What do I get then?! Sony A500/550, A700, Canon 500d?

G

guitarcarfanatic

Suspended / Banned
Messages
4
Name
Rob
Edit My Images
No
Hi All,

I'm looking for my first DSLR after a brief flutter with an OM10 several years back.

It's a bit of an odd mix of cameras that I am looking at for my first DSLR. I am very interested in the Sony Alpha cameras due to the fact they take minolta lens which can be had for bargain prices in secondhand shops. The built in Image stabalisation appeals as well as I have terrible problems keeping a camera still!

Options I have seen are an A500 for £260 secondhand, mint condition. Otherwise an A700 in mint condition for £350. Both are for the body only and I think I would prefer the A700 due to the better build, more traditional SLR design and superior viewfinder. The A500 does still look good though and Live view would be useful at times, but to learn photography, the A700 looks a better bet and should last me longer. A550 is also a similar shout with the better screen over the A500.

The other option is a Canon 500d with lens from Canon (refurbished) for £330. Obviously, the lenses need to be stabalised to get any benefit (which the kit lens is), but seems a great price for a well regarding camera.

I have looked at Nikon's, but the D90 is the only one that really interests me and it's a little beyond my budget.

I was hoping someone here might be able to give me some real life feedback of using some of these cameras.

I think the A700 is edging it at the moment, but I haven't discounted the other 2.

I used to love the fact I could pick lenses up for next to nothing for my old olympus and by the looks of things, it can be done for the Sony's too with so many great Minolta lenses still knocking about.

Anyway, your thoughts are most welcome!

Cheers everyone in advance!

Rob
 
A700 is a good work horse camera. Better built than the A500. In body stabilisation is very useful as it means any old minolta af fit lens is automatically stabilised.

There are quite a few A700 owners floating around on here.
 
I am only starting out in Photography and I have the 550D and started out on the 1000D. I absolutely love the 550D and I am already planning my next upgrade! I think if you can get hold of one second hand they are going really cheap at the moment! I wish I had of saved my money and got one second hand as I paid £540 for the body only in Jessops and I have seen them on here around the £300 mark! :lol:
 
in terms of build & handling the A700 is in a class above any of the others that you have listed (the Canon equiv. would be a 40D or 50D).
However, it doesn't have some of the features (live view, video) that a more recent body would have.
what do you envisage as your main area of interest?

iirc the difference between the A500 & A550 is the sensor not the screen?
if you can find one & have the budget you may want to look at the A580.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the responses!

Yeh, I gathered the A700 was a bit of a different beast. Your right, the A500 and A550 do have different sensors as well.

I envisage landscape photography to be a main priority, possibly some wildlife and outdoor shots (i.e if i'm out for a walk!). Also perhaps some night time photography (blurred car light shots etc).

Liveview would be nice, but not a necessity (i'm assuming what you can see through liveview when outdoors in bright sunlight would be minimal anyway!). I'm not fussed with video either, it just doesn't appeal.

The 500d does seem a good buy and the price is great, but the build quality puts me off a bit. Lenses seem reasonably cheap for the Canon though.

I would ideally like to get something that I can buy and not really have to updrade for a while hence why i'm leaning towards the A700. It's just getting on a bit though. Saying that though, my Fuji S6500 still produces excellent images despite only being 6mp and our daily snapper a canon S70 also produces excellent pics. I imagine I would never need the pictures any bigger than A4 which even my S6500 handles reasonable well.

Cheers for the responses so far!
 
I have both the a700 and the a580 (after a short time with the a500).

I would suggest you think first what you want to shoot. performance-wise the a500 is better than the 700 as it is much better in low light shooting. So if you plan to do a lot of low-light and tripod work (where live view is very handy) then i would go for whichever of the 500/550/580 you can afford.

On the other hand the a700 feels much better to shoot with and is a much more customisable body.

so you choose.

any specific questions you have here I am ;)
 
iced_jacob said:
the a500 is better than the 700 as it is much better in low light shooting.
Click to expand...
imo this isn't true, they both use the same sensor.
The A580 however is definitely better @high iSO & has better AF.
It also adds Liveview, video & a tiltable screen but in build & some other features it's not upto the A700.
 
heidfirst said:
imo this isn't true, they both use the same sensor.
The A580 however is definitely better @high iSO & has better AF.
It also adds Liveview, video & a tiltable screen but in build & some other features it's not upto the A700.
Click to expand...

i don't know whether the sensor is the same or not but my a700 at iso 1600 is noiser than what my a500 at 3200 was...
(check the DxO ratings they also confirm this: http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Camera-Sensor-Ratings/(type)/usecase_sports)
 
I can't say why but the high ISO DxO result for the A700 has always struck me as wrong.
However, even if you believe it it's only ~ 1/3 stop difference.

I assume that we are talking RAW not jpeg?
 
heidfirst said:
I can't say why but the high ISO DxO result for the A700 has always struck me as wrong.
However, even if you believe it it's only ~ 1/3 stop difference.

I assume that we are talking RAW not jpeg?
Click to expand...

Yeap that's Raw I m talking about. In general i found the 500 to be about one stop better than the 700 (v4 firmware)
 
iced_jacob said:
Yeap that's Raw I m talking about. In general i found the 500 to be about one stop better than the 700 (v4 firmware)
Click to expand...
well even the DxO results that I disagree with say it's around 1/3 of a stop which is barely noticeable.
A700>A580 is only ~ 1 Stop & that seems about right to me (& I have both like you).

wonder if it's a setting or RAW processor issue? :thinking:
 
heidfirst said:
well even the DxO results that I disagree with say it's around 1/3 of a stop which is barely noticeable.
A700>A580 is only ~ 1 Stop & that seems about right to me (& I have both like you).

wonder if it's a setting or RAW processor issue? :thinking:
Click to expand...

Hm...maybe...but as i don't have the a500 anymore i will probably never find out :D

Anw depending on the budget I would probably go:
- sub 250: a500
- sub 350: a700 if you don't need live view
- over 400: a580
 
iv got the @550 and my wife has the @580,there is a difference in high iso images but the @550 will be ok upto 3600.

the 580 has hd video and more mp`s.

there both great and a huge jump up from my @350 which is a great starter dslr.
 
Last edited:
I went from the Sony a200 to the a700 and just loved the camera from the start.Upgrading again to the Sony 850/900 because I love the layout of the Sony cameras and it's just like having a ff a700.

Keep an eye out in the classifieds as will be putting my a700 up for sale this week or maybe even today with an almost brand new Sony 35mm 1.8 lens attached.:)
 
Thanks for the response guys. Rally useful. I will now mull over whether the A700 is worth the money over the A500.

@DEANSUPREME - I have sent you a message.

Cheers,

Rob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top