Sony DSLR-A200K Digital SLR Camera

[bdmhenderson]

Is this a good dslr camera that I could use as a beginner to photography and also start astro photography?

[EA2007]

I don't know about this camerea but whatever you do don't buy an Olympus SLR.

Don't be sucked in by the lower prices and 'good specifications', for astrophotography its as useful as a chocolate fireguard. On the 'BULB' setting (where you are meant to be able to expose for an infinite amount of minutes) you will only max a total of 60 seconds on an ISO of 500 to 1600, and subsequently lower ISO's give slightly longer exposures, but nothing longer than 8 minutes on an ISO 100. In astrophotography it is somewhat preferential to have a higher ISO setting i.e. greater than 800.

Swerve Olympus if you can.

[bdmhenderson]

Well looking like this is the camera i'll be ordering next week, it's not just for astrophotography. I know its a low budget camera, but I felt it would be better than a pointand click to learn a bit more about photography. The equivalent canon model is approx 50% more expensive.

[Keagle]

It's around £240 new...

You could potentially get a Canon 350D for that. Admiteddly not as higher spec, but still gives stunning images and can be used for astrophotography too.

I recieved mine for my birthday, and subsequently learned a huge amount via using the camera, the manual and online forums.

Kurt

[bdmhenderson]

Looks like the equivalent canon would be the 400d - wasn't the 350d discontinued a while ago?

[beamish]

You can still find 350's on the canon ebay website, go to canon outlet

[dph1nm]

Rather unhelpfully, I saw some excellent DSO pictures taken with the Sony A200 somewhere on the WWW in the last few months, but I can't remember where, and, despite searching Google, I cannot find them again! However, judging by what I saw, it is clearly possible to take good shots with this camera.

NigelM

[meade-jnr]

Hi Nigel,

I put up the same post about the sony A200, and if you are serious about astrophotography the Canon would be a better choice as you can mod it easily. And yes, its a good camera but canon's are prefered.

luke

[interstellaryeller]

Its a great camera and in manual mode and used with the rm -s1am you can leave the shutter open for as long as the battery holds out. I myself own the sony A -100.