Buying a used DSLR

[prafultripathy]

Hi,

Not sure if this is the correct section for this, but here goes....

I've always wanted to upgrade from a simple P&S to something better, and almost every time I would be looking at an ultra-zoom (the next better thing after a P&S) I would stop and thing if I am paying this much, why not pay a little more and move onto the next better thing. But more is never enough:D, and a little more would always turn out to be something more than that my pocket could afford.

Anyways, I am getting a pretty good offer for a March'09 Canon 450D with a 18-55 IS and 55-250 IS lens setup.

I don't have much of an idea if this setup is tuned to my need, as with a P&S one tends to be generalist and shoots everything possible under the sun. So I guess I would be still continue in that direction with clicking portraits, night shots, action pics, landscapes, macros, etc.

Q.1. Ofcourse I am not looking at specializing in any specific field as of now, so with the above body+lens setup can I still continue to retain the ability to click the above mentioned shots?

Q.2. Any specific questions I should be asking the seller of the cam?

Q.3. Any other equipment/accessories I need to purchase along with the cam? I currently just have a tripod with a max payload capacity of 2 kgs.

Thanks,
Praful

[KrishnenduKes]

Topic Approved

[surya@64]

A DSLR... is any day better than P&S.... It increases your scope of creativity.
A second hand Electronics always comes with its share of risk and uncertainty...

the lens mentioned are quite adequate to start with....I can assure you that the quest for new DSLR...will never stop to ponder you...as this is an endless pit...

So...grow up to the DSLR...and keep saving to do the upgrades...

Good luck and happy shooting.

Post some pic. once you are armed with your new equipment.

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

Hi,

Not sure if this is the correct section for this, but here goes....

I've always wanted to upgrade from a simple P&S to something better, and almost every time I would be looking at an ultra-zoom (the next better thing after a P&S) I would stop and thing if I am paying this much, why not pay a little more and move onto the next better thing. But more is never enough:D, and a little more would always turn out to be something more than that my pocket could afford.

Anyways, I am getting a pretty good offer for a March'09 Canon 450D with a 18-55 IS and 55-250 IS lens setup.

I don't have much of an idea if this setup is tuned to my need, as with a P&S one tends to be generalist and shoots everything possible under the sun. So I guess I would be still continue in that direction with clicking portraits, night shots, action pics, landscapes, macros, etc.

Q.1. Ofcourse I am not looking at specializing in any specific field as of now, so with the above body+lens setup can I still continue to retain the ability to click the above mentioned shots?

Q.2. Any specific questions I should be asking the seller of the cam?

Q.3. Any other equipment/accessories I need to purchase along with the cam? I currently just have a tripod with a max payload capacity of 2 kgs.

Thanks,
Praful

thing with buying used equipment in INDIA is that people fool each other a lot(unless they are ur close friends)

if u really wanna go,douple triple check each and every aspect of that sale offer.did the camera go for repairs??before you even buy,do a proper PHYSICAL check of all the stuff!

anvancy

[Xavier]

Anyways, I am getting a pretty good offer for a March'09 Canon 450D with a 18-55 IS and 55-250 IS lens setup.
That's an awesome lineup!


Q.1. Ofcourse I am not looking at specializing in any specific field as of now, so with the above body+lens setup can I still continue to retain the ability to click the above mentioned shots?
Yes, pretty much.

Q.2. Any specific questions I should be asking the seller of the cam?
Yes, check the no. of actuations(actual no. of photographs clicked) and look for any signs of damage and/or scratches on the body. Also check for hotspots. For more information on that, check this link (http://www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=2095)


Q.3. Any other equipment/accessories I need to purchase along with the cam? I currently just have a tripod with a max payload capacity of 2 kgs.

Errm no, I don't even own a tripod yet :p Seriously speaking, you won't need any right now. A couple of filters in the future and since both the lenses you're gonna buy have the same filter size, that shouldn't be a very expensive affair for you. :)

[hitanshu]

except a prime, that's a decent setup. Q is what is the price?

