usually very expensive?

Is there a difference between zoom lens and telephoto? Go easy on me...newb here.

[jumoyolin]

Is the 75-300 lens any good? I want to get a zoom lens but have no idea what to get. Aren't these telephoto lenses usually very expensive?

Is there a difference between zoom lens and telephoto? Go easy on me...newb here.

nope, stay away from the sony 75-300. i would recommend the sigma 70-300 APO, the tamron 70-300, or a minolta 70-210mm f4 (beercan lens). it should cost you around 200 something bucks. it depends, if you want fast telephoto, it can be very expensive. if you have more cash, the new sony 70-300mm G is suppose to be really good.

zoom lens means there is a range of focal range, for example, 18-70mm would be a zoom lens, and on the other hand, a prime lens would be fixed focal length, like 50mm, would be prime lens.
and telephoto, is usually anything above 50mm, and you probably guess it, wide would be below 50mm

[Sinoed]

Looks like BB has some decent prices on camera's right now. For an extra $200 you can get a 12.2 Canon XSi (vs. the 10MP Sony), with the 18-55 IS lense (vs. non-IS) and the 75-300 telephoto. On sale til the end of today..

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=BDL10001496&catid=20222

Now if only they'd feature the lenses for more than $20 off.. :D

[KorruptioN]

Is the 75-300 lens any good? I want to get a zoom lens but have no idea what to get. Aren't these telephoto lenses usually very expensive?

Is there a difference between zoom lens and telephoto? Go easy on me...newb here.

Don't get a lens just because the focal length coverage is greater. If you have no idea what to get, stick to the standard 18-70mm kit lens until you can figure out what kind of shooting you do. It's pointless to buy telephoto lenses right away if you don't even know what they do.

nope, stay away from the sony 75-300. i would recommend the sigma 70-300 APO, the tamron 70-300, or a minolta 70-210mm f4 (beercan lens). it should cost you around 200 something bucks. it depends, if you want fast telephoto, it can be very expensive. if you have more cash, the new sony 70-300mm G is suppose to be really good.

zoom lens means there is a range of focal range, for example, 18-70mm would be a zoom lens, and on the other hand, a prime lens would be fixed focal length, like 50mm, would be prime lens.
and telephoto, is usually anything above 50mm, and you probably guess it, wide would be below 50mm

I won't recommend Sigma's 70-300APO. While a very good and very sharp lens, some of them have problems with the focus scale rings blowing out due to the high-torque from the Alpha screw-drive AF module. Tamron's 70-300 is quite good.

Looks like BB has some decent prices on camera's right now. For an extra $200 you can get a 12.2 Canon XSi (vs. the 10MP Sony), with the 18-55 IS lense (vs. non-IS) and the 75-300 telephoto. On sale til the end of today..

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=BDL10001496&catid=20222

Now if only they'd feature the lenses for more than $20 off.. :D

More megapixels aren't better, and you don't need IS in the lens with Sony Alpha bodies. All the stabilization is sensor-based, meaning all your lenses are stabilized. Apples and oranges, in other words.

[jumoyolin]

Don't get a lens just because the focal length coverage is greater. If you have no idea what to get, stick to the standard 18-70mm kit lens until you can figure out what kind of shooting you do. It's pointless to buy telephoto lenses right away if you don't even know what they do.

Agreed. Also keep in mind its quite harder to get a good shot with a telephoto lens, as any handshake would be amplified quite a bit especially if there is not that much light. Under bright sun light it should be ok though...

I won't recommend Sigma's 70-300APO. While a very good and very sharp lens, some of them have problems with the focus scale rings blowing out due to the high-torque from the Alpha screw-drive AF module. Tamron's 70-300 is quite good.

wow! i didn't know the Sigma would blow out! Is that on the A700 or even on the other models? The Tamron 70-300 is less expensive but have the same specs anyway...


More megapixels aren't better, and you don't need IS in the lens with Sony Alpha bodies. All the stabilization is sensor-based, meaning all your lenses are stabilized. Apples and oranges, in other words.

Very true, if you plan to get alot of glass with IS, the alpha might be a good choice since you don't get ripped with every single IS lens from canon or VR from nikon. i can't comment on the effectiveness since i don't have a canon or nikon, but the alpha's body IS has work quite well for me.

[TheGreek]

Awesome, thanks for the responses. To summarize:

SONY 75-300 is on sale for $129.99 at Blacks.
Tamron 70-300 is listed for $229.99 at Henry's.
The SONY 70-300mm G that was recommended is listed for $799.95 at Vistek.ca

My dilemma...will I be happy with the 75-300? The price is awesome and I'm not a pro. All I want to do is bring my subjects closer. For example, the kids school Christmas concert is in their gymnasium. If I'm sitting half-way back and keep in mind the lighting will be standard gymnasium lighting (I assume alot of the lights will be off to focus on the stage), would I notice a difference between the cheap sony and the tamron?

Thanks alot guys!

[jumoyolin]

Awesome, thanks for the responses. To summarize:

SONY 75-300 is on sale for $129.99 at Blacks.
Tamron 70-300 is listed for $229.99 at Henry's.
The SONY 70-300mm G that was recommended is listed for $799.95 at Vistek.ca

My dilemma...will I be happy with the 75-300? The price is awesome and I'm not a pro. All I want to do is bring my subjects closer. For example, the kids school Christmas concert is in their gymnasium. If I'm sitting half-way back and keep in mind the lighting will be standard gymnasium lighting (I assume alot of the lights will be off to focus on the stage), would I notice a difference between the cheap sony and the tamron?

Thanks alot guys!

You might be happy with it, for 130 bucks its quite an affordable lens. But personally, I would go for the Tamron 70-300, which has a much better macro feature compared to the sony 75-300. It really depends on your needs. www.dyxum.com should be able to help you.

[TheGreek]

Thanks alot jumoyolin,

I will be buying the Tamron! The dyxum.com site is awesome too!

Thanks again!

[jumoyolin]

Thanks alot jumoyolin,

I will be buying the Tamron! The dyxum.com site is awesome too!

Thanks again!

Glad you finally decided which one to buy!
Yes, the tamron's macro ratio at 1:2 should be a much better lens to have.