 WOW, this is my first DSLR Camera, I love it. |
| Review Date: July 2, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Patrick Nguyen, NC, USA |
this is just about the perfect entry-level DSLR.
It has everything that you need to get great shots out of it, without the high price tag or a bloated feature set. I'd definitely recommend it. It's not the best, technically, but it's a great learning tool, performs well under stress, and an expert can get great shots out of it across the ISO range and in all lighting conditions. I would say that this will become legendary for its value as a DSLR. It's the closest thing to a "throw it up and shoot" cheap little box film camera that you can get in a DSLR. But it still takes great photos, it's very fast, nice and small, obviously cheap, and very easy to use.
I have to say I'm very happy so far with my choice, and this camera is my first DSLR Camera. The auto focus is fast and accurate. The shutter response is quick. The image quality is very good with lots of detail. The exposures have been very accurate with a minimal number of photos with blown highlights. The image stabilization kicks butt. The dynamic range optimization really does pull highlights out of the shade.
Pros:
-In-body Stabilization
-Compatible w/ Minolta lenses
-Smallest and lightest DSLR
-Very simple to use
-Vivid and good image quality
-Its high ISO (3200) low light performance is increbible
-Price
Cons:
-New Sony lens are expensive
-Some noise at high iso.
Just got this camera for couple days, will update more soon...
Update: 04-2010 - I have taken about 27,000 pictures with this camera, so far so good.
|
Sony A230 - A Winner From Sony
|
| Review Date: August 11, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Chris Martin, |
I found a deal on a new Sony A230 that was too good to pass up (I really wanted the new kit lens). Knowing the comments I have read on the internet, I was skeptical on its performance and especially its ergonomics.
Let's talk about the ergonomics first. It feels very solid and well made to me. I owned the A200 previously and actually think the A230 has a better build quality. It just feels more solid. The grip is different for sure but I find it is manageable for me by placing the right side of the camera against my palm. Plus it's lightweight and this helps with the grip. You really cannot get an understanding of the grip by holding it in a store like Best Buy or Target where you cannot hold the camera by itself. I am not saying it's my favorite grip by any means but it is manageable.
My main complaint in general usage is the lack of dedicated buttons. Many functions are menu driven. However in my case the main 2 options I change regularly are exposure compensation and ISO. There are dedicated buttons for these.
Simply stated, the new kit lens is quite an improvement over the 18-70. I am no expert but the overall image quality was noticeably sharper across the entire range. It is still entry level in feel though. The thing that stands out to me as an improvement over the A200 is the auto white balance. It is very good and a definite plus for new DSLR users. I actually compared it indoors to my Nikon D5000 and the white balance of the A230 was noticeably better. The Nikon tends toward a warmer white balance in general and this drives me nuts honestly.
Another aspect of the image quality that surprised me was its low light performance and noise performance. I tried last night to get it to take pictures without flash inside in a very dark room without flash. I changed to manual mode and raised the ISO to 1600 and then 3200. With the quality as JPEG fine, the noise was well controlled but noticeable, especially at ISO 3200. Then I changed to RAW and the difference was significant. I normally shoot JPEG but shooting RAW will make a difference when a special shot is needed or when the lighting is not optimal.
One area the Nikon noticeably performed better was in low light auto focus. The Nikon can focus quicker than the Sony. However the A230 usually did not give up and could eventually focus.
I personally do not use AEL or Kelvin white balance so Sony removing these features did not impact my decision to buy it. Each person will have to make his/her own opinion on the importance of certain features.
In the end, the A230 won me over for its great out of the box image quality, fantastic auto white balance, excellent kit lens and reasonable price. I definitely recommend it.
|
Sony Alpha a230L DSLR
|
| Review Date: March 5, 2010 |
| Reviewer: B. Weeks, |
This was a Christmas gift to myself, purchased mid-November 09.
I'm a beginner DSLR user. I won't go into a catalog of specifications this camera has, those can be found easily on the sales information listing for this camera on this website or from Sony. I will highlight the features I use and like or dislike.
This camera has been exactly what I wanted for learning photography. I did not want a lot of bells and whistle. Out of camera picture quality is very important to me. I am not ready to spend time at the computer post processing when I would rather be outside shooting pictures.
The Sony a230 does not have live view or video, but I did not want live view or video capability. I have both on my advanced zoom and never use it. Optical viewfinder important due to the fact that I am far sighted and find live view screens not usable in 98% of my pictures since I like shooting outdoor/nature/landscapes the majority of the time.
PROS:
*Out of camera colors/picture quality is great. I love the colors and textures this camera produces. Again, this is a personal preference. Exposure compensation can easily be changed +/-2 as well as color saturation in the menu. I have enjoyed the black and white out of camera results also.
*The GUI menu system is easy to use, clear/crisp with easy to find advanced menu settings. Because of the great GUI, I have to say that my learning curve has been much much improved over my advanced super zoom, in fact, I rarely use the Green Zone (auto/preset modes) on this camera. I am using Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority and easily experimenting with manual white balance etc. VERY FUN and REWARDING. If you so choose, different color scheme options allow you to change the display to either Black, Brown, White or Pink. (I haven't experimented to see what is the best viewing for outside use yet, leaving mine set to White default)
*18-55mm kit lens excellent IQ and good overall practical range to have for most photos. I love having this wide angle capability that I didn't have in my advanced zoom camera.
