New to DSLR - have an a230 - introducing myself - questions

[Headcell]

Good morning, from Southeast London.

After months and months, I've finally sold enough unwanted bits and pieces on eBay and was able to buy my first DSLR. I plumped for the a230, against the advice of other DSLR users I know (3 Nikon amateurs, 1 Canon professional) on account of it offering everything I was looking for at a fantastic price.

Read loads of reviews, and given that street price of the A230 is at around £100 less that the Nikon D3000 and Canon 1000D with kit lenses, the a230 was without a doubt the best value DSLR for me. Tried it out in the Sony Centre, and was pleased with it, so searched for the best Price and Argos came out top at £270. But I managed to get an extra £20 off a Clearance Bargain - just slightly crumpled corner on the box.

Anyway, I love the camera. Coming from consumer grade 'pocket' digital cameras, I am blown away by DLSRs. I love the instantaneous response when you press the shutter release, the focusing speed, low light response, and so on. All I have to do now is learn how to use the camera to get the best out of it.

My background is video - and that's where my main interest lies - but I want to learn more about photography as there are many times when a photo tells a better story.

Right, now to my questions. I have tried to find the answers on the forum, but as my photographic terminology is not up to scratch, I'm not sure if I;m using the correct words.

First, wearing glasses, I find I can't use the viewfinder as effectively as I would like - is there a replacement cup to replace the one that ships with the camera? One that sits proud of the camera body is what I would prefer. If not, then I'll just have to learn to like it. It's not a "show-stopper".

Second, I'm keen to shoot portrait and macro photos. More specifically, portraits of animals and children, and extreme close-up shots of creepy crawlies in the garden. So what lenses would you recommend? I'm on an exceedingly tight budget, so it has to be second hand lenses (eBay). I have my eye on a 50mm f1.8 prime. Would you recommend extension tubes, a dedicated macro lens, reverse mount adapter, or close up filter?

Related to this, I understand (thanks to this forum) that using an adapter I can use M42 fit lenses (which are half the price of the alpha fit lenses on eBay). If i do this, am I right to believe that it would be better to use an AF-confirm adapter? Now, if I use such an adapter, what mode should I shoot in? What functions of the lens will I not be able to set directly from the camera? The shots that some of you have posted using M42-fit lenses are amazing, but are they shot entirely in manual mode?

I'll stop asking questions now! Thank for your time everyone... i hope one day soon I'll be able to make a worthy contribution.

Ken

[aster]

Welcome Headcell!

We have some really good macro shooters with interesting lenses who probably will gladly be of help ...

Nice to have you among us.

Please share any kind of shooting experience and photos with us. We're open to all views and styles...

Looking forward to your participations!

Yildiz

[Headcell]

Please share any kind of shooting experience and photos with us. We're open to all views and styles...

I can take a reasonable picture with my Canon A560* camera, but that's because I've had time to learn its quirks and strengths, and I know how to manipulate it to my advantage. This is what I have to learn to do with the a230. And that means that I have not yet developed a shooting style.

(*Great camera that can be hacked to shoot RAW and do a few things normally seen only on DSLR cameras.)

With video I've been shooting macro footage using a close-up filter that works magnificently. I've also used a reverse mount SLR lens, but this is trickier to shoot with - the aperture has to be wide open, otherwise the blades are visible in the video. But wide open means the DoF is too narrow. So I just stick with the filter.

I'm hoping what I know about shooting video will help me shoot stills. ISO is something new to me, and terms like 'fast lens'. But I think I understand...

Time to open my mind to more learning, and get to grips with this hobby. As soon as I have something I'm pleased with, I'll post it for comments.

I am sooo loving this camera.

Ken

[David Kilpatrick]

Welcome. Last question first - yes, get an AF confirm adaptor. Be careful as two cheap one I bought do not actually fit at all, the engineering is wrongly completed and to try to force it on the camera would cause damage. If the adaptor feels anything except perfect when mounted, and does not fit easily, don't risk jamming it on.

