SLR-Camera Reviews

Although all the gadgets were a little overwhelming at first their instruction manual is very helpful and helped me not only with the camera but a little general photography. It would have been nice to get some batteries with it but if that's the only gripe I've got I'm pretty impressed.

The customer comments on this page were really helpful in my decision to buy this camera. I own a Canon T70, but I've hardly ever gotten knock out shots from it. Pictures were just so-so, even with a professional Kodak Supra 100 35mm film. By comparison, I took the same shots with the same film with my newly purchased Olympus IS-50. Picture quality were simply stunning with the IS-50, hands down. I couldn't be happier. Almost every shot came out crisp and clear. However, couple of bad ones were due to camera shake due to unsteady hand, not attributable to the camera itself. And for the price I got it for--it was a steal. You could hardly go wrong with its superior flash system. How it calculates the right lighting is one of its best kept secrets, I guess.

Two negatives I have though, which aren't that much, considering. It doesn't come with a remote control for self-shooting. You have to buy it separate. And the other is it's made in China! I wish it were made in Japan, but these days, the only ones they still care to manufacturer are higher-end pro cameras. But my confidence in the durability and quality of this camera is based on my belief that Olympus has rigorous quality control towards the manufacture of this camera. Good enough for me.

This camera is wonderful. I've shot two weddings for friends and now that I have a one year old running around - I'm taking pictures almost every day. People are impressed when they see me whip this camera out of the bag - but even more impressed when they see the pictures I've taken. Everything is crisp and clear and the colors are brilliant. I wish I could show you some examples to prove the ability of this camera. You don't have to be a pro to take great pictures. I highly recommend investing your money in this camera if you want something durable, something with quality and something that really takes great shots and is easy to use. GO FOR IT!

I have been using Minolta camera's for 5 years now. Until now I have been very happy with my 700si with vertical grip. The funny thing is that Minolta has had advanced technology in their camera's long before other manufacterers. With the Maxxum 9, they have made it to perfection. Used with the 5400HS flash system, you just can't go wrong. I use a Minolta flash V very often to check exposure levels and have found the Maxxum 9 is always in there with what it chooses for exposure. I really like the new locations and ways to adjust the camera. The two best improvments for me where the lighted exposure scale in the veiwfinder and the backlight on the display panel at the top of the camera. Please feel free to e-mail me if you want any information about this fine piece of engineering.

Thanx

I have owned the camera since April 2003 and it has produced some wonderful images for me. (...) . A lot of camera aficionados claim that the Maxxum 9 is not as good as the other true pro-level cameras by Nikon and Canon. On paper, there may be some merit to this argument. Going by pure specs alone on paper, the F5 and EOS1V certainly are more electronically advanced than the Maxxum 9, and the devoted pro following for these two excellent machines is a huge statement for these two brands. By the way I'll be the first to say that Nikon and Canon both make excellent products, so if all you diehard loyalists expect me to badmouth your beloved brands just because I love Minolta, I ain't that kind of guy. But in real-world shooting situations, and taken on its own merits, the Maxxum 9 is no less of a professional machine than the F5 or EOS1V. The ease of use of the Maxxum 9 shines through. Admittedly, the Maxxum 9's AF system is more basic, but the hidden beauty is that it is simple to comprehend and use, and is plenty fast to boot. The 14-segment honeycomb metering is an older design than Canon's, and certainly not as sexy-sounding as the Nikon 1005pixel RGB sensor. But the bottom line is that it produces well-exposed images on slide film at a success rate at least as good as the other two. Simply put, the Maxxum 9 is no F5 or EOS1V, nor should it be. The simple fact is that it is a very reliable, extremely easy to use picturemaker, and as long as you mount top-quality Minolta G-Series optics on it there is no reason to feel inferior standing next to someone with an F5 or EOS1V. The popular belief that Minolta optics are inferior is also undeserved. I've watched many times over as store sales people used entry level Minolta SLRs and lenses to illustrate Minolta's "inferior" build quality against a pro-level rig in the form of a Nikon F5 with an 80-200 f/2.8 AF-S !!! I still run into snobby brandname "camera collectors" who ask me this: "Why use Minolta?" upon seeing my Maxxum 9 slung around my neck. I simply say "Why not?"

