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DSLRs are technological wonders, but they don’t have to wreck your budget.

Dec 3, 2008: Christmas is the time of the year when digital SLR sales typically ramp up. Of course this year is anything but typical. The state of economy, at least in the US, is on most people’s minds. Many prospective dSLR owners are tightening their belts and holding off buying that new camera, lens or flash unit. I would never suggest spending money you don’t have on photo gear, unless you earn most or all of your income from photography. If you are a hobbyist, you may need to retrench and put off major purchases until the economy improves.

DSLR photography will always involve a substantial outlay of cash; that is the nature of the beast. You can’t eliminate that cost, but with a little creative planning, you can reduce it. If budget constraints are forcing you to postpone that new dSLR or lens purchase, these suggestions might help you stretch your photography dollars.

Choose a lower-price camera body

There is a famous old saying: “…if wishes were cameras, then we would all be shooting with the A900..” Or something like that.

If you have A900 tastes, but your budget is more along the lines of the A200, there is nothing to be ashamed of. The Sony Alpha A200 or A300 can produce excellent images, and both cameras offer a wealth of features. Don’t be afraid to start out with one of the less expensive models. Most professional photographers, if they are on a budget, will opt to cut corners on the camera so they have money to spend on what really matters: high quality lenses. A great lens on a inexpensive camera can create wonderful images, but even the best camera cannot overcome an unsharp lens.

If you are one of those people who only buy the best so it will last, remember the digital SLR market is still evolving. Only a few years ago, most professional dSLRs were 6 megapixel, APS-C sensor models. Today, full frame, 20+ megapixel dSLRs like the A900 are blurring the distinction between portable single lens reflex cameras and medium-format studio units. Live-view and video capabilities will soon be considered mandatory on any dSLR.

Today’s full-featured camera will undoubtedly fall short of the cameras of the near future. Don’t put off purchasing a camera while you save for a top-of-the-line model. Buy a dSLR that you can afford now and work hard to create great images.

Consider buying used equipment

Buying a used dSLR is an iffy proposition. I have bought two used high-end digital cameras that have worked flawlessly. That said, dSLRs are packed with miniaturized electronics and are sensitive to moisture, dirt, cold and heat. Problems can hide unseen inside the camera for weeks or months before they show up. Unless you know the seller and the history of the camera, I would be leery of buying a used dSLR unless it came with an ironclad warranty.

You can still save money with used equipment, however. Second-hand lenses, flash units and accessories offer a much safer opportunity to save cash. Do your homework and make sure you know what to look for in a used item. You can often save more than 50% by buying used.

Try your local pawn shop

Online auctions and used camera stores are popular places to seek pre-owned camera gear, but don’t overlook your neighborhood pawn shop. You can often find great deals, especially if you know what to look for. Pawn shops are no longer shady enterprises hiding out on the outskirts of town. Pawn shops have moved into the mainstream and now serve a respectable clientele. Pawn shops offer several advantages when buying used equipment. Unlike an online auction, you can actually see and handle the item before you buy. Even better, many reputable pawn shops will offer you a 24-48 hour trial. These shops will allow you to use and return an item within a certain period of time if it doesn’t perform correctly.

Rent camera equipment that won’t be used often

You might be surprised to discover that many pro photographers rent most or all of their equipment. A pro needs to consider the ROI (return on investment) of every piece of gear. If an item will be used infrequently, it is much better to rent it when needed, rather than drop a bundle of cash on something that will sit on the shelf most of the time.

You can use the same technique, even if you are just starting out. Short term (daily or weekly) rental prices can be quite affordable, even for high-quality lenses and flash units. Some rental operations rent camera bodies, so you don’t even need to actually own a dSLR to start taking great images. In addition to saving money, renting is a great way to preview a piece of equipment you are thinking of buying. Spend a week with an expensive lens or camera before you buy. You could save yourself from making an expensive purchase you later regret.

