Photography nerds on GStwin

[TheGoodGuy]

Should I get the SONY A100 DSLR at Best Buy (800+tax), it comes with 2 lenses (kit - 18-70, 70-300). Not the brightest / fastest lens though.

My present cameras: Canon S3 IS, Canon S1 IS, Canon A75, Casio S5000.

I did a lot of concert/night photography with teh S3 and S1. They have a faster lens than the DSLR. They come with a F2.7-3.5 vs the DSLR kit lens 3.5-5.6 and addon 4.6-5.6

So yeah.. what to do...?

If i go the DSLR route, i would have to buy faster lenses...thats for sure. The S3 and S1 are Image stablized and frankly that is a huge boon during night photography. So what do you guys think I should do?

buy it? not buy it?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=999979500050000&type=product&id=pcmprd79400050000


Sample Pics:
(Taken with S1 IS)
http://officespace.dyndns.org:8080/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=5&page=1

(Taken with S3 IS)
http://picasaweb.google.com/manjul.bose/UNIQUEEvents

(Not My pics.. but S3 IS for the most part and I am NOT the photographer.
http://picasaweb.google.com/sacstateuniqueevents

[Cal Price]

In my past I was a pro photographer, long before digital was around and 35 mil was regarded as minature. I have kept up my interest ever since and upgrade my gear to keep pace.

I am using a couple of Nikons at the moment, one very similar to your Canon S1.

I am sure you will find the leap to a true (D)SLR very different particulalry the capture time improvement. On the other hand as you say there are up and down sides, it's a case of your money, your time, your choice. I am currently going through a similar process and will probably go to a (D)SLR, almost certainly a Nikon but maybe a Canon but that's just me.

[OPTheory]

Image stabilization will only get you so far with those long exposures - where it really helps is on telephoto shots.  Honestly, the A100 is an excellent camera - Sony bought Minolta so it's practically a Minolta DSLR (which just so happens to take Minolta lenses).  The only problem with the A100 is that it's a bit noisy on higher ISO's.  If you're doing a lot of no-flash, low-light conditions photography then I'd get a Canon DSLR - they always do the best just under Nikon.  Nikon makes really sturdy cameras and their glass is just awesome but Canon is great too.  I have a Canon Rebel XT, which I rarely use since I shoot mostly medium format now (film rules, by the way) - I love the XT.  I've got some great shots out of it - you can see some here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/optheory/ you'll have to look later in the stream.  The photographs themselves are alright - never happy with what I do really.  I like portraits but I don't have many interesting people to take portraits of.

Anyway - get a DSLR - you won't regret it! 

[TheGoodGuy]

i dropped the idea of the SONY A100, for the A700 model.

but its two times teh price!!!!!

[OPTheory]

i dropped the idea of the SONY A100, for the A700 model.

but its two times teh price!!!!!

but it gives you two times teh picture quality!!!!!

[Prafeston]

Photos I've taken
http://drury.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2000028&l=1a90f&id=58700033

More
http://drury.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2001014&l=21b31&id=58700033

-Rafe-