Delhi tends to be cheaper for everything :D

[Xavier]

except a prime, that's a decent setup. Q is what is the price?

Delhi tends to be cheaper for everything :D

I think Praful's from Bangalore. And yes, Get a 50 f/1.8 asap! :D

[hitanshu]

Xavier,

which is why the comment. Sometimes it may be better to explore other options. Delhi i've gotten quotes for 37k for 40D gray new, while on another forum blr guys aren't getting a penny below 41k (its been ~38k for nearly a year here).

May be a better idea to invest in a fresh set and ask a friend to bring it over from delhi!

[Xavier]

^Oh ok, I now get it. :)

[shutterbug]

Hitanshu is right Xavier. I have been doing some hunting too and came to realize that the rates in Delhi are the best in the nation. As long as Praful's getting a good deal on the 450d plus 55-250mm its good. Otherwise its good the checkout the Delhi option, but you would need someone there for it to work out.

[synn]

Errm no, I don't even own a tripod yet :p Seriously speaking, you won't need any right now. A couple of filters in the future and since both the lenses you're gonna buy have the same filter size, that shouldn't be a very expensive affair for you. :)

Respectfully disagreed. Having a tripod is ALWAYS an advantage and I can't think of one situation why you shouldn't use one when you could. Well, there is one; which is places where tripods are banned. But other than that, it's an essential tool.

I presume that praful's current tripod is a normal pan and tilt affair. Do yourself a favor and ditch it for something with sturdy legs and a ballhead. it's a one time investment and you'll thank me later. ;)

As for filters, it's again smart to get pro-size filters (77mm) and step-up rings for all your smaller lenses. This way, you can use the same set of filters and that too, for a long time.

Your current lens lineup looks fineby itself. You can add a 50mm prime if you like to shoot pictures like the ones in the bokeh thread and in the portrait thread.

[hitanshu]

See, if he has friends in delhi who can check it out for him/transact - I have colleagues flying into Bangalore on a weekly basis - so its not really a problem

[vitesh]

Anyways, I am getting a pretty good offer for a March'09 Canon 450D with a 18-55 IS and 55-250 IS lens setup.

Wots the offer price ur getting all this for?

[prafultripathy]

Good luck and happy shooting.

Post some pic. once you are armed with your new equipment.

Thank you and will do that! :)

thing with buying used equipment in INDIA is that people fool each other a lot(unless they are ur close friends)

if u really wanna go,douple triple check each and every aspect of that sale offer.did the camera go for repairs??before you even buy,do a proper PHYSICAL check of all the stuff!

anvancy

Point taken seriously!

But, apart from scratches how does one check proper functioning of the internal mechanism.

From what I could gather from another dslr user, I need to check for fungus on the lens and shutter action.

What else and how?:confused:


Yes, check the no. of actuations(actual no. of photographs clicked) and look for any signs of damage and/or scratches on the body. Also check for hotspots. For more information on that, check this link (http://www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=2095)

Thanks, and will find that out. The link was extremely helpful. :)

except a prime, that's a decent setup. Q is what is the price?

Delhi tends to be cheaper for everything :D

I think Praful's from Bangalore. And yes, Get a 50 f/1.8 asap! :D

Xavier,

which is why the comment. Sometimes it may be better to explore other options. Delhi i've gotten quotes for 37k for 40D gray new, while on another forum blr guys aren't getting a penny below 41k (its been ~38k for nearly a year here).

May be a better idea to invest in a fresh set and ask a friend to bring it over from delhi!

See, if he has friends in delhi who can check it out for him/transact - I have colleagues flying into Bangalore on a weekly basis - so its not really a problem

Wots the offer price ur getting all this for?


Loads of questions about the pricing:D, well the camera is a Kiss X2 the one thats sold in Japan. The guy is returning to India (Delhi) early next month and is upgrading to the 500D.

