Sony debuts three new entry-level dSLRs
(Credit:
Sony Electronics)
Look! A hidden SD card slot!
(Credit: Sony Electronics)Sony announced its three new entry-level dSLRs for 2009, the Alpha DLSR-A230, A330, and A380, which replace the A200, A300, and A350 respectively.
The products preserve Sony's three-tier strategy for its low-end SLRs. The cheap A230 differs from the slightly-less-cheap A330 by the viewfinder and the tiltable LCD, plus the A330 will be available in brown. And except for its higher resolution sensor--14 megapixels versus 10 megapixels--the A380 is otherwise identical to the A330. Sony's big marketing points on these models is lighter weight and friendlier, more point-and-shoot-like guided operation.
But perhaps most notably, these models have dual memory slots, one of which takes SDHC cards and the other Sony's proprietary Memory Stick Duo. I can only imagine the internal politicking it took to pull that off.
Here are the key specs:
| A230 | A330 | A380 | Sensor | 10-megapixel CCD | 10-megapixel CCD | 14-megapixel CCD |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 100 - ISO 3,200 | ISO 100 - ISO 3,200 | ISO 100 - ISO 3,200 | Viewfinder | 95 percent coverage 0.83x magnification |
95 percent coverage 0.74x magnification |
95 percent coverage 0.74x magnification |
| LCD | 2.7-inch fixed | 2.7-inch tiltable | 2.7-inch tiltable |
| Live View | No | Yes | Yes |
| Video | No | No | No |
| Continuous shooting | 2.5fps | 2.5fps | 2.5fps |
| Autofocus | 9 points | 9 points | 9 points |
| Dimensions (WHD, inches) | 5.0x3.8x2.7 | 5.0x3.8x2.8 | 5.0x3.8x2.8 |
| Weight ounces; add about 1.8 ounces for battery and card |
15.9 | 17.3 | 17.3 |
| Price | $549 (with 18-55mm lens) $749 (with 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses) |
$649 (with 18-55mm lens) $849 (with 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses) |
$849 (with 18-55mm lens) $1,049 (with 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses) |
In its price class, the A230 bumps up against the Canon EOS Rebel XS (rumors have it in line to be replaced in June) and the very popular Nikon D60. Given Sony's emphasis on size, it's odd that the A230 is actually slightly bigger than the competition, but otherwise offers some strong attractions--a slightly larger LCD and possibly better autofocus system, albeit at the expense of continuous-shooting speed.
| Sony Alpha DSLR-A230 | Canon EOS Rebel XS | Nikon D60 | Sensor | 10-megapixel CCD | 10-megapixel CMOS | 10-megapixel CCD |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 100 - ISO 3,200 | ISO 100 - ISO 1,600 | ISO 100 - ISO 1,600/ISO 3,200 (expanded) | Viewfinder | 95 percent coverage 0.83x magnification |
95 percent coverage 0.81x magnification |
95 percent coverage 0.80x magnification |
| LCD | 2.7-inch fixed | 2.5-inch fixed | 2.5-inch fixed |
| Live View | No | Yes | No |
| Video | No | No | No |
| Continuous shooting | 2.5fps | 3 fps | 3 fps |
| Autofocus | 9 points | 7 points | 3 points |
| Dimensions (WHD, inches) | 5.0x3.8x2.7 | 5.0x3.8x2.4 | 5.0x3.7x2.5 |
| Weight ounces; add about 1.8 ounces for battery and card | 15.9 | 15.9 | 16.1 |
| Price | $549 (with 18-55mm lens) $749 (with 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses) |
$599.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | $599.95 (with 18-55mm lens) |
On the other hand, Canon and Nikon don't even seem to participate in the $650-ish price segment the A330 inhabits. Nevertheless, it can't compete on size against Olympus' amazing shrinking dSLRs, its viewfinder will look a bit smaller than both thanks to the lower magnification factor and it has a slower burst frame rate. But that 9-point AF has the potential for faster focus.