Your best bet would be to obtain a secondhand Sigma 50mm EX macro lens, a Cosina or Vivitar 100mm macro lens, or something similar. The Cosina/Vivitar/Soligor design is light weight but optically pretty good and may cost under £100 with luck. The cheapest Sony macro is the 30mm f/2.8 - I love this lens, but it involves very close working distances and that may not suit you.

There are no replacement eyecups of a different shape, as it's important the eye-start sensors are left uncovered. I wear specs and have never had any problem with the A200 series. You can of course just remove the rubber pad entirely. Any standard Pentax/Minolta fit eyecup will replace it, but they may not allow correct operation of the eyestart system which turns the screen on and off.

David

[KevinBarrett]

First, wearing glasses, I find I can't use the viewfinder as effectively as I would like - is there a replacement cup to replace the one that ships with the camera? One that sits proud of the camera body is what I would prefer. If not, then I'll just have to learn to like it. It's not a "show-stopper".

There is a 1.15x eyepiece magnifier (model number: FDA-ME1AM) that I use on my a700 and works with all of the other APS-C Alpha models (not sure about the a5XX). It has an eyepiece cup that physically sits out from the camera body, but it gobbles up some of the overall eye relief distance in the trade for a magnified view. My wife is slightly near-sighted, wears glasses, and will just remove the eyepiece cup/magnifier attachment altogether when she uses my camera.

Second, I'm keen to shoot portrait and macro photos. More specifically, portraits of animals and children, and extreme close-up shots of creepy crawlies in the garden. So what lenses would you recommend? I'm on an exceedingly tight budget, so it has to be second hand lenses (eBay). I have my eye on a 50mm f1.8 prime. Would you recommend extension tubes, a dedicated macro lens, reverse mount adapter, or close up filter?

I'd recommend Sony's 30/2.8 SAM Macro. I don't have it, but I don't know of anybody that's dissatisfied with it, and it wins over new users all the time. It's a great focal length that just happens to offer seriously close focusing ability. At f/2.8, it isn't overly fast, but it's faster than your kit lens. You can always find a Minolta 50/1.7 later for fairly little cash if you want something longer and faster, I just think the 30mm Macro would be more rewarding to a new user.

Hopefully Doctor Harout will chime in here. He uses the 30mm Macro and, if I'm not mistaken, adapts plenty of odd macro lenses to his camera.

[Javelin]

Welcome and congradulations.

Good morning, from Southeast London.



First, wearing glasses, I find I can't use the viewfinder as effectively as I would like - is there a replacement cup to replace the one that ships with the camera? One that sits proud of the camera body is what I would prefer. If not, then I'll just have to learn to like it. It's not a "show-stopper"

There are lots of adaptors and eyecups that fit I don't wear glasses so I can't really recommend anything.


Second, I'm keen to shoot portrait and macro photos. More specifically, portraits of animals and children, and extreme close-up shots of creepy crawlies in the garden. So what lenses would you recommend? I'm on an exceedingly tight budget, so it has to be second hand lenses (eBay). I have my eye on a 50mm f1.8 prime. Would you recommend extension tubes, a dedicated macro lens, reverse mount adapter, or close up filter?


Portraits usually like to have wider apertures the 50mm is a good choice but also the 30mm macro might be a good choice these are both inexpensive from Sony for new lenses. another otopn of a minolta 50MM which will be a ittle less than the sony. be carefull that the aperture is still good though these tend to get oily and sticky when old. Also you canlt go wrong with a good beercan. the F4 and a little more distance from your subject usually yeilds very nice portraits.