I would be travelling to Delhi around mid next month so I would be able to collect it from him. As of now just looking out for someone in Delhi who will be able to pick up the cam for me.

This is the actual pic of the cam...

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/4092/mailgooglecom5181272.th.jpg (http://img33.imageshack.us/i/mailgooglecom5181272.jpg/)

He's quoting 30K for the entire setup, which I believe is a decent asking price considering its less than 6 months old, please correct me if I am wrong though. Market price quoted at JJMehta and FotoCircle(Bangalore's one stop shop for anything photography) is 54.5K and 52K respectively.



I presume that praful's current tripod is a normal pan and tilt affair. Do yourself a favor and ditch it for something with sturdy legs and a ballhead. it's a one time investment and you'll thank me later. ;)

As for filters, it's again smart to get pro-size filters (77mm) and step-up rings for all your smaller lenses. This way, you can use the same set of filters and that too, for a long time.

Your current lens lineup looks fineby itself. You can add a 50mm prime if you like to shoot pictures like the ones in the bokeh thread and in the portrait thread.

Thanks for your input, my current tripod is this (http://www.velbon.co.uk/newvelbon/pages/CX440.html)! It was pretty ok for my P&S, but will this not be enough for the 450D? If not any specific brands/models I need to look out for?

Most importantly I was looking at purchasing a camera bag to carry this baby around safely. Are camera bags generic, or do I need to look at specifics here too?

Which filters should I be looking at? I would be shooting a snowy landscapes (read: Himalayas) immediately after getting the cam.

Wat about lens hoods? Are they necessary?

As a first set I was thinking of getting just the cam and a bag, and maybe a filter which would be necessary for snow landscapes.

Prime lens will take sometime to come coz that would shoot up the already tight budget by quite a bit.

[hitanshu]

Decent stuff but not a total bargain because:


The options are
450d body = 27k
With EF 18-55mm IS = 28.5k
With 18-200mm AF = 36k
With EF 18-55 IS + EF 55-250 IS = 38k
Only 50 mm f1.8 = 4.5k

[shutterbug]

Tao, C'mon 30k INR for just a 6 month old canon eos 450d with kit lens and 55-250mm lens is a very good deal. Its just 6 months old!!
A brand new 450d with kit lens is about 40k INR(JJmehta)
55-250mm Is costs 13k INR
A 6 month depreciation of 23k is heavy discount, as long as it is in good condition.

[synn]

Praful: Yep, that's a pan 'n tilt alright. Some people swear by them, but I absolutely hate using them these days since turning the umptigazillion levers, knobs etc. have made me lose some nice shots. While shooting, you need simplicity. And that's what a ballhead offers.

You can start off with a low end Manfrotto which will serve you well for quite some time. The heads are usually replaceable, so when you have money, you can buy a better one.

As for bags, anything with adequate cushioning would do, but a dedicated camerabag offers pre-cut cubicles for the body, lens etc. for easy transportation. Avoid the side sling type designs as these put assymetric strain on your body in a couple of hours. Go for a good old backpack design. Some noteworthy brands are Lowepro and Kata; although you can find chinese equipment for cheaper rates.

[hitanshu]

Tao, C'mon 30k INR for just a 6 month old canon eos 450d with kit lens and 55-250mm lens is a very good deal. Its just 6 months old!!
A brand new 450d with kit lens is about 40k INR(JJmehta)
55-250mm Is costs 13k INR
A 6 month depreciation of 23k is heavy discount, as long as it is in good condition.

laale di jaan, my bad.

Those were japan average (not the el cheapoest) rates I quoted :D

So I'm saying that the seller isn't really selling it cheap!

[KrishnenduKes]

laale di jaan, my bad.

Those were japan average (not the el cheapoest) rates I quoted :D

So I'm saying that the seller isn't really selling it cheap!

Thus speaketh the MBA!!! :D

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

like i said,a proper physical check.see how the shutter button feels and the other buttons.the lens build,any sign of repairs etc.hold it in ur hand and see whether it connects with you or not.

anvancy

[prafultripathy]

laale di jaan, my bad.