Until recently, it was difficult to find places prepared to rent Sony/Minolta dSLR gear. Alpha Lens Rental in Minnesota offers a very good selection of A-mount lens and equipment. They even have the Sony Alpha A900 (Yes the one with 24.5 mega-pixels) available for rental. They will Fed-Ex to your location within the USA. Hopefully, we will see more A-Mount lens rental operations in the near future.

Skimp on accessories, not the camera and lens

There are some things you shouldn’t compromise on, such as lenses. There are many other items that could offer temporary savings. It is nice to own a top-of-the-line camera bag, but the type of bag you use will not have any effect on your images. Make do with a padded cooler or gym bag until you can afford the real thing. You can shoot wonderful images with inexpensive “clamp-on” lights from the hardware. You can find free plans online for DIY light modifiers and camera stands.

Use your creativity and you will find many household items that can be pressed into service in place of higher priced photo gear.

Save money with manual lenses and flash units

While I don’t recommend wasting money on cheap lenses, my concern is with lenses that cannot produce sharp images. Don’t overlook the wide variety of manual aperture, manual focus lenses on the market. Some of these lenses have wonderful optics, but they sell for far less than a fully automatic lens of similar length and aperture.

You can find millions of very good M42 and T-mount lenses on the used market, some selling for only a few dollars. You will need an inexpensive adapter to mount them on your Sony Alpha dSLR, but if you choose wisely you can find some razor sharp bargains. They will require additional work on your part, but they will force you to develop your photography skills. You won’t be able to rely on your camera’s automatic settings with this equipment. Still, a few weeks of shooting with a manual lens will develop skills and techniques it would take years to learn shooting in the program mode.

How about it? Anyone else have suggestions for reducing the high cost of entering the dSLR market?

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I spotted a great image over in the SONY ALPHA DSLR-A200 Flickr group. It wasn’t taken with an A200. In fact the creator Sam Knox says he was shooting with a “pocket-sized point ‘n shoot” at the time he created this Photoshop masterpiece.

What is so great about the shot is he turned Big Ben into… well you have to see it to understand. Check it out at the Sony A200 discussion group.

If you shoot with an A200, you might want to join the group as well. You can sign up at Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 main page It appears to be a very active Flickr group open to all A200 shooters.

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Don’t look now, but photos of the Nikon D60 are starting to appear throughout the web. Why should A-Mount shooters care about Nikon’s latest offering? Aside from the fact that the D60 probably will use a Sony built sensor, rumors suggest that the D60 may replace the D40, which has been Nikon’s low end dSLR up until now. Before the introduction of the D40, Nikon lagged behind Canon in sales. Although I haven’t seen total world wide sales figures for dSLRs, shortly after the D40s introduction, Nikon began outselling Canon – at least in the Japanese market. There might have been other factors, but the D40 was a landmark camera for Nikon and undoubtedly helped Nikon regain its strength.

Of course the biggest reason the D40 has sold so well is price. The 6MP D40 carried a list price of $599. This was far less than most dSLRs and gave Nikon a real advantage in the dSLR marketplace,

A worthy competitor to the Sony A200?

If the rumors are accurate, the new Nikon will carry a 10.2mp sensor, making it a true competitor to the brand new Alpha A200. Here is where things get interesting. As I said, many rumor sites are indicating that the D60 will replace the D40. Which begs the question, if the D60 will replace the D40, will Nikon retain the $599 price for their introductory model?

If so, this is significant, because it will mean that the brand new Sony A200 will soon have to face a 10.2MP Nikon that will be priced about $100 less.

Of course the details of Nikon D60 are still cloudy, but it is believed that it will be a 10.2MP dSLR with an anti-dust system and similar internal processing as the upper level Nikons.

Nikon hasn’t acknowledged the price of the D60, but it is awfully hard to raise prices in the world of digital cameras. If the D40 is actually going away, I think both consumers and resellers would start howling if Nikon suddenly raised the list price of their introductory model above the D40’s $599 kit price.

