Zen-X: Sounds like gear stripping. Your lens is spoiled. If you don't agree to the price of repair, the kit lens is sold for cheap.

eddybeh: Best you go there and ask. Not like you can clean fungus anywhere else anyway, only these shops do it. If you send to any other camera shop they will send to these repair shops anyway.

cjlai: I'm not talking about focusing in a room with the lights off - there was an event which I shot and the client was sitting outdoors, outside the restaurant. You could still see them with your eyes, but through the viewfinder it was just too dark to see if it was in focus or not with a F3.5 lens. The camera AF ended up focusing on a rattan chair but I could not see this at this kind of darkness. Obviously I cannot be focusing on a corner with light because that was already out of the plane of focus.

kmarc: Yes, the 18-250mm and 50mm F1.8 makes a good duo.

neo_lam: Nice!

Quickerzranoid: Not true.

Cheapest full-frame dSLR:
Canon 5D MkII = RM8850
Nikon D700 = RM7850
Sony A850 = RM6050

Flashes

Top end flash:
Canon 580 EX II = RM1750
Nikon SB-900 = RM1640
Sony HVL-F58AM = RM1130

Low end flash:
Canon 430EX II = RM1130
Nikon SB-600 = RM800
Sony HVL-F42AM = RM780

APS-C lenses

APS-C superzoom:
Nikkor 18-200mm F3.5-5.6 VR II = RM2700
Canon 18-200mm F3.5-5.6 IS = RM2600
Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 OS HSM = RM2450
Sigma 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 OS HSM = RM1760
Tamron 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 = RM1640
Sony 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DT = RM1600
Sony 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DT = RM1550
Tamron 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 = RM1050

APS-C midrange standard zoom:
Canon 17-85mm F4-5.6 IS USM = RM2430
Sony Carl Zeiss 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 DT = RM2300
Nikkor 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 AF-S = RM2150
Sony 16-105mm F3.5-5.6 DT = RM1650
Sigma 18-125mm F3.8-5.6 OS HSM = RM1490
Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4.5 Macro HSM = RM1490
Nikkor 18-105mm F3.5-5.6 VR = RM1150

APS-C F2.8 standard zoom: (Sony does not have an APS-C F2.8 zoom.)
Nikkor 17-55mm F2.8 AF-S = 4950
Canon 17-55mm F2.8 IS USM = RM3870
Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 Macro HSM = RM1850
Tamron 17-50mm F2.8 = RM1550

Cheap APS-C telephoto zoom:
Nikkor 55-200mm F4-5.6 AF-S VR = RM940
Canon 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS = RM920
Sony 55-200mm F4-5.6 DT = RM680 (in package, can go down to RM300)

APS-C ultra-wide angle zoom:
Nikkor 12-24mm F4 AF-S = RM3550
Canon 10-22mm F3.5-4.5 USM = RM2730
Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 DC HSM = RM2270
Sony 11-18mm F4.5-5.6 DT = RM2000
Tamron 10-24mm F3.5-4.5 = RM1960

APS-C normal prime: (you can count the Sony 30mm F2.8 DT Macro SAM in this also.)
Sigma 30mm F1.4 = RM1850
Nikkor 35mm F1.8 AF-S = RM800
Sony 30mm F2.8 DT Macro SAM = RM790

Cheaper low light portrait prime: (Only Sony 50mm F1.8 is APS-C)
Nikkor 50mm F1.8 AF-D = RM400
Canon 50mm F1.8 II = RM320
Sony 50mm F1.8 DT SAM = RM300-500 (depends where and what package)

Full-frame lenses

Standard zoom:
Canon 24-105mm F4L IS USM = RM4380
Nikkor 24-120mm F3.5-5.6 VR = RM2050
Sony 24-105mm F3.5-4.5 = RM1850

Budget F2.8 standard zoom:
Sony 28-75mm F2.8 SAM = RM2550
Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 Macro = RM2030
Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 = RM1670

Premium F2.8 standard zoom:
Nikkor 24-70mm F2.8 AF-S = RM5850
Canon 24-70mm F2.8L USM = RM5400
Sony Carl Zeiss 24-70mm F2.8 SSM = RM5350
Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 HSM = RM3710

Budget telephoto zoom:
Canon 75-300mm F4-5.6 III USM = RM800
Sony 75-300mm F4.5-5.6 = RM780 (RM500 second-hand)
Canon 75-300mm F4-5.6 III = RM720
Nikkor 70-300mm F4-5.6G = RM440