Those were japan average (not the el cheapoest) rates I quoted :D

So I'm saying that the seller isn't really selling it cheap!
Tao, Im confused.

Are you saying that considering it was bought in Japan it should be cheaper as the rates in Japan (I assume!) are lower.

But it seems like a sweet deal taking into consideration only India (JJ Mehta, etc) rates

Did I get you right?

If so, what do you think the rate should be for the whole setup?

[synn]

Also, are you sure that it has the english firmware on it? I've seen some JDM Nikons and they all had the japanese FW.

[hitanshu]

No no.

I'm saying that rates are a matter of perspective:
a. For Indian - yes its CHEAP (but then you wouldn't get Japanese warranty to hold here)
b. For Japanese - its a decent deal - not really a bargain.

That's all. Given the price he's paid - consider it a FAIR price - don't be overly excited that you're getting a bargain (and gloss over any potential issues)

[KrishnenduKes]

No no.

I'm saying that rates are a matter of perspective:
a. For Indian - yes its CHEAP (but then you wouldn't get Japanese warranty to hold here)
b. For Japanese - its a decent deal - not really a bargain.

That's all. Given the price he's paid - consider it a FAIR price - don't be overly excited that you're getting a bargain (and gloss over any potential issues)

I think it is pretty decent deal.

Secondly, most Canon outlets sell with international warranty.

[shutterbug]

No no.

I'm saying that rates are a matter of perspective:
a. For Indian - yes its CHEAP (but then you wouldn't get Japanese warranty to hold here)
b. For Japanese - its a decent deal - not really a bargain.

That's all. Given the price he's paid - consider it a FAIR price - don't be overly excited that you're getting a bargain (and gloss over any potential issues)
Hitanshu, I get your point. So Japans prices are cheaper, hence it aint as a sweet a deal as we think.

But sometime back I heard from a guy who is a marine engineer that he found cameras more expensive than even in India. Wrong info I guess.

[hitanshu]

No idea. Its off an egroup of close friends where folks across USA, Singapore and India debated prices before he asked his colleague from Japan brought it over :)

for all you know, it may have been closeout prices as 450D is on its way out.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos450d/page2.asp says "Unfortunately none of our merchants are currently listing this product".

Too many variables - but bottomline is that it is a decent deal only

[shutterbug]

Yes 450D is on its way out. From a month back itself the stockists here said that they were not recieving stocks of 450D anymore.

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

if you have money everything feels CHEAP!

anvancy

[synn]

1) DPReview never properly gives a price list. Happens with models in production too.

2) The 450D became history the day the 500D came out. Whatever that was bought afterwards was clearance stock.

[prafultripathy]

Ok here's the info I got...

The international warranty is only on the lenses which is good for another 6 months. And warranty on the body is only valid in Japan. :(

The seller is not aware of the number of shots, but says its close to 20 gigs of pics.

Hearing the about no warranty validity in India is giving me second thoughts now. Whats your take guys?

[hitanshu]

The shutter count is fine - around 6000 or so.

Take a hard look at the camera - just make sure its otherwise well handled.

Consider it a decent gray market purchase for all you care.

And canon always provides free fixes (if any) irrespective of warranty status - so i've been told

[shutterbug]

I think somebody also mentioned canon fixing cams for free even without warranty? True?

[Aryan]

@Praful: 20 gigabytes of space means well over 6000-7000 photographs or so. My hard-disk has about 18-20 GB of the photographs clicked through the 400D and the shutter count of my D-SLR has gone way past the 9000 mark! Ofcourse, it can be different for different users, et al, but I would seriously ask you to check the body out for any kind of problems.

