Beginner looking for a camera

[sandler]

Backshooter/Alias de(sic) jour/Alias du jour,

 

Plastic? Did I mention plastic? Are you sure you don't have me confused with someone else? I've touched plastic before...sometimes I've even enjoyed it.

 

I will check out the SA-7 the next chance I get...although from reading your description it doesn't sound like the kit lenses would make me very happy...I often like to shoot at wider apertures then the f/8 that you say is where the lenses stop "sucking." OTOH, I'll be impressed if it's truly as nice to use in manual mode as you say.

[brainbubba_motornapkins]

<I>I often like to shoot at wider apertures then the f/8 that you say is where

the lenses stop "sucking."</I><br /><br />Is not <b>quite</b> the same same

as:<br /><br /><I>The contrast and sharpness of the two zooms *suck* wide

open</I>, as I stated in my <A

HREF="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=005NYq">

first impressions</A> review.<br /><br />In any case, you omitted to mention

the MTF tests published by photodo that I quoted further down on the page,

where the two Sigma zooms perform on par with price-equivalent (and

equally slow) Auto-Nikkors.<br /><br />Good luck finding a Sigma film SLR at

your local camera store, they don't seem to be at all widely distributed

(certainly not here, I couldn't find a single dealer for them on-line in all of

Canada, coast to coast!). I bought mine sight unseen (as I did the Rollei

gear), based on assorted reviews and a recommendations from another

photonetter, and I have not been disappointed. I consider the 70-300 a

'freebie', and have taken several shots that I am delighted with. It's so small

and lightweight I just keep it in my bag, which wouldn't be possible with

anything much faster (not that I could afford it).<br /><br />If you've never

used this type of camera before, you may find the different controls, erm,

different. It took me a few rolls to get comfortable with it.<br /><br />As I've all

ready pointed out, I'm using both systems (the old Rollei manual, with primes

and a hand-held meter) and the all-auto Sigma (with the zooms, in

aperture-priority & manual focus) side-by-side on an almost daily basis. The

Rollei has the faster (50-1.8 and 28-2.8) and slightly sharper primes going for

it, the Sigma has the zoom coverage, lighter weight (and that's a huge factor

in its favor, ergonomically speaking) and AE (yielding consistently more

accurate exposures), but I honestly can't say I prefer handling one over the

other (and I've had that Rollei for almost 30 years). YMMV, eh?

[sandler]

"YMMV, eh?"

 

And, finally, there's something we agree on. :)

[brainbubba_motornapkins]

Somehow you neglected to add that little caveat to your original post.

 

;-)