| Sony Alpha DSLR-A330 | Olympus E-450 | Pentax K2000 | Sensor | 10-megapixel CCD | 10-megapixel Live MOS | 10-megapixel CCD |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 100 - ISO 3,200 | ISO 100 - ISO 1,600 | ISO 100 - ISO 3,200 | Viewfinder | 95 percent coverage 0.74x magnification |
95 percent coverage 0.92x magnification |
96 percent coverage 0.85x magnification |
| LCD | 2.7-inch tiltable | 2.7-inch fixed | 2.7-inch fixed |
| Live View | Yes | Yes | No |
| Video | No | No | No |
| Continuous shooting | 2.5fps | 3.5 fps | n/a |
| Autofocus | 9 points | 3 points | 5 points |
| Dimensions (WHD, inches) | 5.0x3.8x2.8 | 5.1x3.6x2.1 | 4.8x3.6x2.7 |
| Weight ounces; add about 1.8 ounces for battery and card | 17.3 | 13.4 | 18.5 |
| Price | $649 (with 18-55mm lens) $849 (with 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses) |
$699.99 (with 14-42mm and 40-150mm lenses) | $699.95(with 18-55mm lens and flash) |
The A380, however, goes head to head with two of the most hyped consumer SLRs of the year so far, the Nikon D5000 and the Canon EOS Rebel T1i. And it does so with a big hole in its feature set--no video. Nor do the rest of the specifications look particularly compelling against the T1i's lighter body, the D5000's proven AF system (from the D90), and both Canon and Nikon's significantly faster burst shooting and better viewfinders.
| Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 | Canon EOS Rebel T1i | Nikon D5000 | Sensor | 14-megapixel CCD | 15-megapixel CMOS | 12-megapixel CMOS |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 100 - ISO 3,200 | ISO 100 - ISO 3,200/ ISO 12,800 (expanded) | ISO 100 - ISO 1,600/ ISO 6,400 (expanded) | Viewfinder | 95 percent coverage 0.74x magnification |
95 percent coverage 0.87x magnification |
95 percent coverage 0.78x magnification |
| LCD | 2.7-inch tiltable | 3-inch fixed | 2.7-inch articulated |
| Live View | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Video | No | Yes | Yes |
| Continuous shooting | 2.5fps | 3.4fps | 4fps |
| Autofocus | 9 points | 9 points | 11 points |
| Dimensions (WHD, inches) | 5.0x3.8x2.8 | 5.1x3.8x2.4 | 5.0x4.1x3.1 |
| Weight ounces; add about 1.8 ounces for battery and card |
17.3 | 16.9 | 19.8 |
| Price | $849 (with 18-55mm lens) $1,049 (with 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses) |
$899.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | $849.99(with 18-55mm lens) |
(Credit:
Sony Electronics)
Sony's research shows that most users stepping up to these classes of dSLRs are looking for better photo quality and performance but want to retain the simplicity of the point-and-shoot experience. (A premise I agree with.) Of course, there's always the green Auto mode on every dSLR, but the big challenge is moving users from that to using a lot of the features that make dSLRs a lot better than their old snapshot cameras. For instance, Canon has its Creative Auto mode, described in the review of the EOS 50D. With these cameras, Sony has added online guides to describe the different features, and provides more contextual displays for the settings like shutter speed and aperture.
(Credit:
Sony Electronics)
Along with the new cameras, Sony's releasing its first lenses designed specifically for the APS-C size sensors in all its dSLRs but the A900. These include the 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses that the company includes in the kits for these models.
Furthermore, Sony seems to be the big innovator in hot shoe flashes these days. Following up its great sideways rotating HVL-F58AM flash, the company has designed an ingenious collapsible flash specifically for consumer dSLRs like these. The $130 HVL-F20AM lives on your camera, crouched down in a low profile until you need it; then you pop it up.
Though everything will become available for preorder this week, you won't actually be able to get your mitts on anything until July.
Senior Editor Lori Grunin has been covering digital imaging for two decades, but her memory's kind of sketchy on the details. You can hear about it every week on Indecent Exposure, the podcast she co-hosts with Matt Fitzgerald. 
- by taisaolvay June 15, 2009 11:31 AM PDT
- Hmm...when I first look at the new Sony camera, I though it was from KB toys store. Sony must pickup a layoff designer from Minolta to come up with such style, look at the previous Minolta lens that come in silver cheapie look, I understand been creative and style but leave all that in the pictures not on the camera, Sony should focus more on perfomance and consumer need if they want to iron out their competitor.
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