Sony has debuted its DSLR - Alpha 100K — popularly consult to as the Alpha 100 — a full - sport , 10.2 - megapixel digital SLR with removable lens system and built - in milk shake reduction technology . Though Sony is a late arrival to the DSLR mart , the Alpha 100 is an excellent first offer that immediately gives the electronics giant a firm beachhead in the market .

build up with technology acquired from now - defunct Konica Minolta , the Alpha 100 play Minolta ’s signature Maxxum lens mount , making it compatible with the vast array of bequest Minolta lenses . Sony has re - branded the mount ’s name toAlpha Mountand also denote 19 new Sony lense ( many of which are based on existing Minolta lenses ) . So , though Sony is new to this market , it comes out of the logic gate with an SLR that has mellow - grade technology and an impressive array of crystalline lens .

price at $ 900 for the consistency plus an 18 - 70 mm lens , the Alpha 100 sit down at the high goal of the entry - grade market . With its all - plastic body and unruffled finish , you certainly wo n’t mistake the feel of the camera for a higher - end manakin . Nonetheless , the camera is inflexible and creaking - free . The Alpha 100 is small for an SLR — about the same size as the Canon Digital Rebel XTi ( ) — but it is light and comfortable to hold .

The Alpha 100 also packs a full set of features include priority modality , full manual mode , broadcast modes , and scene modes . Like most first appearance - storey DSLRs , the Alpha 100 lacks a consecrated condition LCD screen , choose instead to apply the camera ’s main 2.5 - inch LCD monitor . I prefer a dedicated screen , ideally top - mounted , but the Alpha 100 has a nice feature in that , when the covert is on , if you lay your eye on the finder , the screen straight off shuts off , and powers up again when you take your middle off from the view finder . Like most entry - level DSLRs , you adjust features using a combination of button and simple carte du jour on the camera ’s main liquid crystal display screen . While this scheme is not as elegant as consecrate international button , configuring the camera is as quick and easy as any of its competitors .

In addition to the features that you ’d expect ( and need ) from an SLR — ISO speeds of 100 to 1600 , gentle access code to exposure compensation , program shift feature , and Raw format support — the Alpha 100 has some extra nicety . In addition to the normal autofocus mechanism , the Alpha 100 has a uninterrupted autofocus mode that always focuses as you move the tv camera around . For shooting in chop-chop changing environments , this improves the camera ’s chances of being in focal point when you ’re ready to fritter .

uninterrupted autofocus mechanisms have been around for a while , but Sony has improved the mechanism by add an eye detector . If you ’re not front through the viewfinder , the tv camera does n’t nark trying to autofocus . In add-on to economize barrage life , this keeps your camera from grinding and whirring as you convey it around . The Alpha 100 ’s autofocus is very noisy , and produces strange clopping and fag noise while you ’re using it . If silent operation is important , this may not be the television camera for you .

Like the Pentax K100D ( ) , the Alpha 100 offers a sensor - ground stabilization arrangement , which Sony suppose cede 3.5 stops of stabilization . I found it to be closer to 1.5 to two stops — still a welcome feature article , but not as telling as the electron lens - based stabilization offerings from Canon and Nikon . The sensing element - go stabilization system also serves as a dust - removal system , but the Alpha 100 wisely activates the dust - remotion hertz only when you turn the photographic camera off , give you faster startup times .

The tv camera is a good performer , offering speedy boot - up and wake - from - sleep , and very low shutter lag . The Alpha 100 ’s driving force mode is speedy for this market , offering three frames per second for six frames when shooting cutting , and unlimited drive mode when shooting JPEGs , which let you shoot until your poster is full .

Sony has wisely opt to use CompactFlash technology for the photographic camera ’s storage , rather than its own MemoryStick . However , current owners of MemoryStick Duos can buy a CompactFlash adapter that will let them utilize their current media in the camera .

When shooting at ISO 100 to 400 , double quality is very good – comparable to anything else in this food market . At 800 to 1600 , the Alpha 100 ’s epitome get noisy , falling behind the Rebel XTi and the Nikon D80 ( ) in trope quality . Overall , though , you wo n’t be disappointed in simulacrum lineament for most situations .

performance

Scale = Superior , Very Good , Good , Fair , Poor

specifications

  • Box contains Memory Stick to CompactFlash adapter .

The range of a function - quality military rating of the television camera is base upon a panel of judges ’ opinions in five class : exposure , color , edge , distortion , and overall . electric battery liveliness testers follow a exact script , let in shot with and without flash , until the battery dies.—Tested in connective with the PC World Test Center .

Macworld’s buying advice

The Sony Alpha DSLR - A100 K is a very good photographic camera , albeit a fiddling pricey . While it feel clunkier than its contender , it delivers very good mental image quality and a full feature lot , as well as some squeamish supernumerary such as prototype stabilization . While Sony has released a good natural selection of lens system for the Alpha 100 , its lens aggregation is pretty expensive when compared to the digital - specific lenses from Nikon , Canon , and Pentax . The Alpha 100 is a effective competitor to the Canon Rebel XTi and the Nikon D80 , but you should get your hand on all three to get a tactile property for their interfaces and bobby pin before defecate a decisiveness .

[ Ben Long is the author ofComplete Digital Photography , 3rd Edition(Charles River Books , 2004 ) . ]