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Sony Alpha DSLR-A350 Review

Both the greatest compliment and greatest criticism you can level at the Alpha 350 is that it's probably the most compact-camera-like DSLR we've ever reviewed. The secondary-sensor live view system is interesting: most modern DSLR designs are saddled with their film legacy and the A350 makes the strongest bid to step out of that shadow.

The provision of an exterior switch makes it clear that live view is a technique for using this camera, rather than simply an option, or mode that you might consider using. This subtle philosophical change is borne out in the rest of the camera's design: the A350 behaves in a much more coherent manner when it's in live view mode, rather than being held up to the eye - every button press brings up a new menu screen and draws your attention back to LCD.

This will make many compact camera users feel at home while the small, inaccessible viewfinder will alienate those familiar with using DSLRs. And to an extent, it'll be their loss: the ability to seamlessly shoot overhead or down at waist level gives a degree of freedom that no other DSLR is able to offer. And, at low sensitivity settings, you do get a camera that offers the easy composition simplicity of a compact camera with the focussing speed, shutter-button responsiveness and image quality of a DSLR.

Unfortunately, the A350 is a slow camera by modern standards. The continuous shooting speed is some way behind the models...

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Written by 8e88 on June 8th, 2008 with no comments.
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Sony Alpha DSLR-A350 Review

The Alpha DSLR-A350 is the middle child in Sony's 2008 digital SLR lineup. The A350 has a lot to offer for $799 (body only), including image stabilization, the best live view system on the market, responsive performance, class-leading battery life, and sturdy build quality. In terms of photo quality, the A350 has some work to do -- like most of Sony's recent models, there's just too much noise reduction applied to photos. The A350 is a decent enough digital SLR, but I think its 14 Megapixel sensor is overkill for most folks. You can get the same features and better performance from Sony's DSLR-A300, and you'll save $200 to boot.

The DSLR-A350 is a midsize SLR with a sturdy metal frame. Combine that with a hefty grip, and you'll probably agree that the A350 feels "just right" when you're holding it. The camera has more than its share of buttons, some of which are placed in awkward locations. It would've been nice to have a second command dial as well, maybe instead of that digital zoom button that most people will never use. The A350 has the same sensor-shift image stabilization system as Sony's other D-SLRs. This does an effective job of reducing blurring photos due to "camera shake". This same system is also used to keep dust from accumulating on the sensor.

The biggest feature on the A350 is its innovative live view system. Improving on the design first developed by Olympus, Sony has managed to...

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Written by 8e88 on May 20th, 2008 with no comments.
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Zeiss ZA Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm f/2.8 SSM (Sony SAL-2470Z) Review / Test

The Zeiss ZA Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm f/2.8 SSM will surely find many fans. In terms of resolution is may well be the hottest cake around in this class and neither distortions nor vignetting are problems to worry about (all within the APS-C scope). Lateral CAs may be visible at times in wide-angle images but it's a non-issue in the middle to upper zoom range. The only sour aspect of the lens is the quality of the bokeh (character of the out-of-focus blur) which could be better @ 70mm f/2.8 - this may cause headaches for some users. The lens is also somewhat prone to flare. The build quality of the Zeiss is very good although we expected a tad less plastic and some sort of sealing in a lens targeting the professional market. Both tested lens samples showed a centering problem at 70mm - this may be as simple as bad luck but it's unfortunate nonetheless. A highlight of the lens is the extremely fast and silent SSM AF drive - if you think the Canon or Nikkor variants are fast here you may need to prepare for a surprise. Regarding the sum of its characteristics the pricing of the Zeiss seem to be quite fair - it's similar to the Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8 ED - although it isn't really a lens for the mainstream at around 1700US$/1450€.

more : photozone

Written by 8e88 on May 14th, 2008 with no comments.
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Sony Alpha 350 digital camera review

The Sony Alpha 350 is the step-up model from the Alpha 200, itself the replacement for the original Alpha 100 tested here in August 2006. Significant improvements have been meted out and there is some streamlining in terms of controls as well. However, it is an accomplished model and it is the highest resolution sub-£500 DSLR on the market. Well almost, it’s £519 body only.

And so, overall, the Alpha 350 has been balanced out to provide a range of advanced features and Live View with a high-resolution sensor but at the cost of some of its predecessors handling capabilities and control. Its performance is excellent and the image quality, even at higher ISOs is very good indeed and makes the Sony Alpha 350 certainly worth considering if you’re in the market for a mid-range digital SLR.

Excellent performance and great image quality combine neatly within in an easy to use body and good price that make the Sony Alpha 350 worthy of serious consideration.

