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Many years ago I had a Practica BC1 slr, but then life got in the way and photography stopped. Recently however I became fed up of my lazy approach to using a mobile phone to capture images, so, I decided a DSLR was for me.

So, like most people, I stared to research, mainly the internet, as most magazines just scream at people to buy the latest and expensive piece of kit. Magazines however are great for technique and how to use the thing. Not being in any way knowledgeable of the digital scene I had to learn some basics.

Reading many reviews and specifications it is all too easy to get caught up in minutiae of detail and to become convinced you need every little feature. I also knew that I wanted a camera that would allow me to develop my technical skill slowly, at my own pace, whilst still allowing great photos out of the box, that all the family could use. I also set a budget of £400

I ended up with a shortlist of five cameras – the Pentax K10D, the Cannon 400D, the Olympus E510, the Sony a200 and lastly the Nikon 40dx. So, reviews and marketing read it was off to the shop to compare and evaluate them.

The Nikon was discounted owing to it having no dust removal system. The Olympus went next owing to small size and lack of features that I might need in future use. The Cannon went for three reasons. First it had a CMOS sensor and low ISO, and rightly or wrongly, I deemed it unsuitable for night photography or astronomical photos via my telescope. The second reason was, for me anyway, its poor ergonomics. Lastly, it was about to be replaced with a newer version, so its technology was a little old, although its well proven in taking great pictures.

That left the Pentax and Sony. Again the Pentax is about to be replaced, but I liked the fact of the weather proof seals. However it was heavier than the rest which may have been a problem for others in the family. Also it was feature rich – too many for me – I felt it would have taken an age for me to understand and use to its full capacity. It is I feel a camera for the knowledgeable enthusiast.

That then left the Sony. Knowing it had Minolta pedigree helped convince me it was a serious contender with the other brands. I also suppose it helped that I am not a brand snob. I immediately liked the ergonomics – larger than all but Pentax, all family liked the comfortable and light way it fitted in the hands. The feature set was wide and I deemed enough to develop with my skills. Ease of use was for me, way ahead of the others, and the resulting pictures on the LCD screen, to my eye, appeared a lot crisper than the others. My biggest grip since purchasing the camera? Why oh why, does Sony produce such a poor manual – all the marketing they do, they spoil by such a poor instruction booklet, anyone know of a better guide?

Mairtin