Sony Alpha 850 DSLR-Review

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Review based on a production Alpha DSLR-850This is the first camera to be reviewed using our new ' Quick Review ' format. From now on we will be using this format for cameras that are close in terms of operation and in terms of image quality fundamentally identical to either their predecessors table or other models in the line that we already treated to a full review. We first confirm the image quality is identical by running a couple of basic image quality tests (noise testing and shots of our ' compared to ' studio scenes at all ISOs) and then concentrated in the review on the differences between the two cameras. For a fuller view of the camera's qualities we therefore recommend you not only read this Quick Review, but also the full review of the Sony DSLR-A900.When the Sony DSLR-A900 was introduced in September 2008 it looked like an incredibly good deal: a full-frame DSLR with a weather-sealed body and a whopping pro 24.6 million pixels resolution for $ 3000. This was price-wise in a similar ballpark to what were at the time its closest competitors, the Canon EOS 5 d and Nikon D700. However, the only room that (at 21.1 million pixels) came close in terms of resolution, the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III was significantly more expensive ($ 8,000 at launch). The Sony A900 seemed like the obvious choice for resolution-hungry photographers on a smaller budget.The digital camera market moves fast though, and within weeks of its launch the Sony's price advantage had vanished with Canon's announcement of the EOS 5 d Mark II ($ 2,690 at launch). Canon's new ' compact ' full-frame not only had 20 + MP resolution but also came with a maximum ISO of 25,600, live view and a 1080p HD movie mode, making the Sony look a little weak in the features department.Sony's answer came, with a slight delay, in August 2009 in the shape of the DSLR-850. Rather than upping the new model's feature set Sony decided to leave the A850 (compared to the A900) almost unchanged and competes exclusively on price. The new model is available at a RRP of $ 2000, making it the cheapest full-frame DSLR currently on the market. Obviously something had to be done to justify the price difference to the flagship A900 (and not completely annoy existing A900 owners), so Sony decided to differentiate the A850 from its bigger brother by slightly reducing the viewfinder coverage and the buffer size (the latter resulting in a 3.0 fps vs 5.0 fps continuous shooting rate). All other key features remain unchanged and are listed below. 24.6 MP 35 mm format full-frame CMOS sensor (still the highest res in class) SteadyShot INSIDE full frame image sensor shift stabilization (world first) Dual Bionz processorsEye level glass Penta-prism OVF, 98% coverage, 0.74x magnification9 point AF with 10 assists points, dual cross AF center w/2.8 frames per second sensor3 burstIntelligent Preview Function3 User programmable custom memory modes on mode dialAdvanced Dynamic Range Optimizer (5 step selectable) 40 segment honeycomb metering3.0? 921K pixel Photo Quality (270 dpi) LCD display, 100% coverageDirect HDMI outputISO 200-3200 (ISO 100-6400 expanded range) User interchangeable focusing screens (3 options) CF Type I/II and MS slots, Li-ion battery, STAMINA 880 shotsWeight of 850 g (without battery and card, accs) New Image Data Converter SR software (includes vignetting control) Featured vertical GripMagnesium Alloy body and rubber seals for dust and moisture resistanceAF micro adjustment

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).

Conclusion/Recommendation/Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions.Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (typically VGA) image in a new window.To navigate the review simply use the next/previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top.DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X, Y and Z and ideally A, B and c. This article is Copyright 2010 Dpreview.com and the review in part or in whole may NOT be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author. For information on reproducing any part of this review (or any images) please contact: Phil Askey

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Sony Alpha NEX-5 Review

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Review based on a production NEX-3 and NEX-5, updated to reflect firmware v3Ever since Panasonic and Olympus created their Micro Four Thirds mirrorless system, all the talk has been about what the other players in the market will do. Micro Four Thirds has been steadily building its market share, seemingly without response from the three companies that account for over 80% of DSLR sales (Canon, Nikon and Sony), to the extent that ' Micro ' risks becoming the generic term for these mirrorless systems (' When will Brand X make a Micro camera? ' has become a fairly common thread title on our forums).The waiting is now over as, following the showing of some mock-ups at PMA and a torrent of teasers and leaks, Sony finally officially announced its NEX system last month. The details are exactly what you'd expect-HD video capable APS-C sensors in small bodies. What might take you by surprise is just how small the bodies are the NEX-5 in particular being tiny. In fact the cameras are too small to include in-body image stabilization units, as found in Sony's Gerd, and instead use lens-based Optical SteadyShot '. These NEX cameras will come under the Alpha brand but do not make use of the Alpha lens mount, instead using the completely new all-electronic E-mount Sony has made clear that it is aiming for compact camera users who wish to upgrade (a market it estimates at around 10 million potential buyers), rather than trying to offer a second room for existing DSLR users. And the NEX models have more in common with compact cameras than DSLRs-including very few buttons and a resolutely unconventional interface.As part of this interface it offers not only the standard Sony option of showing a small description of each selected option, it also has a full user guide built in to the room. Relevant sections of this guide are available in each shooting mode to give hints and advice about everything from how to hold the room to how to achieve an out-of-focus background. The company told us that it felt its competitors had merely miniaturized, rather than produced, so it's no surprise that the NEXs are more than just the company's Gerd with the mirrors will be removed. Instead you get a wholly new system with metal-bodied kit lenses (something we didn't expect to see again in a mainstream product), and an accessory port instead of a conventional flash hot shoe.As with Samsung and Panasonic, Sony's background is electronics (rather than cameras) so the incentive to move away from the optically complex DSLR design to one based more around electronic displays makes sense. Sony's situation is a little different in that it bought the respected Minolta brand and know-how but, despite plenty of new models, it has only been able to make a big impression on the DSLR market in a few selected regions. Consequently, it's understandable that it might want to combine its DSLR knowledge with its electronics expertise to establish some compelling competitive advantage.

