Saturday, October 4, 2014

Sony Alpha SLT-A65 Translucent Mirror Technology Digital SLR Camera Body & 18-55mm Lens with 75

Sony Alpha SLT-A65 Translucent Mirror Technology Digital SLR Camera Body & 18-55mm Lens with 75-300mm Zoom Lens + 32GB Card + Battery + Filter + Case + Tripod + Telephoto & Wide-Angle Lens + Accessory KitWow, what a fast camera! But read reviews of the camera itself if you're wanting more on that topic :)

I just have some quick comments on this particular package. As of today the cost of this entire kit (even with $20 shipping) is less than the cost of buying just the camera and one lens from Amazon, so in some ways all the other components are "free," which makes it a great deal. That said, some of the components are better than others:

Sony Alpha SLT-A65 Translucent Mirror Technology Digital SLR Camera Body & 18-55mm Lens --> did I mention this camera was fast? I also find it more intuitive than either the Canon T4i or Nikon 5100

Sony Alpha 75-300mm Zoom Lens --> the lenses tend to vary the most from one package to another. This one is rated fairly well, and seems to work just fine

Sony LCS-SC8 DSLR Camera Case --> it's decent, and as of today it sells for $43ish on Amazon. The instructions warn that it will bleed onto your clothes if it gets wet, but it seems to have fairly sturdy construction and will hold one camera, a couple of lenses, and has a couple of side pouches for other things (one in front is solid and has a zipper, but the two side pouches are just mesh pockets). The interior pouch has (strong) velcro, so you can tweak the size of the internal compartments as needed

Transcend 32GB Class10 SD Card --> that's a slooooooooooow class 10, at 25 MB/s. The SanDisk class 10 is 45 MB/s

Spare NP-FM500H Battery --> not a Sony battery, but I haven't used it much so can't comment on it otherwise

Vivitar 55mm UV Glass Filter --> not much to say about this... I put it on and it seems to be fine

Additional Vivitar 55mm UV Glass Filter --> (same)

Zeikos Wireless Remote Control --> the really simple kind, with just a single button that you can press partway or all the way down. You have to aim it at the front of the camera (left side, if you're looking at the front). To make your camera "listen" for the remote, you have to press Function > Drive and then it's the last choice (this is the same place you go to turn on fast continuous-mode or slow continuous-mode shooting)

PD 2x Tele & .45x Wide Lens --> MISSING altogether! The receipt said it was back-ordered, and the seller mailed it to me maybe 3 weeks after everything else arrived. I haven't tested these at all.

Precision Design 57" Tripod --> the PD-58 PVTR, to be precise. Currently sells for $15ish on Amazon, and has a 3-star rating. I can't stand it--it's not sturdy enough to hold this camera and the 75-300mm lens in position--no matter how much you tighten the knobs, it slowly drifts downward, and ruins your shot. I wish they would have made the kit cost $4 more and included the Targus Digital TG-6660TR 66-Inch tripod instead--it's also cheap, but much better than this one :(

PD SDHC Memory Card Reader --> A simple one, for SD/SDHC/MMC cards (no micro or mini) on one end, and a USB port on the other... plus a USB extension cord in case the base is otherwise too chunky to plug into your computer (depending on how your computer's USB ports are positioned). Quite simple and works just fine.

PD 6pc Complete Cleaning Kit --> fairly basic, has a decent case to store everything in

PD Memory Card Storage Wallet --> it's tiny, maybe 2 inches by 2 inches, with three pouches that easily fit one memory card in each, though you could probably put 2 in and mayyyyybe three

LCD Monitor Screen Protectors --> cutting them to size is tricky and a bit annoying, though they do have 1-millimeter lines printed on them to help you cut straight lines. If you cut these in half, you can get 6 out of this set of 3 for the Alpha SLT-A65 camera. They do seem to add a tiny bit of glare, and those bubbles are really hard to work out, but the extra protection from scratches is probably worth it

Again: the camera is great, and since all of the above are basically "free" compared to the cost of buying the same camera with lenses elsewhere, it's fantastic. Just double-check your order for completeness when it arrives, and consider buying a separate SanDisk class 10 memory card if speed is important to you.

This model, like some other sony dslr cameras, uses the old Minolta 'A' lense mount. This means if you have any legacy Minolta Maxxum AF lens made since 1985, they will fit! Slick move on sony's part. I've had it since june and couldn't be happier. Handled Disney World with ease. No malfunctions, knock on wood. Cannon and Nikon are just now offering the resolution that is anywhere close to this camera. Action shots are no problem! This thing is rapid fire when you want to capture the action.

Buy Sony Alpha SLT-A65 Translucent Mirror Technology Digital SLR Camera Body & 18-55mm Lens with 75 Now

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