Related to this, I understand (thanks to this forum) that using an adapter I can use M42 fit lenses (which are half the price of the alpha fit lenses on eBay). If i do this, am I right to believe that it would be better to use an AF-confirm adapter? Now, if I use such an adapter, what mode should I shoot in? What functions of the lens will I not be able to set directly from the camera? The shots that some of you have posted using M42-fit lenses are amazing, but are they shot entirely in manual mode?

with this you will be shooting strictly in M mode

I'll stop asking questions now! Thank for your time everyone... i hope one day soon I'll be able to make a worthy contribution.

Ask as many questions as you like.

Ken

[Headcell]

Lots of welcome advice here - thank you. I've bought an AF confirm from an eBay seller (having checked that other buyers are satisfied with the fit of the adapter - thanks David for warning me about this). I've got my eye on some M42 lenses for macro and portrait. But I'm a little confused about the macro. Some macro lenses seem to offer various levels of zoom - should I be looking at a prize macro, or is a zoom macro acceptable? (is my terminology correct?)

Can a macro lens be used as a portrait lens? I'm not sure if that's the correct question to ask... I suppose I'm trying to ask what it is that makes a macro lens a macro lens - is it purely the closest distance at which the lens can focus? So many numbers and letters to understand!

[WaltKnapp]

I've got my eye on some M42 lenses for macro and portrait. But I'm a little confused about the macro. Some macro lenses seem to offer various levels of zoom - should I be looking at a prize macro, or is a zoom macro acceptable? (is my terminology correct?)

Can a macro lens be used as a portrait lens? I'm not sure if that's the correct question to ask... I suppose I'm trying to ask what it is that makes a macro lens a macro lens - is it purely the closest distance at which the lens can focus? So many numbers and letters to understand!

A macro lens can be used as a normal lens. They can focus out to infinity.

However macro lenses do differ from standard lenses. First off the optics is designed and optimized for the close end, standard lenses are optimized, designed and corrected for infinity focus. This involves significant differences in the optical elements of the lenses.

Next macro lenses are designed to have a flat focus field. This means that if you are, say, copying a flat document all areas of the document laid out flat will be in focus at the same time. While this can be true with other lenses, many have curved focus fields. This aspect of macro lenses has to do with pre xerox use of macro lenses where they were often used to copy documents.

Typically a macro lens will also have better manual focus control and extended focus scales. For precise control of focus (and DOF). Macro work requires far more use of manual focus methods.

Now to macro lenses. I have the 30mm SAM macro, the 50mm f2.8 D macro, the 100mm f2.8 D macro, the 200mm f4 G macro lenses. (Plus a couple dozen more specialized macro lenses for greater than 1:1 macro) Of these the most used for my extensive macro shooting is the 100mm f2.8 macro, that's my workhorse in macro. This provides better working distance and easier lighting control than the shorter lenses and is not as heavy and bulky as the 200mm. It scares less skittish animals than the shorter lenses too. I've shot many, many thousands of macro shots with the 100mm or it's various earlier incarnations all the way back to the MF days.

My opinion of the 30mm macro is that it's a extremely poor lens FOR MACRO. Many who are claiming it's good are not actually macro shooters but mostly using it for other types of shooting. The lens at 1:1 (the only true macro it does) gives you such a short working distance it's near impossible to get other than lighting from the side, direct lighting is blocked by the lens itself. And for anything that's at all skittish you are practically touching them. The lens has a special groove part way back on it for mounting Sony's twin macro flash, but that can't get direct light either. Farther, in my opinion, the lens is lightly built and has a plastic mount so I don't expect it to have a long life. If you are buying for macro I say avoid this lens.

With hunting on ebay for a little while you can probably come up with the Tamron 90 mm macro or maybe even the 100mm Sony or Minolta macros at prices competitive with the new price of the 30mm. And they will be much better for macro shooting. In Minolta 100mm you want to stick with the D version as the older A Mount versions have much poorer focus ring systems.

I'd strongly recommend going with a regular A Mount macro lens rather than a lens on an adapter. Learning macro will be the easiest that way.