Doug Harman

more : pocket-lint.co.uk

Written by 8e88 on May 13th, 2008 with no comments.
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Sony alpha DSLR-A350 Review

As usual I started off in Auto with Eye-Start AF disabled, in single shot mode, using basic multi-segment metering, automatic AF and the D-Range Optimizer in standard setting; white balance and ISO were auto as well. This is about as Auto as you can get. Once I took a bunch of shots in this fashion it was time to explore the various manual options, all the while using Live View, of course.

As noted, I’m a big fan of this Zeiss lens and with the camera’s 1.6x digital factor it’s 25.6-128mm in 35mm terms. This gives me the wide-angle option for portraits and landscapes plus I can zoom in on objects that are fairly far away. Good stuff. I took the -A350 down to the beach and visited local nurseries to get a nice jolt of spring color.

On to Live View—or as Sony calls it Quick AF Live View. What the company did was add another sensor to the camera to handle this feature so it’s amazingly faster than competitors. You just flick the switch on top and the LCD becomes your viewfinder. It’s so much better than the others, you’ll flip. Everything isn’t perfect as there’s some blur as you move positions but it clears up quickly as you focus. And there’s a bit of lag as the camera saves the files. The other issue is overall image blur since you’re holding the camera at arm’s length rather than pressed against your face with...

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Written by 8e88 on May 12th, 2008 with no comments.
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Sony Alpha A350 Compared to Nikon D80

Having had the opportunity to put a Sony Alpha A350 digital SLR with DT 18-70mm lens to the test over the past couple of weeks, we can only say that its new 14.2 MP sensor is capable of offering very good results. The additional resolution provided allows for the capture of some finer details and the option to crop even further into an image compared to a 10 MP camera like the Nikon D80.

Considering the relative difference in mega pixels however, we feel that the resolution advantage offered by the Alpha A350 does not really meet the cost. Taking into account that the new Alpha A300 DSLR is essentially the same camera as the Sony A350 (only real difference being the higher mega pixels on the A350), we would have to recommend the Sony A300 SLR as offering the better value of the two cameras at about $150 CAN less than the price of the Sony A350.

With respect to the other features incorporated in the Alpha A350 / A300 SLR, like Quick AF Live View, D-Range Optimizer, and the internal anti-dust sensor cleaning system, we do realize the theoretical benefits made possible by these latest technologies however, we feel the way that they are implemented in the Sony Alpha series does little to enhance the photographic experience or overall image quality.

Similarly to the latest generation of point and shoot cameras there are few signs of true innovation with respect to the Sony A350...

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Written by 8e88 on May 6th, 2008 with no comments.
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Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 Review

The Alpha A300 is the middle DSLR in Sony's consumer range. It takes A200's body, 10.2 Megapixel sensor and built-in stabilisation, and equips it with Live View and a screen which tilts for easier framing at high or low angles. It's a compelling package, but the big question is how it compares against the higher-end Alpha A350 - an identical model, other than its higher resolution 14.2 Megapixel sensor. Does the A350 record measurably greater detail, or does the A300 enjoy lower noise levels? Find out in our Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 review where we'll reveal direct comparisons between both Alphas along with Canon's EOS 450D / XSi. And as always, you can check out the highlights in our A300 video tour.

more : cameralabs

Written by 8e88 on May 5th, 2008 with no comments.
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Sony Alpha 350 Review

What's in a name? With DSLRs, not much. Case in point: Sony's new Alpha 350 ($800, street, body only; $900 with 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Sony DT lens). Based on quick math, you might guess it's half the camera the Alpha 700 ($1,300, body only) is. But the A350 actually boasts a higher-megapixel (14.2) sensor than the A700, plus several conveniences such as a tilting LCD and a live-view mode with fast autofocusing.

Then again, Sony didn't design the A350 to compete against advanced DSLRs such as the A700. It's geared toward photographers coming from digital compacts, who may be drawn to its live view, high megapixel count, compact size, and friendly price. The A350's closest competitors in terms of megapixels, the 14.6MP Pentax K20D and Samsung GX-20, both cost $500 more. The Canon EOS Rebel XSi, priced similarly to the A350, offers 12.2MP. And the less-expensive Nikon D60 and Pentax K200D pack 10.2MP.

Experienced DSLR shooters know that megapixels don't tell the whole story, and the A350 confirms this. In Pop Photo Lab tests, the A350's APS-sized 14.2MP sensor delivered less detail (average 2150 lines of resolution at ISO 100-800) than the 12.2MP Sony A700 (2280 lines). Resolution was significantly below the 2350 lines of the Pentax K20D at ISO 100, and nearly the same as the Pentax at ISO 6400 with noise reduction on. (Indeed, the Sony captured detail on par with the 10.1MP Canon EOS 40D.)

Michael J. McNamara

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Written by 8e88 on April 30th, 2008 with no comments.
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