Pros: Sturdy, attractive construction. Features rarely found in price range. Perhaps the best amateur value available.
Cons: So-so ergonomics. Relatively slow autofocus. Lacks range of autofocus modes found on some other SLRs.
The Bottom Line: If you can find one of the SA-7 sets including the body, two lenses, a camera bag, strap, and batteries at around $250-$290, serious consider buying it.
fishbed77's Full Review: Sigma SA-7 35mm Film Camera
I work at a camera store, so I've seen a lot of low-cost SLRs come and go. Most of them have been rather disappointing (the Canon Rebel G II and Pentax ZX-60 come to mind). The Sigma SA-7 is an amazingly refreshing exception to the rule. The SA-7 is available in a package set including a camera body, a 28-80 zoom lens with caps, a 70-300 zoom telephoto lens with caps, two lens hoods, a camera bag, a strap, and batteries for around $290. This set impressed me so much when we finally got one in our store, that I bought one as a gift for my parents (and got an employee discount, of course)! On the first day we got one. And I'm not an impulse buyer.
First off, let's talk about the construction of the camera body. It's made of an attractive speckled black polycarbonate, much like that of the considerably more expensive Nikon N80 - a nice change from the slew of silver-painted plastic autofocus cameras out there. The body is small, which is a mixed blessing, as it is quite difficult to hold comfortably for those with large hands. In addition, the angular shape that makes the SA-7 look so good also contributes to a less-than-comfortable grip. The built-in flash (which must be popped up manually) snaps open and closed with a quality feel. The switches click with a much more reassuring feel than those of the low-to-mid range Canon or Minolta cameras. And best of the all, the SA-7 has a METAL LENS MOUNT. I can not stress how important this is when considering an SLR purchase. A plastic lens mount is equivalent to just asking for trouble (as even a slight bump to an attached lens can warp a plastic mount, effectively ruining the camera), and it truly disappoints me that manufacturers are content to saddle more and more cameras (Canon Rebel 2000 and Rebel G II, Pentax ZX-60, Minolta Maxxum 4, Nikon N55) with this undesirable feature. The metal mount alone makes the SA-7 superior to all of these designs. The only structural weak point is the SA-7's slightly flimsy film door, but this is by no means uncommon among amateur SLRs.
As far as features go, the SA-7 has the prerequisite program, shutter-priority, aperture-priority and full-manual modes. What it does lack are the slew of nifty easy-to-use autofocus modes (such as action, portrait, and nighttime) seen on many amateur SLRs. And, as mentioned above, the built-in flash does not automatically deploy in the auto-exposure modes. However, a blinking indicator will signal when a flash is needed, and it is easy enough to manually pop up. The autofocus works well enough, but it is noticeably slower and louder than say, a Nikon N65 or N75. What the SA-7 lacks in autofocusing options or speed, it more than makes up with a range of features rarely seen on cameras in this price range. And one almost never seen on 35mm cameras in any price range. First off is spot-metering, a very useful tool for photographing subjects situated in front of a bright light. As far as I know, the SA-7 is the least expensive SLR available with this notable trait. In addition, the Sigma has separate dials for adjusting shutter speed and aperture in the full-manual mode. No need to press down one or two buttons and rotate a dial while peering into the viewfinder to see what the shutter speed is set to. Perhaps the SA-7's most interesting feature is its mirror-lock, an invaluable tool for macro photography. The movement of a SLR's mirror can disturb such delicate work by introducing vibrations. The mirror lock eliminates this problem, and is a feature rarely seen on ANY modern SLRs, regardless of price.
As I mentioned earlier, the SA-7 is available as part of an excellent set, which includes two Sigma lenses (which are justifiably renowned for their quality), a large, though thinly-padded camera bag, a Sigma strap, CR2 batteries, and hoods for both lenses. When one considers that the Sigma 70-300 telephoto lens retails for $180-$200, the $290 price of the entire set make it a raging bargain for a well-made camera that is easy enough to use for beginners (this is my parents' first-ever SLR), but includes unique features that even experienced photographers will enjoy.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 258.00 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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