Sony Alpha SLT camera's are most similar to SLR cameras in that they take interchangeable lenses. Where it gets a little different though is where the sensor shutter is concern. The SLT does not flip when a picture is taken, rather the light is transferred through a translucent mirror. Some of the available light is reflected to the electronic view finder (EVF) and the rest is sent to the sensor. There is a general loss of about 1 stop in that transfer however the sensor compensates for the loss.
Why all the trouble? The fact that the parts do not have to move makes it allot faster and able to continue to focus when the shutter button is depressed. In turn this allows for much more rapid picture taken from 7 to 12 shots a second vs. more expensive competitor model cameras. Disadvantage, Sony incorporates entirely too much propitiatory stuff into their cameras making them non-compatible with standard flash and remote shutter release accessories. Lens for the SLT are still few and expensive, however the Minolta Maxxum series camera lenses are generally compatible and cheaper to purchase.
Some good lenses to invest in as an enthusiast are;
Minolta Maxxum 50mm f/1.7 portrait lens
28-200mm general carry around lens that fits multiple purposes
and a long range telephoto lens 300mm or so.
Brand name lenses, most lenses have very little separation from company to company and lenses are re-branded from company to company. Tamron is generally the most sought after, followed by Sigma and Quantaray. However, professional photographers might be more selective about the lenses most opting for "G" type glass and/or Carl Zeiss produced lenses ranging in the $1,000's of dollars.
For the most part point-n-shoot type cameras work well for today's picture taking needs, but differ when it comes time to make that larger glossy print, where pixels get blotchy when zoomed in closer to 100% of the photo size. Good news is most SLR camera's today including the SLT's make it easy on the person who wishes to take random snapshots, by incorporating in Auto focus features and smart photo settings which determine the best settings for the conditions presented. All the photo taker must do is point, half press the shutter button for focus then press all the way. Zoom lenses may require the picture taker to manually extend and retract the lens though.
Good stuff to study if you intend on inquiring an SLR/SLT type camera; Rule of three, aperture values, ISO speeds, "f" values what do they mean. Most people will set out to purchase a camera with the lens kit, if you have a compulsive need to take photo's right away that may be the way to go. However, generally not the best route. Save your money spent on a kit and invest in a second party lens that probably can be purchased online at stores like Amazon or Ebay for allot cheaper and do much better. Example: A camera body listed at $535.00, with lens kit $640.00 a difference of $105.00. The lens kit offer was for a 18-55mm lens, I go to say Ebay and find a 28-90mm lens for $35.00 + 7 bucks shipping. I think that 28mm is quite a wide photo and the 90mm gives more range so I've saved money and got a better deal.
One last thought, in picture taking lighting is about everything, always be objective about the lighting you are getting, it may save you allot of frustration in the end. Remember it is quite easy to defuse the brightness of your pop up flash by placing something in front of it to deflect the light. Under exposures and over exposures can be corrected to some extent but, it is much better just to remember which way the sun is pointing and shield the lens from direct sunlight. Back lighting of the subject may become an issue if they are in front of a window with much light coming through, consider illuminating them using flash or reflected light from another source.
Comments
Post a Comment