Sony SAL18250 Alpha DT 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 High Magnification Zoom Lens w/Lens Hood Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Short version: This is a great lens... very well made, effective, versatile, and performs impressively. A great investment for anyone wanting a lens that really can 'do it all'.
Long version: I got this lens as an upgrade from my original Sony 18-55 lens, since I wanted a lens with a little more zoom capability (and some close-up as well) without having to switch back and forth between the 18-55 for wide angle and a bulky telephoto for higher zoom.
I was worried a little bit by reviews of the similar Tamron 18-250 lens because some reviewers claimed it had slower focus times and zoom slip.
Well, with this lens, I've not noticed any difference in focusing speed or had any problem with the zoom slipping; the zoom itself is tight and the autofocus is spot-on (I have mediocre eyesight, so AF is pretty important for me). Colors are vibrant, the view is clear... everything is good with this lens so far. I'm very pleased and not at all remorseful about dropping the cash for it.

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This long-telephoto Sony zoom lens provides high magnification and a broad 14X zooming range in compact, lightweight design that makes it easy to carry -- and its 35mm-equivalent range of 27mm wide-angle to 375mm telephoto excels at capturing faraway subjects, sports events, dramatic landscapes and intimate close-up views.

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Sony HVL-F42AM High Power Digital Flash for Sony Alpha DSLR Cameras Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is well worth the money .This flash is a huge improvement over the HVL-F36AM it recycles really fast no wait. I can light up a 15 foot room with one of these.Try putting a gary fong or Stoffen diffuser on this it will even your light out and spread it around the room. A Bare bulb only fires straight forward only filling the forward portion of the room .
On some of these reviews when they say this is a weak flash are uninformed and unaware of their equipments potential.If you buy any flash and use only the bare flash firing forward it will not fill a room it will fire straight forward the way it was intended to do.You will see some idiots fire a bare flash at peoples faces and wonder why it doesn't work .
Try bouncing it off the ceiling preferably a white one a green ceiling will turn everyone into green people aliens.
And also invest in a diffuser or umbrella for it a stoofen or gary fong or a 1 dollar frosted tupperware bowl and cut a hole in it . . Or get a 24x24 softbox and soften it up a bit.
In WL mode it does have to be in line sight with the camera and it is very reliable .(Hint for newbies put the flash on the camera power on camera. Turn on flash head .Select menu on camera go to flash select wireless. Remove flash head from camera then flip camera flash up you are now in wireless mode) ( you can also just push the WL button on the back of the flash and select wireless flash in the camera menu , then flip up the camera flash and you are in wireless mode.
I use two of these and they do everthing that I need them to do and then some .I use only one with a 60" soft white umbrella and get everything I need from that. I will use two on large groups of people 8 or more ... well worth the money I would buy again if needed .
...Highly recomended You can get a hvl-56AM or Hvl-58AM which are more powerful but the 56 is discontinued and don't support white balance mode and the 58 is very expensive but worth every penny (plus the HVL-F58AM will control this flash and fire a flash off the camera at the same time no annoying pre-flash ...The TTL is very nice also ...I chose this over the Sigma after long researching . I get mixed reviews from people using sigmas saying some work great and some don't .
I just wanted it to do what it is supposed to do with no hassels and this is why I chose these flashes and glad I did. I also just ordered the HVL-F58AM I will have two 42's and a 58...I will update later..
I am updating this I have been using the HVL-58AM all can say is what a flash it is powerful and controls the all the 42's I love them all 42's and 58..
I now have 4 HVL-F42AM's and a HVL-F58AM the F58 can fire all these or you can use Radio triggers like the RF-602 canon or Nikon sets with a SC-6 adapter and a FS-1100 adapter for the camera .. The HVL-F42AM have to be mounted on camera to fire Radio triggers just disable the standby mode so they don't go to sleep in 3 minutes or extend it..
I want to tell you that you will see bad reviews from people lacking skills the tools are only as good as the photographer ..A good photographer learns how to use and make the best out of his equipment a bad photographer complains about the equipment ..
You can buy any camera you want in a DSLR it will not make you a better photographer learn to master what you have GO to [...] and find strobist and learn lighting skills 101

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Powerful Flash for More Creative Freedom. The HVL-F42AM Flash Unit gives Sony ¿ system photographers more illumination power for every shooting opportunity, with effective range greater than 30 feet (10.5m), versatile bounce angles (90° up, 90° left, 180° right) and high-speed sync to catch fast action. It also provides intelligent features like auto zoom optimized for image sensor size, auto WB with color temperature signal to camera, and accurate ADI metering capability -- plus wide zoom angle (16mm) with retractable wide panel, simple controls, flash test button and fast recharging time to help you shoot more quickly (guide number: 42).

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Sony 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Compact Super Telephoto Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)According to a photo magazine, this is a cosmetically re-labelled Konica Minolta 75-300 (D) zoom telephoto, which is a lens that I own (it certainly looks exactly the same as the KM 75-300 lens, but with the 'Sony' name). In which case, I have the following review:
(1) Excellent construction quality, this is a very nicely made lens, excellent finish, not too heavy but solid and without the 'plastic' feel of many medium-priced lenses;
(2) Excellent optical quality, with good sharpness even at the longest 300mm focal length where most zooms begin to show poor quality;
(3) VERY UNUSUAL: near-zero distortion throughout the entire range of focal lengths (very different from some Sigma zooms that I own, which have conspicuously visible pincushion distortion). This may well be the lowest-distortion 75-300 telephoto from any maker.
(4) ONE CAVEAT: AUTOFOCUS IN LOW LIGHT: on my Minolta Maxxum 7 film camera, whose autofocus system is apparently quite similar to the Sony Alpha 100, the camera has difficulty autofocussing the 75-300 lens at the 300 mm setting (where the aperture is only f/5.6) in light weaker than direct sunlight. This is probably the same with any f/5.6 or slower lens. I have found myself switching to manual focus at the 300 mm setting if the subject is not brightly lit.
NOTE: the Konica Minolta 75-300 (D) lens is still available, for about $140, and reportedly will work with Sony Alpha cameras just as well as the similar lens labelled Sony.

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Get extremely close to your subjects from a relaxing distance with this Sony 75-300mm super telephoto zoom lens. Great for taking incredibly close-up portraits without making your subject nervous, the compact, lightweight 4x zoom lens is a terrific value and an ideal choice for covering outdoor activities and sports action, even in large stadium locations. The lens offers a wide zoom range of 112.5 to 450mm (35mm equivalent) that handles both middle-ground subjects and portraits from afar, while still capturing intimate details and natural wonders close at hand. In addition, the lens gives light sources a pleasing circular defocused effect in the background, making the subject stand out beautifully.

Focal length: 75-300mm (112.5-450mm 35mm equivalent)
Maximum aperture: f/4.5-5.6
Minimum aperture: f/28-32
Filter diameter: 55mm
Minimum focus distance: 4 feet, 11 inches
Magnification: 0.25x
Lens group elements: 10 groups 13 elements
Distance encoder: Yes
Blades: 7 aperture blades
Asperhic elements: No
Lens type: Telephoto zoom
Dimensions: 2.81 inches in diameter and 4.81 inches long
Weight: 1 pound, 2 ounces

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