Minolta Maxxum HTsi Plus SLR Camera

Rating:
Summary: None better at this price
Review: I bought the HTsi+, Minolta 28-80 and 70-210 and the 5400HS flash. It is a wonderful combination. The camera is the perfect combination of sophistication and simplicity. I have not yet had a bad photo or incorrect exposure. If all you want is a "point and shoot", it'll do that. If you want absolute control of the camera, you can do that. In between are enough modes and settings to keep a very advanced amateur satisfied. The flash is amazing. It has a guide number of 152. It follows every movement of the lens, zooming instantly. It can also be used off the camera and is triggered by the HTsi's built-in fill flash. I was a little worried about the heavy use of plastics in the camera. I have pleasantly surprised - plastics have come a long way. I do not hesitate to recommend this camera.

Rating:
Summary: Very happy with my choice...
Review: My choice came down to Minolta HTSi Plus or Canon EOS Rebel X or 2000. Features are VERY similar. I preferred the HTSi Plus' feel and viewer displays, so I choice Minolta's body. (FYI, I worked with the 28-80 lens for 3 weeks, then decided to upgrade to a 28-200mm for more flexibility.) The features allow tons of growth/learning by the photographer, while still taking great shots right out of the box. It's designed so that the photographer can take as much control over the shot as they want, with the onboard computer handling whatever the photographer doesn't feel comfortable with: From focus to aperture and fstop settings. Variety of optional presets allow immediate creativity while the photographer learns more about lighting, angles, film, and composition with each shot. No, I don't work for Minolta. I just love their camera.