I was just curious as to the background of Alpha owners.

I myself have been shooting with the Minolta Maxxum system for a few years and the A100 is my first DSLR.

Good poll! I edited your post just fix the spelling in the subject line. Hope you don't mind :)

I voted "Other" in the poll. I've owned all kinds of SLRs and am currently a Canon owner. I bought the A100 so we could get a review up without waiting for Sony to send us a camera. And I actually used it instead of my own cameras for a while. I liked it enough that I wanted to use it more than my own gear. Now, it's gone into the pool of office equipment and I'm not using it anymore.

I'm curious to see the results of this poll. My guess is most people buying the Alpha are either Konica Minolta owners or first-time SLR buyers, like yourself. It's a great camera. But once you've got an investment in a system, it takes a lot for most of us to switch.

I don't mind at all! Thanks for the fix!

My first SLR type camera was a Minolta X700 that I purchased for my honeymoon in 85'. Several years later I bought a Nikon N70. I leaped at the chance to buy the Alpha. The most attractive feature was having the ability to buy used Minolta lenses and pair them with Steadyshot - a great value! I voted Nikon in the poll.

Sony Alpha is a very good camera. I had the Rebel XT and when I heard that Sony was coming out with a DSLR, I decided to go with that system. I don't leave home without it.

I started out with Canon, back in the AE-1 era, and later switched to Minolta. Got the Alpha 100 in its second week out (early August), and haven't shot anything on Film since. It is THAT good!

My wife has a 35mm Minolta, with only 1 extra cheap lens so, it's not like I had a huge investment. And I started taking serious the Sony after PJ's reviewk, otherwise I've would have gotten the xti.
Now I'm really happy with it, the steady shoot really helps, good kit lens, cheap used good quality Minolta lenses. Noise at high ISO?, software takes care of it...

BTW, I put the kit lens on the minolta, and seems to be ok except at 18mm. I did not turn the camera on. Is there a risk of wrecking the lens of the camera if I shoot it (digital lens on a 35mm Minolta)?

There shouldn't be a problem. I've seen pictures where people put the alpha kit lens on a 35mm camera body and took a few shots. It produces like a fish eye type image.

Ive started out with a Toshiba digital gosh about 7 years ago. Then when that broke i got the Minolta dimage 7i, I still hve that camera I also have the sony dsc v1 and now i upgraded to the Sony alph a100 cause i had so many lens compatible for the a100 and tested it out and I loved it so i bought it at end of summer of 06.

marcie

I started years ago with Minolta cameras and lenses. I bought the Alpha firstly because it takes very sharp images and secondly because I have several Minolta & Sigma lenses that fit.
I think there is a degree of snobbery in photography regarding Canon & Nikon but if you study a photograph could anyone tell what camera shot it? :confused:

Although I still use my Minolta Dynax 7 film camera, I would not have a desire to have the first generation of Sony/Minolta camera.
I have touched the A100, but didn't like that much. It did NOT have the same feeling that Minolta Dynax has.
I do NOT mind to wait for few years when Sony makes better camera for Minolta users.
If you are interested to check my images which I took with my dearest camera Minolta, you could check the following link:
www.nfolio.net/gallery.php?usr_id=684

A very valid thread indeed. I am a existing Minolta user, having a 7000i & 500super. The lenses I have, apart from the minolta 50mm 1.7, are more Kit then quality. As photography is a hobby, I found that Kit will have to do. The A100 was really a no brainer.

& I must admit, I am very happy with it. My only complaint so far is that damn screen. It always has smudges & I can never keep it clean

... My only complaint so far is that damn screen. It always has smudges & I can never keep it clean

I hear ya! I bought the Delkin LCD cover with flip up hood for it. The hood keeps smudges from even getting on the protector screen. It does block you from reading the LCD until you flip it up though, but it's good at shading the screen and is easily detached (leaving just the LCD protector). My only real gripe is when the camera is dangling on the shoulder strap and any little bump against my body will make the whole thing come off. I figure a remedy of a piece of tape should keep that from happening.

so, is this a A-100 only problem? I would think that the Rebels D40s 50s and 80s users also leave the nose dna all over the lcd, right?