Camera snapshot
Because I actually enjoy sussing out gadgets, I'm looking up digital SLR cameras for someone.
So far, I've narrowed it down to a three-way fight between Sony, Nikon and Canon. Sony is the clear front-runner, because the photographer in question is moving up from a trusty old Minolta film SLR, and so their existing stock of lenses will fit. (It turns out that Konica Minolta sold its camera stuff to Sony, who are now - by most reports - making a decent run with it.) Nikon and Canon won places on the longlist over the other (doubtless decent) offerings because they account for about 40% of the market each which gives them far wider accessories markets with more assured long-term futures. If a lens system switch is to happen, it needs to be one that will be a sound long-term strategy. (Four-thirds is a nice idea but very niche so far.) The budget is potentially flexible, but definitely sub £1000, and preferably far less than that. Lightweight would be a big win. The photo subjects are likely to be fairly eclectic and covering the gamut of photography genres - sports and long-lens stuff is perhaps the only very-low priority.
My pre-short list goes something like this:
Sony: Alpha 700. Alpha 380. Alpha 350.
Nikon: D5000. (D90 and D60 were potentials, but had image quality slated by Which? - the D5000 may too but is too new.)
Canon: EOS 500D, EOS 450D, EOS 1000D.
Tech specs I have aplenty. I've looked at Which? and dpreview.com. I did leaf through some specialist print magazines but found them pretty unhelpful. (I was startled to read one review which said that one fairly expensive camera's Live View wasn't very accurate about where the edges were, but that this wasn't much of a problem because it only mattered if you cared about framing ... which to my mind is almost as bizarre as saying that poor colour reproduction or optical distortions are only an issue if you care about composition.)
Anyone any good sources of reviews?
Or even better - do you have any personal experience or advice on digital SLRs?
So far, I've narrowed it down to a three-way fight between Sony, Nikon and Canon. Sony is the clear front-runner, because the photographer in question is moving up from a trusty old Minolta film SLR, and so their existing stock of lenses will fit. (It turns out that Konica Minolta sold its camera stuff to Sony, who are now - by most reports - making a decent run with it.) Nikon and Canon won places on the longlist over the other (doubtless decent) offerings because they account for about 40% of the market each which gives them far wider accessories markets with more assured long-term futures. If a lens system switch is to happen, it needs to be one that will be a sound long-term strategy. (Four-thirds is a nice idea but very niche so far.) The budget is potentially flexible, but definitely sub £1000, and preferably far less than that. Lightweight would be a big win. The photo subjects are likely to be fairly eclectic and covering the gamut of photography genres - sports and long-lens stuff is perhaps the only very-low priority.
My pre-short list goes something like this:
Sony: Alpha 700. Alpha 380. Alpha 350.
Nikon: D5000. (D90 and D60 were potentials, but had image quality slated by Which? - the D5000 may too but is too new.)
Canon: EOS 500D, EOS 450D, EOS 1000D.
Tech specs I have aplenty. I've looked at Which? and dpreview.com. I did leaf through some specialist print magazines but found them pretty unhelpful. (I was startled to read one review which said that one fairly expensive camera's Live View wasn't very accurate about where the edges were, but that this wasn't much of a problem because it only mattered if you cared about framing ... which to my mind is almost as bizarre as saying that poor colour reproduction or optical distortions are only an issue if you care about composition.)
Anyone any good sources of reviews?
Or even better - do you have any personal experience or advice on digital SLRs?