Sony Alpha DSLR-A380
Quick Take for the Sony Alpha DSLR-A380
Sony announced its three new entry-level dSLRs for 2009, the Alpha DLSR-A230, A330, and A380, which replace the
The A380 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 | |||
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) |
Sony's research shows that most people 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 people 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
The Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 will be available in July.