Midrange telephoto zoom:
Canon 70-300mm F4-5.6 IS USM = RM3000
Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6G SSM = RM2550
Nikkor 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 AF-S VR = RM1900

Cheaper F4 telephoto zoom:
Canon 70-200mm F4L USM = RM2850 (no IS)
Minolta 70-210mm F4 beercan = RM1000 (only available second-hand)

Premium F2.8 telephoto zoom:
Canon 70-200mm F2.8 IS USM = RM7350 (this is the old one, not the much better version II)
Nikkor 70-200mm F2.8 AF-S VR = RM6350 (this is the old one, not the much better VR II)
Sony 70-200mm F2.8G SSM = RM5550
Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 II Macro HSM = RM3890
Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 = RM2970

Premium telephoto zoom:
Canon 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM = RM6210
Nikkor 80-400mm F4.5-5.6 AF-D = RM5650
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6G SSM = RM5400

Premium F2.8 ultra-wide-angle zoom:
Nikkor 17-35mm F2.8 AF-S = RM6440
Nikkor 14-24mm F2.8 AF-S = RM6000
Canon 16-35mm F2.8L II USM = RM5850
Sony Carl Zeiss 16-35mm F2.8 SSM = RM5400

Macro lenses

Telephoto macro prime:
Canon 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM = RM3395
Nikkor 105mm F2.8 IS = RM3100
Sony 100mm F2.8 Macro = RM2300
Sigma 105mm F2.8 Macro = RM1910
Tamron 90mm F2.8 Macro = RM1470

Normal full-frame macro prime:
Nikkor 60mm F2.8 Macro AF-S = RM2000
Canon 60mm F2.8 Macro USM = RM1850
Sony 50mm F2.8 Macro = RM1450
Sigma 50mm F2.8 Macro = RM1250

APS-C normal macro prime: (the only other brand that has something like this is Pentax/Tokina)
Sony 30mm F2.8 DT Macro SAM = RM790

Prime lenses

Full-frame diagonal fisheye:
Nikkor 16mm F2.8 = RM2750
Sigma 15mm F2.8 = RM2690
Canon 15mm F2.8 = RM2680
Sony 16mm F2.8 = RM2550

Full-frame ultra-wide-angle prime:
Sigma 20mm F1.8 Macro = RM2150
Nikkor 20mm F2.8 AF-D = RM1950
Sony 20mm F2.8 = RM1950
Canon 20mm F2.8 USM = RM1790

Full-frame wide-angle prime:
Sigma 28mm F1.8 Macro = RM1490
Nikkor 28mm F2.8 AF-D = RM900
Sony 28mm F2.8 = RM880
Canon 28mm F2.8 = RM800

Premium F1.4 full-frame wide-angle prime:
Canon 35mm F1.4L USM = RM5070
Sony 35mm F1.4G = RM4550

Low light normal prime:
Sigma 50mm F1.4 HSM = RM2140
Nikkor AF-S 50mm F1.4 = RM1840
Canon 50mm F1.4 USM = RM1430
Sony 50mm F1.4 = RM1100
Nikkor AF-D 50mm F1.4 = RM1050

Premium portrait prime:
Canon 85mm F1.2L II USM = RM8750
Sony Carl Zeiss 85mm F1.4 = RM4850
Nikkor 85mm F1.4 AF-D = RM3850

Premium telephoto portrait prime:
Sony Carl Zeiss 135mm F1.8 = RM4850
Nikkor 135mm F2.0 AF-D Defocus Control = RM4430
Sony 135mm F2.8/T4.5 Smooth Transition Focus = RM3650
Canon 135mm F2.0L USM = RM3385

Premium telephoto prime:
Sony 300mm F2.8G SSM = RM20050
Canon 300mm F2.8L IS USM = RM18750
Nikkor 300mm F2.8 AF-S G VR = RM16960
Sigma 300mm F2.8 EX DG HSM = RM9940

Prices quoted from http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/885593 and http://www.shashinki.com/.

This post has been edited by albnok: Jan 18 2010, 12:52 AM

ieR: You got a point there; updated the list to add:

Budget telephoto zoom:
Canon 75-300mm F4-5.6 III USM = RM800
Sony 75-300mm F4.5-5.6 = RM780 (RM500 second-hand)
Canon 75-300mm F4-5.6 III = RM720
Nikkor 70-300mm F4-5.6G = RM440

Yes, but that is not everything - the Nikkor 70-300mm F4-5.6G has no VR or AF-S so you can't use it on a D40/D40x/D60/D3000/D5000. The Nikkor 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 VR, while cheaper, only focuses to 1.5 meters close while the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6G SSM focuses to 1.2 meters close. (The Canon also does 1.5 meters.)