The 450D is one heck of a camera body, and that 18-55 IS lens is really good. Although, "kit" lenses are known to be cheap (both, price and quality wise), but the 18-55 IS is a really good lens. :) Ofcourse, there is no other real good alternative than the 16-35 f2.8 II :D or the 10-22mm f3.5-f4.5, but believe me, the 18-55 IS lens works wonders. :)

As for your doubts regarding "no warranty" part, let me tell you that my whole equipment has been bought from gray-market, and I have had absolutely ZERO problems TILL DATE. I understand that you are getting a second hand 450D, and you are not really sure how the owner might have used the camera/ lenses, but that should not be the reason to panic or cancel this sweet looking deal. :)

Do check out the lenses properly along with the body, and let us know if you need any kind of further help.

[hitanshu]

What I meant is that if there's a firmware major upgrade, or a recall types thing - you are treated at par with warranty guys.

Of course, the regular warranty clauses don't apply

[vitesh]

Ok here's the info I got...

The international warranty is only on the lenses which is good for another 6 months. And warranty on the body is only valid in Japan. :(

The seller is not aware of the number of shots, but says its close to 20 gigs of pics.

Hearing the about no warranty validity in India is giving me second thoughts now. Whats your take guys?

Hey Praful if u changed ur mind abt the deal then do let me know of whereabouts of this..As me will be really interested in buying this setup for one of my close friend...:D

[prafultripathy]

@All: Thought long and hard about it, I think I'll go for it. Earlier the better, if I keep waiting for sweeter deals I'd always be left wanting....:)
Just need to rope in a experienced dslr hand in the NCR region who would be able to help me properly inspect the cam before the final purchase. Coz however I inspect, I would definitely miss out on something or the other.

@vitesh: Incase at any point of time I do decide to change my mind, I shall definitely let you know! :)

[synn]

Good choice.

I bought my first SLR this way. Ditto my first DSLR. There's always some uncertainty, but deep inside, you just know you gotta take that risk or keep waiting and waiting.

Neither has disappointed me till date. I hope your purchase gives you a similar experience. Good luck, man. :)

[shutterbug]

Yeah, praful! go for it! NOW is the right time. I mean whatever extra you seem to pay over a sweeter deal which may come your way later will be fully worth it considering the extra time you get to pursue your passion! Happiness is not to be postponed!

[prafultripathy]

Good choice.

I bought my first SLR this way. Ditto my first DSLR. There's always some uncertainty, but deep inside, you just know you gotta take that risk or keep waiting and waiting.

Neither has disappointed me till date. I hope your purchase gives you a similar experience. Good luck, man. :)

Yeah, praful! go for it! NOW is the right time. I mean whatever extra you seem to pay over a sweeter deal which may come your way later will be fully worth it considering the extra time you get to pursue your passion! Happiness is not to be postponed!

Thanks for the encouragement guys! :)

@MODS: Can this thread be retained for my pre-purchase related queries??

[hitanshu]

Yeah man. Just go.

All I said about decent deal vs fantastic deal is just so that you don't end up supplicating to your friend, or he overcharge you, or that you grab it without a hard look at it.

It should 99% be in fine fettle - 6000 actuations is nothing! Guys do 10-20,000 in a year!

EDIT: Just realized I completed 1GB in just five days of shooting RAW + JPEG for my APAD. At that rate, the dude has just had 2000-3000 (max) shutter actuations!! so go for it!

PS: Ofc, if he has other similar friends coming down, let me know :D

[BANDHAV]

@Aryan; If i remember rightly, you told me that you bought your 400 D with bill.

[hitanshu]

Here's another piece of data for you:
my S3 at 6mp is shooting each pic at 11mb (raw + JPEG).

I'm doing 300-400mb daily.

Yest, I borrowed a friend's 450D and clicked some 150+ photos in the space of 15 minutes!

So don't think about that many pics. Just buy it :p

[Aryan]

@Aryan; If i remember rightly, you told me that you bought your 400 D with bill.
The body, yes, but the lenses and other accessories WITHOUT one. And believe me, the difference in gray market prices and the billed prices were about Rs.2k or thereabouts, else I would have LOVED to get everyhing from GRAY! :D I love gray.