NEX-5

NEX-3

Three E-mount lenses are being announced alongside the cameras-an 16 mm F2.8 pancake, a standard 18-55 mm F3.5-5.6 stabilized zoom and a stabilized kit 18-200 mm F3.5-6.3 superzoom. Although the company talks a great deal about shallow depth-of-field, none of the lenses initially offered will offer a great deal of control in that respect. Being based around an APS-C sensor as used in the majority of DSLRs, the NEX cameras are subject to the same 1.5 x crop factor ' as them, so a 16 mm lens will give the same field of view as a 24 mm lens would on a 35 mm film cameras.Three kits are available: the ' snap ' kits which include the 18-55 mm zoom, the ' go out with me ' kits that feature the 16 mm prime lens and the ' go out and snap ' kits that include both. And, while we think at 24 mm equivalent prime lens will make sense to somebody and are quite able to look beyond the entertainment potential of calling a product ' go out with me, ' we cannot make any sense of the decision to bundle such a potentially challenging lens with what we're told are point-and-shoot cameras. The majority of people walking into room shops will be very badly served if they leave with a camera and nothing but an ultrawide angle lens. And, still more disappointingly, despite its F2.8 maximum aperture, the 16 mm lens will not offer much scope for blurring backgrounds, so shouldn't be sold on that basis either.Sony is also taking the unusual step of offering adapter lenses for the 16 mm F2.8 pancake, which attach via a bayonet mount on the front. In a manner familiar from compact cameras, it will be possible to adapt the lens from its usual 24 mm equivalent field of view using either an ultra-wide adapter to take it to 20 mm equivalent, or a fisheye that gives to 16 mm equivalent view.

An Alpha mount adapter will be available, giving the ability to use Sony and Minolta SLR lenses. The the-EA 1 adapter has a motor to control the lens aperture, but nothing to drive the autofocus though, following a firmware update, is able to autofocus 14 SSM-and SAM-designated lenses. This allows only single, not continuous, AF and, in common with most attempts to use contrast-detection AF with lenses designed for phase-detection, is a fairly slow process. It does allow the use of some Alpha-mount lenses until Sony can start to provide the impressive-sounding E-mount lens lineup it has set out.

Sony proposed E-mount lenses:

• Wide fixed focal length CZ (2011)
• Telephoto zoom (2011)
• Macro (2011)
• Portrait (2011)
• High performance standard zoom G (2012)
• Wide zoom (2012)
• Mid-telephoto (2012)

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).

Conclusion/Recommendation/Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions.Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (typically VGA) image in a new window.To navigate the review simply use the next/previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top.DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X, Y and Z and ideally A, B and c. This article is Copyright 2010 dpreview.com and the review in part or in whole may NOT be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author. For information on reproducing any part of this review (or any images) please contact: Phil Askey

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Sony Alpha DSLR-390 Review

Revision based on a production Alpha DSLR-390This is the last in our series of new ' Quick ' Reviews. We will use this format for the cameras that are functionally similar and identical in terms of output in templates that we have already reviewed. We make sure that the image quality is identical, then the review focuses on the differences between the two cameras. Learn all about the camera you are interested in please read not only the rapid, but also the complete review of the camera it replaces-in this case, the Sony Alpha 380 the A390 is the replacement for the A380-itself an update of the A350, launched in 2008. All three cameras share a number of features near-identical, including the system Fast AF Live View Sony still single. The A380 is essentially a A390 with some subtle changes, specifically an ergonomic grip new, more substantial and a top plate remodelled. As a relatively minor update, the A390 was never going to justify an in-depth review, but we're curious to see what Sony has changed in its newest mid-range DSLR. When we reviewed the A380, one of our major criticisms of manipulation of the camera was changed from the grip of the Sony A350 bulbous, almost oversized for more minimal lines, an abrupt than its predecessor. Sony has a backward step in the right direction? Read on to find out.There are very few differences between the A390 and his predecessor, but if you can summon the energy, here's a complete list.Approx. 6 g heavierNew, more substantial shutter release/handgripRe-positioned on/off switch and control dialNew texture and colour for the top plate (closest to the original A350)

If you're new to digital photography, you can read the digital photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help to understand some of the terms used).

Conclusion/recommendation/ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the entire review before coming to its conclusion.Images that can be displayed with a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon is at the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (typically VGA) image in a new window.To pass the review simply use the next/previous page buttons to navigate to a particular section, choose the section drop-down or select it from the top navigation bar.DPReview calibrate their monitors using color vision optical at the PC normal gamma (fairly well accepted) 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make the difference between all grayscale blocks (computer generated) below. We recommend that you make the most of this review, should be able to see the difference (at least) between X, Y and z and ideally A, B and c. This article is Copyright 2010 Dpreview.com and the revision in whole or in part may not be reproduced in any electronic or printed publications without prior permission from the author. For information on reproduction of any part of this review (or any images) please contact: Phil askey

View the original article here