Sony 16-105mm F3.5-5.6 DT:
Maximum magnification = 1:4.35
Minimum focus distance = 40cm

Sony 18-70mm F3.5-5.6 DT:
Maximum magnification = 1:4
Minimum focus distance = 38cm

Minolta 70-210mm F4 beercan:
Maximum magnification = 1:4
Minimum focus distance = 110cm

Minolta 35-70mm F4:
Maximum magnification = 1:4
Minimum focus distance = 100cm, 30cm with macro switch

Sony 75-300mm F4.5-5.6:
Maximum magnification = 1:4
Minimum focus distance = 150cm

Sony 55-200mm F4-5.6:
Maximum magnification = 1:3.45
Minimum focus distance = 95cm

Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 Macro:
Maximum magnification = 1:2
Minimum focus distance = 150cm, 95cm with macro switch

Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 Macro:
Maximum magnification = 1:3.8
Minimum focus distance = 38cm

Tamron 17-50mm F2.8:
Maximum magnification = 1:4.5
Minimum focus distance = 27cm

Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 Macro:
Maximum magnification = 1:3
Minimum focus distance = 20cm

Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4.5 Macro:
Maximum magnification = 1:2.3
Minimum focus distance = 20cm

Sigma 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 DG Macro
Maximum magnification = 1:3
Minimum focus distance = 50cm

Tamron 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD Macro
Maximum magnification = 1:2
Minimum focus distance = 150cm, 95cm with macro switch

Tamron 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 Di ll Macro
Maximum magnification = 1:3.7
Minimum focus distance = 45cm

Maximum magnification is the ratio between sensor size and object size. 1:4, for a sensor that is 36x24mm, means it can fill the frame with a surface area of 144x96mm while in focus.

Minimum focus distance is measured from the sensor to the subject. The actual working distance will be much less; for example, the Sigma 17-70mm's working distance at maximum magnification is only 3cm from the front element to the subject.

(From http://www.alphanatics.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2340)

Guess what I found from this JPG/film enthusiast:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/dxo/optics-pro.htm

So I tried to de-fish my Peleng 8mm and got this (de-fished below):

finejava: Wah beeping! You're not overclocking or anything right? I just hear my fans start up when it's processing. I'm starting to get the hang of DxO 6. It does a pretty good job on Auto, might be your thing.

Uzumaki NaruTo: Nice! Maybe slightly below would be better.

achew: The Zeiss lenses are in all the categories what. All 5 Zeiss lenses are in the list.

If we cut it down to OEM lenses only, the Zeiss lenses are cheaper for the 16-35mm and 24-70mm ranges. The 70-200mm F2.8G SSM is cheaper also. The important F2.8 trio is cheaper, and these are the most common lenses needed for professional use.

APS-C midrange standard zoom:
Canon 17-85mm F4-5.6 IS USM = RM2430
Sony Carl Zeiss 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 DT = RM2300
Nikkor 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 AF-S = RM2150
Sony 16-105mm F3.5-5.6 DT = RM1650
Nikkor 18-105mm F3.5-5.6 VR = RM1150

Premium F2.8 standard zoom:
Nikkor 24-70mm F2.8 AF-S = RM5850
Canon 24-70mm F2.8L USM = RM5400
Sony Carl Zeiss 24-70mm F2.8 SSM = RM5350

Premium F2.8 ultra-wide-angle zoom:
Nikkor 17-35mm F2.8 AF-S = RM6440
Nikkor 14-24mm F2.8 AF-S = RM6000
Canon 16-35mm F2.8L II USM = RM5850
Sony Carl Zeiss 16-35mm F2.8 SSM = RM5400

Premium portrait prime:
Canon 85mm F1.2L II USM = RM8750
Sony Carl Zeiss 85mm F1.4 = RM4850
Nikkor 85mm F1.4 AF-D = RM3850

Premium telephoto portrait prime:
Sony Carl Zeiss 135mm F1.8 = RM4850
Nikkor 135mm F2.0 AF-D Defocus Control = RM4430
Sony 135mm F2.8/T4.5 Smooth Transition Focus = RM3650
Canon 135mm F2.0L USM = RM3385

