Roll your mouse over the above images to see how the light path is redirected between the viewfinder and live view sensor Instead there is a second, smaller sensor placed up in the viewfinder tunnel. Sony's system stands alone amongst contemporary Live View systems in that it does not show the output from the main imaging sensor. The Sony DSLR-A380 uses the same live view system that we first saw on the A350.
A brief history Sony/Konica Minolta entry level digital SLR series
To find out how the A380 performed in our tests and what impact this work has made on the A380's image output read our full review. While the headline specs of the new camera models have hardly changed Sony says it has put substantial work into the cameras' image processing engines. Additionally there is a new DT 50mm F/1.8 prime lens and a DT 30mm F/2.8 macro. The DT 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 standard zoom lens and the DT 55-200mm F/4-5.6 tele zoom come in the one- and two-lens kits that each camera can be ordered in, but are also available separately. All three models are aimed at the first-time DSLR user.Īlong with the new cameras Sony has launched a number of new lenses. At the bottom of the line the A230 offers a 10.2 megapixels sensor in a fairly basic body, the A330 adds live view to the mix and the A380 tops it up with a more pixel-dense sensor (14.2 megapixels). On the spec sheet the upgrades are of a fairly minor nature and as before the three models are extremely close in terms of price and features. Now, one and a half years later, the product hierarchy in Sony's entry-level segment remains unchanged and the current models are being replaced by the DSLR-A230, A330 and A380 respectively. We’d recommend staying with the A200 for out-and-out value, or the Canon 450D for quality.In January last year Sony was one of the first manufacturers to 'diversify' its entry level DSLR offerings when it replaced the DSLR-A100 with not one but three new cameras - the DSLR-A200, A300 and A350. Ultimately the A350 is defeated by its own sibling.
While 14.2 megapixels sounds great, the difference in quality between the A350 and A200 is marginal, and with the pixel density on the sensor so high, image noise above ISO 400 is more than we’d like to see. So the problem is what you gain for the extra money. The stock lens is the same 18-70mm unit, which while not as sharp as the stock lenses from Nikon and Canon, gives a useful extra zoom range. That’s a double-edged sword: there’s no significant omission aside from the lack of a depth-of-field preview. That apart, the features are identical to the A200. That makes it more difficult to frame your shots and visualise how they’ll turn out. One negative aspect of the light-splitting trickery and extra sensor is a smaller optical viewfinder.
The only downside is that the maximum screen magnification in live-view mode is 2x – not nearly high enough for accurate manual focusing. With the exposure and focus continuing to work just as fast, it makes live-view a useful addition rather than a tickbox to persuade people to give up their digital compacts. So you can put the A350 in live-view mode and frame shots either over-the-head or at waist height. It hinges out from the back of the body, angling either up or down. Operating in conjunction with that is the LCD monitor. That means the camera’s standard exposure and fast-focus abilities continue to work. This actually uses a separate sensor, with a prism splitting the light coming through the lens. And, squeezed into the chassis is not only the Super SteadyShot optical image stabilisation of the A200, but also an impressive live-view mode.