I like taking pictures and when I bought my Samsung Innov8 smart phone I was taking them whenever I could – as it had a 8 mega pixel camera (which was pretty much the only phone out at the time with a camera that good). The lens was pretty good and so was the sensor (the bit that actually does all the work). Unfortunately I was a plank and left it on the train on my way to work and funnily enough nobody was kind enough to return my £550 phone 
So it was back to my compact camera, a pretty nifty Samsung S730 with an almost equally good sensor and only 1 mega pixel less than my phone. Since moving to Caldecotte (and having the sun set over the lake every evening just outside my balcony window), I couldn’t resist taking photo’s. There have been some amazing photo opportunities and I’ve done the best I can with the camera I have, but it’s been leaving me wanting a little more control and quality over my photo’s.
So… I started looking around for a Digital SLR camera. I couldn’t afford to spend over £600 for a camera that I might not get the most out of, or could turn into another 5-minute wonder of mine, so it needed to be an entry level SLR. After many different reviews I decided on getting a Sony a200 DSLR.
My bad boy Sony DSLR
I’ve had it for nearly a couple of weeks now and so far I’m very impressed with it! From the first few pictures I took I was blown away with the difference in quality. It’s a 10.2 mega pixel camera, but that has nothing to do with the quality difference over my old phone and my compact camera. The sensor on this camera is way better than anything I’ve had before. The ability to see exactly what I’m about to take using the view finder, and adjusting the lens and then clicking the shutter and it immediately taking the shot is great. No more having to tell people to “hold that look” while the camera finally decides to take the picture is great.
I’ve learned about how the aperture can adjust the depth of field, so I can now control if I just want to focus on an object or face and blur anything in front or behind the object, or have as much as possible in focus.
I’ve even learned (much to my disbelief) that allowing a longer shutter speed, I can take a photo of an object, walk past the camera doing a little dance (cos that’s the way I roll) and not even appear on the image.
It’s great fun!! OK it was still pretty expensive, with the camera and all the accessories (bag, top end Compact Flash memory card, lens cleaner, lens filter, tripod and a screen protector), but Amy has been moaning we don’t get out enough.. Now she just complains that I take my camera with me wherever we go 