Premium F2.8 telephoto zoom:
Canon 70-200mm F2.8 IS USM = RM7350 (this is the old one, not the much better version II)
Nikkor 70-200mm F2.8 AF-S VR = RM6350 (this is the old one, not the much better VR II)
Sony 70-200mm F2.8G SSM = RM5550

Er, you Mac guys can run Windows and DxO 6 right?

kmarc: Nothing wrong with using Live View only - the A550 is obviously designed around that. I used it one whole day around Langkawi in only LV - never needed to go OVF honestly.

powerfox: Sweet, Minolta 505si! Wahahaha the coincidence is too funny!

lehtung: Not as far as I know.

xtreme82: Turn off Red Eye Reduction and AF Assist in the menu - it will only fire once (or rather, appear to fire once like the Nikon - it actually fires twice but you cannot catch the pre-flash.)

I don't usually cook but here goes!


ReasonsofThanatos: That is a badly done comparison. The studio shot was at 50mm F10.0 1/20s!

1/20s is no guarantee that it will be clear of motion blur. It also looks misfocused.

So go tell your friend to look at more professionally-done reviews.


This post has been edited by albnok: Jan 18 2010, 11:38 PM

lencent: Read the articles, and decide for yourself, with the points given, which is a better buy.

I would go for the A550 because of the better screen and 7 FPS, but some reviews prefer the A500 because it is cheaper (supposedly, they would not pay for the A550, but for the A500, but that is subjective to the packages that are sold in different countries.)

http://www.dxomark.com finds that the A550 is cleaner than the A500 (probably with pixel density factored in) and the A550 has in fact, the noise performance of the Canon EOS 7D. (807 points versus 809 points is not much.)

This post has been edited by albnok: Jan 19 2010, 04:05 AM

lencent: 7 FPS without AF or AE is still okay but you know when to use it, for example:

- when a balloon is being exploded
- golf swing
- archery, arrow escaping bow
- performer on stage doing a guitar solo (they don't move front/back all that often, and if you see that happen you release and half-press again to refocus)

Honestly, AE during burst shots is annoying because you get uneven exposures through different frames.

craziqbal: Ack but yeah that happens with movie posters.

The Wonder: Nice #2 #3 #4!

kmarc: You can't trigger the F20AM off-camera. That's why a F42 or F58 would be a better buy - the F20 should come later if you need to bounce without carrying too big a flash.

MechaHerc: The A850/A900 can't trigger F20AM off-camera.

kopitiam: Cheap optical slave flash - Sunpak PF20XD. Very small too and uses 2 AAA batteries.

kmarc: No point; there is a cable but that is not cheap. Anything wireless will not trigger the F20 (at least, an older wireless trigger I tried.) You'd be better off with a F42 at least.

Ooo, sweet! But then it is known that Sony uses Nikon steppers.

Braynumb: The 28-85mm is a classic first-generation standard zoom with Minolta colors. Weak MFD but cool wide-angle macro. Heavy as heck!

wingster: The F20 has HSS but only in WL mode (which means the off-camera flashes must have HSS, and by that the F20 would be on an A850/A900). HSS is not faster; in fact it uses more power and will have a slower flash cycle!

Also, the F20 is useless for portrait orientation bounce (to the ceiling) flash shots.

braindead_fr3ak: Find me a dealer that sells parallel import Sonys! There just are none. They have that good control over the market - pretty much any Sony you can buy in any shop is probably Malaysian. If Boeing says "aiya, Tarita Sonys are underwater set" they are lying.

You can only find parallel imports in online shops e.g. yghsin and Shashinki. That, and old "fell off the truck" Sony 50mm F1.4 lenses without serial number stickers.

LobsterFish: lehtung was using a Raynox close-up filter in front of the lens.

wingster: Faster shutter speeds won't give you better recycle times. The reverse is true as the flash has to fill more light in.

HSS requires more power; the faster the shutter speed, the more power needed.

Nashakir: Color is fine, but you could've framed it so that you see a lot of blue, a lot of green and a lot of red. Instead I see a rear view mirror, a black tree and a lamppost.

ieR: Aiyo! Rumors again! You might as well mention that because people everywhere jump to conclusions too easily.

It's still available even in Malaysia:
http://www.sonystyle.com.my/ProductListing...model=SAL100M28
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores...35437&langId=-1

Sony sometimes gives the wrong description - they might've meant out of stock.