Viewfinder and actual photo show difference

Sony_SoFar

Sony_SoFar

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Lewis
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Hey,

So, long story short got married a couple of weeks ago and grabbed our photographers 2nd camera, and instantly the bug to use a proper camera rather than a phone came back. During a holiday around 10 years ago, my camera (Sony A200) was dropped and now the image seen in the view finder isn't the same as the photo that is taken.
Imagine lining up to take a photo so that the view finder will take a photo of a TV, framed perfectly. When the photo is taken, the actual photo taken cuts off the bottom and moves slightly right. It certainly moves enough that you can't with confidence trust the veiwfinder to frame the photo about to be taken.

Anyway think I have 2 options, either get it repaired or buy a new Camera.
I have 4 lenses (kit lens, 50mm, 70-300mm & 28-105mm) so would suspect that staying with Sony would be the best move if a new Body was the way to go.

I've no idea on repair cost, but suspect it would be heading beyond the cost of a second hand replacement.
So if you think the best thing for me to do is go for a new Camera Body, it's a guide on what to go for, all lenses owned fit the Sony A rather than Sony E mount.

Looking at options available, with a budget of £200ish for a second hand body which Sony model is best.....

All help much appreciated.
 
You'll be lucky to get any decent Sony body for £200.

Even the cheapest "well used" A7 is £239 at MPB and it'll be battered.
 
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I'd stick with Sony A mount given you've got those lenses, a small budget and only just getting back into it. You'd probably only get £100 for all the lenses you've got, but would cost several times that to replace in E mount.

You've got a few choices:
- Sony A58. I never had one, but it got good reviews IIRC, £224
- Sony A 77. Fantastic camera, you won't be disappointed, but a bit more at £260
- Sony A700. Will be very hard to find one in good nick and I'd be wary, but it's such a great transition from an A200 (I went to an A700 from A100 and it was a dream). One here at £89
-Sony A900 or A850. Now I'm not sure how many of your lenses are full frame lenses (I'm pretty sure 70-300 and 50 both will be), but for a bit extra you could get into full frame for just under £400


Having written all that, I think the A700 is absolutely the right route to take. £89 is a bargain for a beautiful camera. If you're tempted to spend a bit more, go with the A700 and pick up the outrageously cheap Sony 135 1.8 Zeiss that's in the classifieds for £385 and you'll never look back.
 
The A580 was a decent camera - same 10.2MP as the 200. Not many around though.
My favourite DSLR was the A77ii - brilliant camera and I was really disappointed when it died on me and I had to go mirrorless. But they seem to have held up well on prices - looking at £500 upwards.
 
You'll probably get a few quid for the old camera if you 'bay it for spares or repair. Add that to the £200 you have to spend and you'll probably be able to get a working body. A repair on the broken one will probably cost more than a fresh body.
 
Sony_SoFar said:
Hey,

So, long story short got married a couple of weeks ago and grabbed our photographers 2nd camera, and instantly the bug to use a proper camera rather than a phone came back. During a holiday around 10 years ago, my camera (Sony A200) was dropped and now the image seen in the view finder isn't the same as the photo that is taken.
Imagine lining up to take a photo so that the view finder will take a photo of a TV, framed perfectly. When the photo is taken, the actual photo taken cuts off the bottom and moves slightly right. It certainly moves enough that you can't with confidence trust the veiwfinder to frame the photo about to be taken.

Anyway think I have 2 options, either get it repaired or buy a new Camera.
I have 4 lenses (kit lens, 50mm, 70-300mm & 28-105mm) so would suspect that staying with Sony would be the best move if a new Body was the way to go.

I've no idea on repair cost, but suspect it would be heading beyond the cost of a second hand replacement.
So if you think the best thing for me to do is go for a new Camera Body, it's a guide on what to go for, all lenses owned fit the Sony A rather than Sony E mount.

Looking at options available, with a budget of £200ish for a second hand body which Sony model is best.....

All help much appreciated.
Click to expand...


It sounds as if the stabiliser (sensor shift) has been damaged, and is stuck.
If you are OK with small tools, probably worth having a go, not much to lose, and plenty to gain.

But, they are horrible to work on :)

Do a search for that fault and see if it adds up, and there are probably videos on youtube showing how the camera is taken apart.
 
My first digital DSLR was an A200, then a few years ago I picked up abother one, soon after I saw an A700 on MPB for about £100 and it was a step up.

Only got rid of it becuase I wanted to lighten up my kit a bit.

I would not pay to have the a200 fixed
 
As Simon suggested, that A700 is an ideal replacement for your A200 (I started with an A200, then A700, then A900, now A7iv), it's a nice step up and the A700 and A900 had superb build. All your lenses, and any other accessories (EG Spare batteries, remote release, flash) will work with the A700.
The A900 is a step up again (and batteries, flash, etc will all work fine on it), and your 70-300 and 24-105 will both be full frame. The A200 kit lens isn't, but the 24-105 on FF will more than cover the range, and is a better lens overall.
The 50 may be FF or APS-C - if it's the Sony f/1.8 it's APS-C, otherwise it's FF.
Both the A700 and A900 have optical viewfinders, the A900 in particular is superb.
The A77 and A58 both have electronic viewfinders - personally, I didn't like the EVF in the A77 (not tried the A58), but there is a significant amount of personal preference there.
The A58 has the newer (current) style Sony hotshoe for flash - so if you have an external flash it won't fit on an A58. On the other hand, if you don't have one and are thinking of getting one then any current flash which fits Sony will work on an A58, while getting a flash for an A700, A77 or A900 will mean hunting for something second hand.
 
The A58 was going for a bit over £100 used earlier this year. I have one, bought new in 2013, and it's ok.
 
PLEASE get an A700 and then buy this. I can't stand to see it unused and unloved (not mine btw, just still very much in love with that lens from my A-mount days!)
 
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