*ERGONOMICS & BUILD: At first glance I thought it looked a little plasticky, but once I held and examined it, changed my mind. It feels sturdy and well made (which was proven recently when it accidentally was toppled from my dining table onto the floor. I like to hike, and did not want a bulky heavy camera to lug around. I know this is a personal thing, but I really like the balance and feel of this camera in my hands, even with the additional larger 70-300mm lens I purchased later for this camera, it still feels good to me.
The menu buttons on back may be too simplified/stripped down for experienced users, but I like the way they are arranged, ISO setting is easy to access. For learning, having less buttons to accidentally hit and cause frustration has been good.
*VALUE reasonably priced for those on a budget. Kit lens 18-55mm included
*OPTICAL VIEWFINDER. I love this VF. Nice clear crisp, with sophisticated auto focusing when it senses my eye.(this can also be turned off if for batery power savings, since it will start focusing the lens if gets anything close to the view finder, when carrying)
Camera settings are displayed through the viewfinder, wheel on front of camera below the on/off power button allows you to change settings based on what menu mode you are on. Field of view seems to be very good in my limited experience. 9 cross focus points.
*Auto-Bracketing feature. Will take up to 3 different shots with exposures shifted either 0.3 or 0.7 steps.
I can't speak knowledgeably about dynamic range since I haven't played with those settings yet.
*Lens options. Knowing I can use Minolta A-mount lenses is a plus
CONS: *at some point, maybe I will wish there are more advanced features available on this model, like an AEL button. A "depth of field" button is mentioned by more experienced users, but being far sighted, I have to load the pictures up on my computer to see the true quality of the final picture, so I usually take several pictures of the same thing, tweaking the settings and the angle as insurance. So a depth of field button probably wouldn't help me.
*Bigger screen on back, it has a 2.7". Larger would be nice for viewing
*Not the fastest frames per second on the market at 2.5, but have to say this is not an issue for me so far. I have been able to get some decent bird in flight pictures. I don't normally shoot sporting events, except for baseball.
*like any camera, low light situations are a challenge. In low light, the auto focus has a hard time. Some patience and experience/or in my case, trial and error is needed. I find if I switch to manual focus and manual white balance settings this helps. Having the right lens probably also helps. I have 2 lenses at this point, neither are really meant for low light/night use. I recently successfully used the on-board flash using rear sync or fill, manual white balance settings set to daylight, ISO set to 800, to take a nice portrait of my husband at night by a campfire. This was the BEST outdoor evening portrait shot I have ever taken to date! I was evidently in the perfect range for the on-board flash, and accidentally through experimentation got everything right! After taking this shot, I would say that ISO 800 or below is where the best image quality will be for this camera. An accessory flash will be in my future, so the ISO capabilities will probably improve if I do that.
*Proprietary battery. Expensive and only found at stores that carry the a230/a330/a380.Won't be able to find the battery at the local hardware store or even electronics store if they don't carry this line of cameras or camcorders that use this battery.
There are no perfect cameras, but the Sony a230 has exceeded my expectations thus far.
|
Sony a230 DSLR camera
|
| Review Date: March 17, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Jeffrey L. Jump, virginia beach, va |
| Got this camera for my wife. We have three kids and take lots of pics. We had been using a point and shoot, which makes taking pics of the kids impossible. So, we went with this camera for the DSLR shutter speed. It is super easy to use right out of the box and took better pictures with the automatic settings than our old point and shoot ever did. There are some features that we'll have to learn how to use to get the full value out of the camera, but for someone wanting to go to the next level of picture quality and who isn't a professional photographer, you will be very happy with this one, especially for the value. PS - if you are upgrading from a point and shoot, just know that you have to use the optical viewfinder when shooting pics (that is, the lcd is only used for reviewing pics and adjusting settings, not "framing" pics). This was an adjustment at first since you can frame a pic with the LCD on point and shoots, but not with DSLR's. But not to worry, the quality of the pics and the shutter speed will quickly offset that inconvenience! |
The Perfect starter DSLR
|
| Review Date: February 10, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Sara Cobb, |
It's my first DSLR camera, and before buying it, I was reading and looking on the internet for almost 4 months to buy the "perfect" camera (for me) to start my experience on DSLR. And after hundreds or reviews, specifications comparing with other DSLR from the same category (Canon XS, Nikon D300, Olympus E520) I think the a230 is the easiest to use and to start with. I'm not saying that the other DSLS are not better, the Canon and Nikon probably are, but honestly for my 1st touch with the DSLR, I guess this sony is from far the best camera (again, for me) according to its price. I was also going to get the Olympus E520 with 2 lenses, but I read a lot about it, and I found out that it has a major AF problem, and I didnt want to face that issue once I'm dealing with my 1st DSLR. The only "bad" thing about this camera is may be the miss of the live view option, but this is my "DSLR beginner/point and shoot old user" point of view, and I'm sure it's going to changer, a lot!
Anyway, I totally do recommend this camera for a beginner DSLR user and especially for a low budget. 99% of the reviews i saw (easy to find, youtube : "sony a230 review") are saying that according to it's features, this Sony is the cheapest DSL camera ever. |
|
No video reviews found for this product.