I have spent a lot of time in camera stores and I have always thought Minolta products always got unfairly shoved to the side. The notion that Minolta cameras and lenses are inferior to Nikon and Canon is crap, and is perpetuated by certain camera snobs and self-proclaimed experts. I shoot regularly as an advanced amateur and I own and use the Maxxum 9. I feel that it is the most intuitive 35mm professional camera out there. The quality of construction is first rate, on par with the best that Nikon and Canon have to offer. The camera has a solid feel, everything about it is high quality. The control layout is so self-explanatory that most photographers can learn to use the camera in 5 minutes without flipping through the manual. With respect to lenses. I still run into narrow-minded people who ask me which "Nikkors" I use upon seeing my photographs, and then these self-proclaimed "experts" simply refuse to believe me when I inform them that my images are all created with Minolta AF cameras and lenses. No, I am not kicking Canon and Nikon products, obviously they are very good, several million pros using those systems cannot be wrong about them. But pretentious "camera aficionados" who slight the Maxxum 9 don't know what they are missing out on. I am sold on the Minolta Maxxum 9. When choosing lenses go for the G-Series, optically they are cut every bit as good as the very best lenses Nikon and Canon make. I've shot pictures with all these brands and even established pros who shoot with other systems admit that my images are just as sharp as any they've seen or made. And they absolutely love the 9's layout. Minolta would do well to stay with the Maxxum 9's basic concept when designing their future pro cameras. Now if they would only make a full frame digital body based on the Maxxum 9...........

The last time I purchased a 35MM SLR was 35 years ago: a Canon FTb-all manual. The only battery needed was for the light meter. This SA-9 does everything electronically and does it well. In program mode, the shutter speeds are "stepless", i.e.: the exact speed needed for the exposure. My first test roll was impressive. Night shots, day shots, sync flash in sun, etc. They all turned out great. The auto focus is just a tad bit slow, but I can live with it. I was reluctant about the proprietary choice of accessories, but Sigma makes great lenses and also a great flash (my next purchase). I'm shocked at all the features for the price. The new Sigma digital camera coming out has the new "X3" three layer CCD and is cutting edge. Sigma is a young company compared to the majors: only 40 years making lenses and 7 years making cameras. Amazon had a great price for a really good camera. Thanks again.

STUDENTS THIS IS THE BEST BET! DONOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON ALL THOSE FANCY NIKONS,CANONS OR WHAT EVER!
Most of the reviewers miss the this camera as a good starting camera for a STUDENT! let me emphasize this, that you need to have some interest in learning photography. It is a simply NO NON SENSE camera for a budget user. I have seen rantings about the single AF sensor it has but, most often people use only 1 AF sensor, simply put that is what is pratically usable! most of the pros who have 45 of them (canon) find it painful that the AF is not on the subject but some thing of either nearer or brighter and all the cameras have only the center sensor more sensitive than others. why 4/5 its ability in low light is slightly on the lower side, but it will not limit a person with basic knowledge (just read the small user guide with it) on photography from taking good photos. No other camera at this price offers you more. i would love to see focusing screens but it is ok. i have had it for OVER a YEAR & HALF. sigma has enough lenses that you can afford and difference between 40-45 (sigma) and 50 (canon) lenses does not make any difference. if you want to use it as a point and shoot it is a NONO. the commads are very intutive and the alignment is classic. it may not have the fastest AF! but for the price you pay it is way beyond the canon rebels, N55,65,70 and may be even N80.Oh btw the viewfinder was the brightest that i could find (may be comparable to F100).and the camera feels solid! the flash is really powerful! Sigma lenses are very good too! i have not found any "short commings". I like the 2CR5 battery as it is more lighter than carrying arround 4-8 AAs and it lasts much longer. i thought of 'upgrading' to nikon F100 or canon EOS 3/7NE but really did not feel the need.Reselling value is low? i have no idea ! as long it is good why sell it anyway? i should also tell you that i am an advanced amateur and by no means a pro. but i have read extensively on photography through correspondense courses, books etc. a good review of it is at popphoto.com in the cams & lenses section

All you need is a certain practical frame of mind to like sigma products!