@Praful: Glad that you decided to go ahead with the deal. :) Do let us know how this works out.

[prafultripathy]

A few more questions :)

1. Is there anyway that I can get a health check up done by Canon? To ensure all the internals are working as they are? If yes, where in Delhi can I get this done?

2. I bought 2 Marumi UV filters for 380 bux each, I hope I have not over/under paid for it. Well under would be fine :D

3. I am told Palika Bazaar has the best rates for stuff, does anyone Delhi side have idea of prices of the following stuff :-

a) Lowepro bag models :
(i) Micro Trekker 100
(ii) Orion Mini
(iii) PhotoRunner
(iv) SidelineShooter

b) 58mm CPL brands :
(i) Kenko
(ii) Hoya
(iii) Marumi

PS: Any significant difference in performance among the above mentioned CPL brands? The Bangalore prices were 1050/-, 2200/-, 1600/- in the same order as the brands are mentioned. Read somewhere place that Hoya CPL was available in Palika for like 1000/-. So am deciding wether to buy here in Bangalore or in Palika Bazaar in Delhi. :D

[hitanshu]

Just as an update - I clicked 75 pics, totalling almost 390 mb in my first ten minutes :D

20 GB is quite quite quite less :)

Don't let that cam go from your hand. Its a lovely kit.

[BANDHAV]

No idea about the things you are asking but do remember one thing just give a call wheneven you are here in Delhi, would love to meet you.

You have my number.

[KrishnenduKes]

Try Cokin as well for the CPL. Hoya is pretty decent.

And yes, do give us a call whilst you are in Delhi. :)

[hitanshu]

arre he's not in delhi. 99.999% a colleague of mine would take it to bangalore for him next weekend!

[prafultripathy]

Don't let that cam go from your hand. Its a lovely kit.

Price and everything else on paper looks good, so am definitely not letting this go unless anything else pop's up. Just need to get the cam+lenses examined to ensure everything in the internals is working fine! :)

No idea about the things you are asking but do remember one thing just give a call wheneven you are here in Delhi, would love to meet you.

You have my number.


I found the answer to my first question. Canon Longe Gurgaon, they do an extremely basic inspection of the cam. Cost is pretty decent too, its 220/- bux for each part i.e. body/lens etc (thats a nice coincidence :D)

Definitely will drop in a buzz when im there later this month.

We could have a smallish g2g even :)

Try Cokin as well for the CPL. Hoya is pretty decent.

And yes, do give us a call whilst you are in Delhi. :)

Isnt Cokin a step above in quality above the Hoya/Marumi stuff?

Definitely will let you know! :)

arre he's not in delhi. 99.999% a colleague of mine would take it to bangalore for him next weekend!

I sincerly hope .001% is not a spoil sport, better to have the cam atleast for a few days than to have it for just a few hrs before a trip. :D

[KrishnenduKes]

Yes, Cokin is supposed to be better.

[Deltaone]

By saying cokin, i assume you refer to their general screw-in series, because i am assuming you are not going for the creative system that they use with square filters. If so, of the brands mentioned hoya is certainly the best. Most pros use B+W which is quite expensive, and then the next choice is always hoya pro. Their filters are usually generally slightly more expensive than most others but hoya makes some very good filters and their pro range is very very good. That said, marumi is a step below them but still make good filters. Usually quite reasonably priced and pretty decent for what they do. Just stay away from Kenko.

That said, if you're intending to buy a filter, better buy the 77 mm range, if you plan to keep it for longer. Just buy the requisite size step up rings. It keeps costs down in the long term and ensures that CPL can be used on all lenses.

[rio008]

i would like to know you guys opinion about sony alpha 700 camera, does anyone used it or tried it, do reply. specialy its image quality.

[Xavier]

i would like to know you guys opinion about sony alpha 700 camera, does anyone used it or tried it, do reply. specialy its image quality.

