Camera Labs

Hi, I currently have a Minolta DiMage Z1 for past 3 yrs; and have thought of upgrading to an SLR. My choices are between A100 and Canon Rebel XT. I have heard that Canon offers many more lenses and accessories than Sony; but also that the A100 accepts Minolta lenses which are prevelant.

So, can anyone tell me about this..?? The image stabilization of A100 has been a very major point in my decision to that way. The IS lenses of Canon are more expensive. So, is it worthwhile to buy a cheaper Rebel XT (D 350) and get an expensive IS lens .. or just to go for A100??

Thanks in advance.

Hello and welcome to the Cameralabs forums.

Yes, you're right, the Sony has a rebranded Minolta mount, so should take any Minolta lens, but there are a larger variety of Canon lenses available.

That said, few people would own more than a few lenses, so the number which are available is rarely an issue - whats more important is if the particular lenses you desire are available, and also if they are within your budget.

It's certainly a tough choice though deciding between the Canon Rebel XT plus, say, EF-S 17-85 IS, versus the Sony A100 with 18-70mm. Both are excellent packages.

We'd advise going over our reviews and results for all these products, but crucially going into a store and picking both up to see which feels better in your hand. Since both products deliver excellent results, their actual look and feel should decide it for you.

Also bear in mind Canon will almost certainly announce the Rebel XT's successor in the next month, so we'd recommend waiting to see what comes out before making a final decision. If you're looking at the Sony A100, you should also consider the Nikon D80.

Gordon

thanks gordon for the info. I surely will wait for few more months for a new cam. Do u know if Sony may also put forward a newer DSLR..?? Thanks again

Sony has said it will release more Alpha DSLRs in the future, but has said there'll be no more announcements this year.

The interesting question is whether the next Alpha DSLR will be a tweaked KM 7D, or a completely new body design...

Gordon