After doing a lot of research in trying to find the perfect entry level slr- I decided to go with this camera. The only thing that makes this camera entry level is the price. As far as features go- it is in a higher class. Despite it's large variety of features, I found this camera extremely easy to operate. It is a very cut and dry layout- and considering my overall lack of knowledge when it comes to manual exposure settings- I have found that this camera makes the whole process much easier than I would have originally thought. I think Sigma did a real good job with the users manual- one thing I thought that might be lacking on this. Sigma to most people is a "chance" buy- mostly because you are limited to purchasing only Sigma lenses, as well as Sigma Flash units. But how many people buy every single lense available for Nikon, or Canon? Sigma currently has 40 very good lenses for the SA-9, as well as 2 real good flash units, one of which can be used wirelessly. For Amateur photographers that want to save some money- you can't go wrong with this camera.

Love the product, but a little disapointed in finding out both
lens are different mm, one is 55mm the other is 49mm.
how is a person to use filters interchangably between the two?

wish they both would have been 55mm

Having only used this camera for a short time I have found it to be excellent. The one thing keeping this package from getting a five star rating from me, is that the telephoto lense is quite slow, requiring well lit subjects. While this is not debilitating, depending on your uses of the camera it may come in to play. Also the auto flash is very underwelming, although the automatic adjustments of the flash (with apature ect)are executed extremely well for subjects in a close range. These are the only complaints I have with this camera. I have to say that I am very impressed with the panorama mode, and the image quality I have achieved in both automatic and manual modes. The automatic modes are easy enough to hand to anyone, and they could get a nice picture. I am extremely happy with the options I have with this camera, to double exposures, framing, sutter control, and timer, all work very well, and after some practice allow for some very intresting shots. The automatic film loading is also very easy to use and can save quite a few headaches. An excellent midrange camera.

I was initially overwhelmed with all the bells and whistles on this camera, but the instruction book is well written and I'm catching on to the countless features.

I bought this camera to replace a Canon AE-1. I am an amateur photographer with an introductory college level photography class. There is absolutely no comparison to the quality of pictures I've taken with the Minolta vs. Canon.

I took a couple of test rolls initially on the automatic mode without any expectation of the results. I was amazed how terrific ALL of my pictures turned out---even the ones I took in the park with one hand holding the camera and the other holding onto the leash of an impatient 80 pound dog. This led me to believe the camera is all but idiot proof on the automatic mode.

I am still learning how to use many of the features, but I'm having the time of my life learning the joy of using a camera that works with me vs. against me. Now I can focus more on creativity. I love the automatic focus because manually achieving perfect focus has always been one of my weaker points. Using a 75-300mm lens is new to me and I'm in awe of the versatility it offers from close ups to distance shots such as wildlife or sports. One of my favorite 'surprise,it turn out' shots from my first test roll of film was a pot of calla lilies shot from half a greenhouse away. Post card gorgeous!

I own an N70 and it has served me well. For an amatuer, and even a serious amateur, it's a great camera, however, keep in mind that the N70 lacks a few features that you may not miss at first, but may come to want over time. For example, there's no depth-of-field preview, the shutter syncs at 1/125th not 1/250th, the max shutter speed is 1/4000, half that of the 8008s or N90s, which means nothing for action photos (1/4000th is plenty fast) but in high light situtations where you are still overexposed at f22, the extra speed is necessary. Also, there's no locking button for the shutter, and no data back available. I am considering upgrading to N90s or an F4s, but I will keep the N70.

Years ago when I was looking for a SLR I was thinking of getting one of the expensive ones but people told me to start off with something like this. Well I did, and I am so happy. I love this camera. I have taken it to Italy, Netherlands, Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island in Hawaii. It has gone everywhere with me and given me some great pictures.

If you are just starting off with these cameras or even if you have been using these types of cameras for awhile you will not be disappointed with the N70.

The user interface is intuitive but non-traditional. The only camera (to my knowledge) with a comparable on camera flash is the $1300 Minolta Maxxum 9. By the time you become a serious enough photographer to need Depth of Field preview and faster synch (which the N70 does not offer) it will be time to upgrade to a more expensive model; if you are just taking family/vacation photos you will not miss these features. Nikon lenses offer an excellent value to quality ratio. I suggest starting with the Nikon 50mm/1.8 AF-D lens before purchasing a zoom lens. Eyeglass wearers will find this camera more to their liking than the Canon Elan II which is also an excellent system. The N70 will fill your point & shoot needs as well as giving you creative manual control should you decide to make photography a hobby. Pentax also makes excellent SLR cameras and should be considered if you do not anticipate becoming really serious (because Nikon has such a large market share they can offer pro-grade lenses at a lower price point). Don't forget a sturdy tripod and a camera bag.

