Sony a450

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

I've been looking for a crop camera for wildlife shots since Saturday when I realised very quickly that my beloved Canon 5D, whilst brilliant for portraits and landscapes, just doesn't have the reach for wildlife.

I'm going to sell my Canon 40D as it's too bulky for travelling around with, plus there's no image stabilisation with my old lenses (mostly Soligors and Tamrons) and 10MP doesn't give much room for cropping birds etc.

So this left a few obvious (to me) choices - an Olympus 4/3 with IS and 2x crop factor, a Pentax with IS or a Sony with IS.

The new Sonys look particularly tasty, with very decent high ISO and live view. Was looking at the a500 and a550 with envy. Then I stumbled across the a450. Plus points for me:

* 14.2 MP
* Excellent high ISO performance
* Reasonable viewfinder (bigger than that of the a500/a550)
* Small and lightish
* Super Steady Shot
* 1.5x FOV

Obviously the a450 is a little underspecced compared to the a550 e.g. smaller, lower res screen and no fast liveview AF. But I don't use AF so that's all good. And I'm fine with my current 230k screen.

So overall, this looks like a cracking camera for my needs...it's everything I needed my a200 to be (more MP, liveview, good high ISO, 5fps). PLUS, Comet (in the UK) are selling it with the 18-55mm kit lens for just £329.99 Shocked

PLUS, they're offering 5% off at the mo Shocked

I'm really quite excited about being a Sony alpha owner again Cool

Just need one of those multi programmable adapters to enable to SSS now Smile

Anu · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 879

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

congrats graham; i had an a100 and really liked it. it was my first 'nice' dslr.

i came out a little different on this question and opted for the olympus ep2, with IS and 2x crop factor i can use some very fast lenses--a 180/2.8 obviously becomes a 360/2.8-- totally hand-hold-able and easy to carry around, plus the ep2 has an optional evf which is tremendously easy to focus with, along with the lcd focusing at 10x. i really love the portability and the 2x.

in any event, i always miss my sony, and i know you will do great things with yours!

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

Hi Tony

I was certainly tempted by the Pens, and the Sony NEX as well. If the NEX had IS built in I would certainly have bought one. The Pens are great looking cameras, and I know it would have gone down well with my other half, but the high ISO performance wasn't quite what I was looking for (I'll be shooting a lot of ISO 800-1600)..

I've owned the a100 and a200 before, and am looking forward to a new Sony on the block!

Hope you're getting on well Smile

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

graham as usual you are absolutely correct. the high iso on the olympus stinks--kinda like the a100 Very Happy

and the new sony really interested me because of the bigger sensor, but no IS and no evf (old eyes) did it in for me. but ya know, tech is planned obselesence, so within a year i know i will be trading in the ep2 for the next thing!

good luck man and will be interested to see some shots!

btw, if youre interested, here is one of my 2 favorite a100 bird photos, w minolta 75-300:
http://www.snapixel.com/image/rbelyell/set_819/68372

t

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

Great shot, that's one huge bird! Smile

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

thanks graham--i tell ya that lens, just an ordinary old minolta film lens that i picked up for maybe $50usd, and became a 450mm w crop factor, was literally the best quality ive ever had.

anyway, the bird is an osprey, native to florida and enviorns, and is an eagle relative.