Walt

[UrsaMajor]

First, wearing glasses, I find I can't use the viewfinder as effectively as I would like - is there a replacement cup to replace the one that ships with the camera? One that sits proud of the camera body is what I would prefer. If not, then I'll just have to learn to like it. It's not a "show-stopper".

I assume that your issue with the viewfinder and your eyeglasses is that you cannot properly see the entire frame while wearing your glasses. I have the same issue, and there are a couple of possible solutions that may work for you, IMO.

The first possible solution may or may not work on the A230, as I am not certain if the A230 has the same capability as my A700. Check to see if the A230 has a small toothed wheel at the right side of the viewfinder near the top. If that wheel IS there on the A230, it can be used to make a diopter adjustment to the image seen through the viewfinder. Let the camera autofocus on some distinctive pattern or scene, then take off your eyeglasses and look through the viewfinder while running the diopter wheel through its range of adjustment. If your image is suitable, there should be a position in the travel of the wheel where the image is much sharper. Leave the wheel in that postion and you can probably shoot without wearing your eyeglasses, which should let you use the original cup.

If the A230 does not have the diopter adjustment, or if you require a larger correction than can be provided by the built-in adjustment, you may wish to investigate the second solution. Sony sells diopter correction lenses that are designed to slip over the camera's viewfinder. I believe that they fit under the cup, but I have not used one myself and thus lack personal knowledge. Find out what correction you need, and then purchase that correction for use on your camera. I do not recall the price of the viewfinder corrective lenses, but I seems to remember that it did not seem excessive when I saw them in the Sony store here, and I assume the price would be similar in England. (At the risk of stating the obvious, if you do decide to add a corrective lens to your camera, go to a store and confirm that it meets your needs before you make the purchase.)

Both of these solutions are not perfect, as they require you to remove your eyeglasses while shooting. Personally, I do not really find it a problem, as I have been doing this for years and it is second-nature to me. I just pull off my eyegasses and slip them into my shirt pocket while taking pictures. Your reaction may be different.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

[Dr. Harout]

Ken, I got late in replying. so all is left for me to say is a big welcome.

[Headcell]

Good evening. I'm keeping an eye on ebay for the lenses you have suggested.

The a230 does have the diopter adjustment, and I have tried it, but I don't like to take my glasses off... I'm highly likely to put them down and forget about them! I think the FDA-ME1AM looks like the solution that would be best for me. I'll pop down to the Sony Centre to try one out.

My wife loves the camera, too. I can see we'll be fighting over it She'll win...

[Birma]

Hi Headcell, welcome to the forum from me as well. Congratulations on your new camera A lens you see a lot on eBay is the Minolta AF 35-70 F4. It is cheap (around £20-25) has a macro facility (not 1:1, and you have to use manual focus), and is small and light(-ish). I have one and it is fun to use and I think worth the small outlay.

[Wes Gibbon]

The a230 does have the diopter adjustment, and I have tried it, but I don't like to take my glasses off... I'm highly likely to put them down and forget about them!

I use one of those cords that you fix round the earpieces of your specs and put round your neck. I think they look naff so I only use them for photography and keep in my camera bag.

You might like to note that the diopter adjustment lenses that fit into the viewfinder are not compatible with the Sony anglefinder (very useful with macro when you are grovelling on the woodland floor!). I found a third-party angle-finder which doesn't quite fit properly, so it can accommodate the additional diopter lens. The adjuster that is built into my A900 does not give me enough adjustment on its own. I'm quite short-sighted (and, now approaching my 60th year, long-sighted as well!)

[David Kilpatrick]

I use one of those cords that you fix round the earpieces of your specs and put round your neck. I think they look naff so I only use them for photography and keep in my camera bag.

I tried that but always end up returning to the built-in solution, large ears and Cro-Magnon eyebrow ridge. Just lift the specs up and sit them there. I then spend ages looking for them later on

David

[Headcell]

The joy of specs...