Nikon D50/70 versus Sony A100

[arkin_kora]

Hi everyone,

 

I am nikon user and need to make a suggestion to a friend who wishes to buy a

sony alpha100.

 

Sony is a pretty nice camera but this brand has no dslr history that I know. I

heard that minolta and konica was behind this camera too but I don't know. And

there is no guarantee that there will be DSLR Sony cameras or lenses in the

future. If they make a big loss, they may just stop operations.

 

My friend wants sony because he found a good deal that nikon dealers can or will

not match.

 

Would you go for sony get body + two lenses or go for nikon + one lens ?

 

(Assuming lenses are somehow equal)

 

Thanks !

[jay_rick]

I'd be skeptical purchasing anything Sony right now considering the recent issues they had with sensors, batteries, and music CDs installing software that compromises your computer's security. The company is a bit of a mess right now and is basically only concerned about the PS3/BlueRay market.

 

To me it's a no brainer, go Nikon. (This is ignoring the great reputation Nikon has as well)

[ShunCheung]

Do you expect any one of us here to guarantee that Sony will continue to make DSLRs and lenses in the future? Or for that matter, Nikon will continue to do the same?

 

Life has a lot of uncertainties and risks. It'll be up to your friend to accept those risks and make her/his own decisions. The Sony is cheaper for a reason.

 

One thing I can guarantee you is that if your friends gets a Sony, his/her lenses will not be compatible with your Nikon's. If you both shoot Nikon, your lenses will be interchangable. That may be an advantage or disadvantage. For example, if you have a lot of Nikon lenses but you don't want your friend to borrow them, the compatibility would be a major negative. :-)

[CharlesBecker-Toronto]

I have the D70 which was voted Popular Photography's camera of the year in 2004; I am still very happy with it though I have to admit to having thought about the D80 once or twice. They have just voted the Sony this years camera of the year. I have a friend who has one and he loves it. I have been a Nikon user for more than 20 years and highly recommend their equipment but I'm sure the Sony is also very good. regards, cb

[crabseye]

"And there is no guarantee that there will be DSLR Sony cameras or lenses in the future. If they make a big loss, they may just stop operations."

 

That would be my biggest fear. I have seen them more than once totally abandon a product simply because it wasn't bringing enough to the bottom line for them. This is a greater risk with an electronics company (Sony) with many many types of products, compared with a camera/optics company whose whole business is based on selling this type of product.

[Peter_in_PA]

I think Sony has a real winner on their hands. It is indeed a Konica/Minolta mount, which is

great for people who have those lenses. It's a solid camera at a great price. I think Nikon

glass is better.

 

I think your friend should also consider closeouts on Digital Rebel XT, another great

camera that has lots of great glass available for it, and I think the new Pentax cameras are

fantastic, too. The 6MP cameras are available at INSANE prices, and the K100D has built-in

"image stabilization" like the Sony.

 

I'd buy Nikon (I did as a matter of fact), but Sony, Pentax, Canon... they're all making

spectacular cameras... So is Olympus. Olympus 4/3 system is really starting to come into

its own, they have some very intriguing lens options now...

 

In April of this year when I bought my first Digital SLR for myself, it was an easy choice,

Nikon D50 (price was a big concern because I wanted the 18-200 lens, which I love)...

Today, it's a lot more complicated. Good news for your friend, because there's so many

great cameras available.

[briany]

When I want to go to the zoo, I can go rent a Nikon 80-400. When travelling to California, I can stop in a photo store in SF and rent a 400mm f/3.5 to shoot wildlife. When I want a cheap ($60) macro lens, I can go on eBay and buy a used 55mm f/3.5. I can buy a 30mm f/1.4 Sigma lens for my Nikon. I can use my lenses on an old manual battery-less camera for 8 hour night exposures. Etc., etc., etc.. The breadth of the whole system and number of people using it does have an impact...

[hash]

It really depends on your friend's intention in the long term. Nikon has many lenses more easily available (including rentable). But in-body anti shake is way cool. You can have the equivalent of a 50/1.2 VR lens. Awesome!

 

So if he is intending to build up a large system of cameras and lenses and rent lenses for occassions, Nikon (or Canon) is a better choice. But if sticking with a few good lenses and a single body, I'd say Sony/Pentax sounds more appealing.

[peter_kovachevich]

The D50/D70 can make very blurry and underexposed images in the hands of an amateur. The image stabilizer on the SONY will make a huge difference to an amateur photographer... For anyone more serious about long term photography, NIKON eats SONY cameras for lunch...

[therion256]

I tried out the Sony A100, and I own the Nikon D200...I thought that the Sony felt too "plasticy" for my liking. The Nikon D70s even feels better in my hands than the Sony offering. Of course I'm a biased Nikon fan...a beginner may feel that the Sony would be more to their liking.

[sbilly]

I have a Nikon D200, it is really awesome. However the price difference with the a100

is quite a thing. Also you can use Minolta lenses on the sony, for they have the same

lense mount. And sony has been putting itself in partnership with carlzeiss, any way,

the new carlzeiss lenses for nikon are made for Film, so those wide apertures, will be

cropped.