I use this lens on the Canon Digital Rebel. It gives me great color & sharpness up to 11x14. Canon makes better lens than this but for this price range you can't beat it. I'd reccommend it to any one. If I lost this one today I'd order another one tomorrow.

I bought this lens as a general use lense when I picked up my Canon A2e several years ago. This is the lens that has lived on that camera for 99% of the time.

While this is no pro lens, for the money, you can't beat it. It's great for indoors, family shots, tight facials of the children or pets, and landscapes. it has enough flexability to take the average photographer where you want to go.

For the digital SLR cameras with the smaller sensors, the 28mm wide end may be limiting, I don't know (yet), but for 35mm film, this baby is wonderful for the money!

I also bought this lens for my Canon Digital Rebel and i think it is a really nice little lens. it is well constructed with a metal lens mount and has a super fast and quiet USM motor. be sure you get this lens and not the cheaper F4 version!

the Canon 28-135IS is also a fantastic lens but it costs twice as much and is also larger. so if you are in the market for a high quality Canon lens that does not cost an arm and a leg then i would highly suggest you get this one.

This is a pretty good bag, sturdy and well made. I was disappointed though, with the closed cell dividers. I can't figure out exactly how to use them to effectively cradle the camera without wasting space. My digital SLR fits well if laid on its side, but the extra compartments will hold only one set of batteries with charger in the front compartment - the side "fishnet" compartments are too small for this purpose and seem too insecure for anything valuable.

I have a Nikon D70 SLR. Normally I have a 28 to 200 lens on the camera. I wanted a bag that would protect the camera and let me carry a few extra items such as memory cards, spare battery and a my eye glasses. This bag is perfect. My camera has to be on its side to fit but that is not a problem. If you have to carry all of your lenses with you everywhere you go then this bag is not for you but if you want simple light weight protection for your camera while out having fun, then this is the bag for you.

A light but very robust camera bag, very protective. Inside you have the chance to layout the space with adjustable divisions.
A bag with many bags. In the sides, in the front and inside for accesories storage.

The Vivitar V4000 camera is a modern-day entry-level SLR. The K-mount lens mount was developed by Pentax and incorporated in the extremely popular Pentax K-1000 released in the 1970s and sold as new until being discontinued by Pentax recently. The K-mount is pretty much THE lens mount for manual focus lenses and is shared across several manufacturer's lines. What could have been better would be an aperture setting below 3.5-- the fact that the lowest aperture is so high makes it difficult to get good exposures in all types of weather without lowering the shutter spead or using a tripod, something that's not always handy. I found this camera easy to learn and operate. It has a great choice of shutter speed and also has a light meter that will help create great exposures, its light-weight makes it easy to handle, and it's fairly inexpensive.

If you are just getting into cameras, get something else...but if you have been with cameras for a while, even if you are a novice, this is a good buy. Good camera for on the go people. Hope this review was helpful. Ciao,

Use this camera for learning photography or for shooting as an amateur especially if you want to go into manual mode for more creative photographic effects. The solidly constructed body and 35-70 macro zoom lens are both made in Japan. The camera accepts standard/widely-available K-mount lenses and Vivitar flashes. The focusing is very easy and the zoom mechanism is very smooth. This enabled me to take high quality photos without the need for expensive lithium batteries.

So there I was... a college guy who wanted to do photography of the world around him and become the next (insert famous photographer) but had failed a class in high school and wasn't ready to drop a ton of cash on something he would be sick of in the next week.

At first, I thought this was a piece of junk. It's lightweight (almost plastic body) and didn't look like it would hold up in my klutzy lifestyle. I WAS WRONG.

This camera has traveled accross the country, been in rain and snow storms and still held up with the best cameras out there.

The only drawback is that it's a manual camera. Which means, you need to know what you are doing to take good shots. I had no idea what was going on when I first started and now I am shooting pictures that hang in galleries and have won all sorts of awards.

I will tell you that I did buy more lenses for it - and you know what! They were darn cheap on those auction websites.

This is the best camera you are gonna get for the amount of money you are spending. Don't be fooled by it's low price either. I love mine, and am hesitant to trade it in for anything else.

...

