A2 Experience

[mjc_2000]

[font color=\'#000000\']Question: can the A2 be used with an old style manual flash?

I am "dum as dirt" when it comes to digital photography.  I atill use my K-1000 (25 years old now) or a "one step".  It has come down to the F828 or the A2.  From the reviews, the A2 seems to be the better choice.

I don't want to make a huge investment (at least not yet).  Both the A2 and the F828 have dropped to around $550.  Add a few hundred for memory cards and I should be in business.  I will most likely use the internal flash most of the time but it would be nice to use my old style manual flash if I can.

Also what memory cards to buy?  I see there is CF type I and Type II, 40 X and now even 80 X!  I assume the camera has some limitation and at some point a faster card will be pointless.  Am I correct?

Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated (I think I have now read everthing on the web).

Mike[/font]

[mjc_2000]

[font color=\'#000000\']I just did a search on the web.  I found two places.  One had a price of $519 and the other $545.

I called the two stores and both confirmed the price and that they had them in stock.

Up till this point I had been considering the sony dcs-v1 but at only $150 more ....

I forget the stores, I'm at work and left the print-out at home (I think one was A & W).  

Mike[/font]

[mbridgers]

[font color=\'#000000\']I did a Froogle search and came up with Radio Active Deals with an A2 at $545.  Resellerratings.com doesn't have much good to say about them, though.  I'd be really, really leery of anything below about $900 at this point.[/font]

[Eric Fredine]

[font color=\'#000000\']Just read Michael's latest A2 report and I have to say that my reasons for buying the A2 and experience using it match almost word for word (though sadly, I haven't had the chance to use mine in Spain).  

I bought mine as a light-weight alternative to carrying around a 1Ds when on business trips.  I use flex focus, I hate the EVF (but have learned to live with it) and found that the RAW images required a LOT more sharpening, but once applied the image quality is quite satisfactory.

In addition to enjoying the AS feature I also enjoy the ability to use relatively wide aperatures and still maintain acceptable DOF due to the small size of the sensor.

Best regards,
Eric

Fredine Photography[/font]

[gsrees]

[font color=\'#000000\']Likewise I have only had the A2 a matter of a few days (exchanged after Jessops UK *very helpfully* exchanged my 3rd defective Canon Pro1 for an A2 after it developed more problems with a severe ingress of fluff inbetween the lens elements). In this time I have have found it very easy and intuitive to get to use - as a long-time Canon user  it was the similarity of the user interfaces on my 35mm/D60 that was the main reason I went with the Pro 1 in the first place.

I found the extra A2 camera features *really* useful and not just marketing twaddlebollocks -  features such as the  the Antishake, the manual zoom and the higher res EVF. Overall, and at this early point, I'm very pleased with the unitended move from canon to minolta - even though it means that I now need to carry more batteries and yet another charger!!!

Only one annoyance,  I don't find the dynamic histogram as useful as the 2s review histogram that I could get as an config option on the  Pro1. I have been rumaging about in the menus and have not yet found this option - though I can get one after two button presses. Please tell me there is a way of getting this as the standard review screen on the A2?? Any A2 user like to comment?

Best regards

Gareth[/font]

[boku]

[font color=\'#000000\']

Both the A2 and the F828 have dropped to around $550.

Where did you get that bit of information from?[/font]

[Bobtrips]

[font color=\'#000000\']Be careful when shopping the very low price places.  They are often 'bait and switch' offers.  The most frequent scam is that you will be (strongly) encouraged to purchase some additional items which will be very expensive.  If you don't purchase then the camera will suddenly be "out of stock".

Visit Price Grabber to search for prices along with dealer ratings.  And check Reseller Ratings for more info.

And a "few hundred" for memory cards?  There's a point at which it's cheaper to buy a PHD (portable hard drive) or portable CD burner - both around $200 - than to fill you pockets with memory cards.[/font]