If the D40 remains in the catalog, then Nikon is free to price the D60 however they wish. If the D40 has reached the end of the line, however, the D60 almost has to sell for a similar $599 price.

What does the D60 mean to Sony Alpha Users?

So where does that leave Sony and the Alpha lineup? The A200 has at price of $699. That wasn’t a big problem when facing the D40, which could only muster 6MP. Against a similar 10.2MP model, however, the A200 starts looking overpriced.

Alpha A200’s great advantage: Super Steady Shot

The one great advantage the A200 will continue to enjoy is in-body image stabilization. The D60 can’t match that, so the A200 can be considered a superior camera. In fact, unless Nikon were to offer an image stabilization lens as the kit lens (highly unlikely at $599), D60 users will have buy an expensive IS lens to enjoy the image stabilization Sony users get with all lenses. I’m not an expert on Nikon lenses, but most IS lenses I have seen would cost more than the D60 body.

So Sony probably could justify the higher price tag of the A200 on this single feature alone. Those who realize the value of in-body IS would probably feel it was worth it.

But many of the people moving from basic digital cameras don’t necessarily understand the value of Sony’s Super Steady Shot. (Great system, really dumb name.) For the bulk of first time dSLR users, the pixel count is still the determining factor. While some of the better camera shops may take the time to explain Anti-Shake to prospective users, Sony can’t expect the sales people at the big box stores to steer people into the A200.

So that $100 could be a real liability, unless Sony either drops the price of the A200 or introduces a lesser priced dSLR. If the D60 does list for less than $600, I expect Sony to react quickly.

What is your take?

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Sony quietly announced a new dSLR model Sunday, January 6. The new Alpha A200 dSLR is positioned as a replacement for the now discontinued A100 dSLR. The Alpha 200 will anchor the Alpha line as Sony’s starter SLR model, providing a low cost point of entry for those unable or unwilling to spend the cash needed to acquire an A700.

Sony will ship the A200, a new low cost dSLR, in February.

Photo: Sony Corp, used with permission

The new 10mp dSLR offers a number of improvements over the A100. Sony says the new camera is faster, lighter and easier to use. Two of the obvious enhancements include a larger 2.7 inch LCD screen and the availability of a vertical battery grip. Sony also claims the new camera offers reduced image noise and uses the same auto-focus system as the Alpha A700, which is said to be 1.7 times as fast as the A100.

The new dSLR includes the usual Sony/Minolta touches; Super Steady Shot, Sony’s DRO image optimizer, BIONZ processing engine and the anti-dust vibration system on the CCD sensor. Naturally the A200 accepts all of the A-mount lenses available for the A100 and A700. Sony and Minolta flash units compatible with the A100 will also work on the A200.

Those disappointed that the A700 did not carry on the legacy of the Maxxum 7D controls, will not find anything to cheer about on the A200, either. Sony reduced the control knobs to one and adopted a menu control to replace the missing dial.

The Sony press release doesn’t mention a PC Sync port (say it isn’t so!), so, like the A100, it is possible that the A200 will lack the ability to work with studio flash unless you use a hot shoe adapter. There is also no mention of tethered shooting, so you may need the more fully capable A700 if you want to shoot tethered to your computer. I hope I’m wrong about this and Sony just failed to mention it in the press release. But I’m not holding my breath.

I haven’t seen a picture of the new grip for the A200, but Sony identifies it as the VG-B30AM ergonomic vertical grip, so it is not the same grip used on the A700. Like the A700’s grip, however, the VG-B30AM will provide space for two InfoLITHIUM® batteries.

Now the real interesting part: the price. Sony says the A200 equipped with the DT 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 3.9x zoom lens will list for about $700 and will be available in February. They don’t quote a body only price, but as a benchmark, you saved about $100 when you purchased the A100 without the kit lens.

The A200 should provide Sony with traction in an area where they dearly need it — the low-end, starter SLR market. Priced at roughly half the price of the A700, the new camera should go a long way toward building Sony’s market share and greatly expand the ranks of A-mount shooters.

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