I JUST LOVE MY NEW NIKON N60 SLR CAMERA. WHILE IT IS NOT HEAVY IT IS CERTAINLY STURDY AND WELL BUILT, AND FEELS LIKE A CAMERA SHOULD. I TRIED THE CANON REBEL 2000 KIT FIRST. IT WAS JUST A FEW DOLLARS LESS THAN THE NIKON. IT WAS VERY POORLY MADE, AND THE QUALITY OF THE NIKON PICTURES ARE SO SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN THE CANNON. THIS IS THE CAMERA FOR THE TRUE AMATEUR AND I THINK YOU WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! I ALSO SCOPED OUT THE NEW MINOLTA SLR AND AFTER A VERBAL BRIEFING BY THE SALES PERSON AND TAKING IT OUTSIDE FOR A TRIAL, I KNEW THAT WOULD NEVER BE FOR ME.

I have had the N60 for about 4 months and I have taken at least 30 rolls of film with it. All of the pictures have come out great. When compared to my dads Minolta 530si, this camera is better in almost every way. Although it is a little heavy compared to the other entry level SLR's I prefer it to a lighter camera that has much less of a quality feel to it.

Nikon was recommended to me by a knowlegable coworker. I was very impressed when he told me that Nikon manufactures their own glass. He initially recommended the N80, but all I could afford at the time was the N60. It seemed like a good entry level camera for someone new to 35mm SLR photography. I bought it from Amazon in the spring of 2000. I also found the Magic Lantern Guide to the Nikon N60/F60 Camera at B&H Photo Video in New York. It was much better than the manual that came with the camera. I highly recommend the Magic Lantern Guide to Nikon Lens as well, as you are probably going to get more than one lens before you are through! I wound up getting a wide-angle 28mm f2.8, a fast 50mm f1.4, and a classic 80-200mm f2.8 zoom lens.

Anyway, the N60/F60 has been a great introduction to the world of serious photography. It doesn't have the cable release opening, debth of field preview button, multiple exposure capability, or manual DX ISO setting of the N80 but since I didn't even know what half of those things were at first I didn't miss them!

In fact, the N60/F60 has some things the upgraded N65/F65 doesn't- like a 1/125 maximum flash sync versus the N65/F65 at only 1/90, and an Exposure Lock button. In fact, both the F65/N65 and N80/F80 only have an onboard flash with a guide number of 40, vs 49 for the N60/F60!

The N60 also feels hefty but not heavy- it's sturdy and well-built but easy to hold and use. I will always be glad I that I had the pleasure of owning this camera.

The world's first interchangeable lens with a built-in image Stabilizer (IS), the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens - designed exclusively for Canon EOS cameras, dramatically reduces the chance of a blurred photograph due to camera motion ("camera shake") especially when shooting at long focal lengths with slow shutter speed. Controlled by a built-in 16-bit microcomputer, a series of gyro sensors and micro-motors instantly shift one of the lens groups to compensate for inadvertent camera motion. A very practical benefit of the IS system is a reduction in the old "focal length = shutter speed" rule by two full stops. Now you can expect sharp pictures at 200 mm with a shutter speed of only 1/60th second!

This lens has changed my whole outlook on photography. Compared to my old Canon T50 80-210mm lens, this lens is 10 times better. I can zoom up to 300mm and with image stabilizer on and get breathtakingly clear pictures that are bright colorful and just plan beautiful, even in cloudly weather.

The lens is quite heavy and feels solid compared to cheaper Canon lenses. It costs about twice as much as canon's non stabilizing lense but definitely worth the extra [price]...

I'm hoping this lense last me for years as I am just really happy that it takes awesome photos. Don't think twice about buying this one, spend the extra $$ and you really won't be sorry.

I use this lens with my Digital Rebel 6.3 megapixel camera. I'm one of those shaky photographers, and I knew from past film camera that anything beyond 150mm I would not be able to keep steady enough. I also wanted to have the ability to take photos in low light situations beyond 100mm.
This lense is basically the most affordable that Canon offers with this range flexibility (100-300mm) and with autofocus and image stabilization. Canon makes a wide array of higher end lenses, and some will offer faster image stabilization or clearer picture quality, but for most photographers, you'll find this lense works very well.
If you use the image stablization a lot (like for every picture) you may want to carry a spare battery too, as the IS feature does cause some minor battery drain depending on how much you use it. I found with my Rebel that adding the battery grip with both batteries installed not only lets me take pictures (tons of pictures!) but it also further helps balance the weight of the camera with this lense attached.