Most of the entry level Sonys are good VFM. But the higher end Sony DSLRs like the A700 and A900 suffer from a lot of noise at higher ISOs if compared to Canikons.

[shutterbug]

That is something I really dont get, considering that Sony makes the sensors for Nikon!

[Deltaone]

Its just the base sensor, but apart from that, everything else is company wise anyways, so theres quite a bit of difference.

That said, the a700 is a very good buy. Its got a semi-pro/very rugged build, unlike the lower end sonys, its got a decent grip as well. Yes both the 700 and 900 suffer from noise (cant really blame the 900, when you cram that many megapixels in, its bound to happen). That said, the last firmware update to the 700 is supposed to have fixed most of its high iso noise issues and its back to being a good buy.

Keep in mind that with sony you get in body IS, old minolta glass is both very very good and very very cheap and you've got a nice system building. Consider the new dslrs they've got coming, and sony is really upping its game atm.

To return to your original question, yes if gotten at a decent price, it is indeed a very good buy.

[rio008]

Its just the base sensor, but apart from that, everything else is company wise anyways, so theres quite a bit of difference.

That said, the a700 is a very good buy. Its got a semi-pro/very rugged build, unlike the lower end sonys, its got a decent grip as well. Yes both the 700 and 900 suffer from noise (cant really blame the 900, when you cram that many megapixels in, its bound to happen). That said, the last firmware update to the 700 is supposed to have fixed most of its high iso noise issues and its back to being a good buy.

Keep in mind that with sony you get in body IS, old minolta glass is both very very good and very very cheap and you've got a nice system building. Consider the new dslrs they've got coming, and sony is really upping its game atm.

To return to your original question, yes if gotten at a decent price, it is indeed a very good buy.

i got a good offer for a700 with 18-70mm, 70-300mm, an extra battery, proffesional carry case. used for just 3-4 months.
what i heard that 18-70mm in not really a good lens for a700. 18-70mm was made for sony a100 & a300 which are CCD sensored cameras, does that really makes difference? i am confused with what i found googling.

[Deltaone]

Er, the A700 and the A900 for that matter are both CCDs. The newer 5xx series and the 850 are sony's first cmos sensors anyways. So that doesnt make any sense. Even if it werent, theres no difference either way.

That lens kit was the standard sony lens kit till they brought out the 230 330 and 380 when they switched to the 18-55+55-200 kit combo. I think its a pretty decent lens, although the 75-300 iirc is pretty soft. Check out the reviews. Try to find an old minolta beercan, the f4 70-210, its a very good lens and can find it pretty cheap as well.

[rio008]

Er, the A700 and the A900 for that matter are both CCDs. The newer 5xx series and the 850 are sony's first cmos sensors anyways. So that doesnt make any sense. Even if it werent, theres no difference either way.

That lens kit was the standard sony lens kit till they brought out the 230 330 and 380 when they switched to the 18-55+55-200 kit combo. I think its a pretty decent lens, although the 75-300 iirc is pretty soft. Check out the reviews. Try to find an old minolta beercan, the f4 70-210, its a very good lens and can find it pretty cheap as well.

i dont think a700/900 are CCD sensored, its CMOS
check out this dpreview review here (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Sony/sony_dslra700.asp).

[Deltaone]

Sorry, my bad. Yes it runs on a cmos sensor. Again, what difference does that make anyways? Makes no difference whether the sensor is ccd or cmos vis a vis the lens.

There are plenty of reviews out on the net for the camera. So see if you like what you're getting. As a system, sony is gaining a lot more ground with their newer gen cameras. The fact that you get IS in-body, get some very good minolta glass for very very cheap, and have some very good carl zeiss lenses as your premium line are all very enticing features to be had. So it is up to you.

Since you had a d200 earlier, i guess the only nikon you would be looking at would be the d300. Going by used prices around here, a used a700 should be somkewhere around half or slightly more than half of the price of a used d300.