Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 Preview - Digital Cameras

May 1st, 2007

Sony’s DSLR-Alpha 100K–or Alpha 100–is a full-featured, 10.2-megapixel digital SLR with built-in shake reduction technology.

Built with technology acquired from now-defunct Konica/Minolta, Sony’s first digital SLR sports Minolta’s signature Maxxum lens mount (which Sony has renamed “AlphaMount”), making it compatible with a multitude of legacy Minolta lenses. The company has also announced 19 new Sony lenses (many of them based on existing Minolta lenses).

Priced at $1000 (as of November 6, 2006) for the body plus an 18mm-to-70mm lens, the Alpha 100 sits at the high end of the entry-level market. Its all-plastic body and smooth finish feel sturdy and creak-free. Though the Alpha 100 is small for an SLR, it is lightweight and comfortable to hold.

The Alpha 100 packs a full set of features, including priority modes, full manual, program modes, and scene modes. In lieu of a dedicated status LCD screen, the camera relies on its main 2.5-inch LCD monitor; if you place your eye on the viewfinder while the screen is on, the screen immediately shuts off, powering up again when you remove your eye from the viewfinder. As on most entry-level SLRs, you adjust features via a combination of buttons and simple menus on the camera’s main LCD screen. The Alpha 100’s scheme is as straightforward and easy to use as that of any of its competitors.

Max. Megapixels: 10.2 • Optical Zoom: 4X • Zoom Range Min. (mm): 27 • Zoom Range Max. (mm): 105 • Weight (ounces): 32.5 • Media Slots: CompactFlash

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Entry Filed under: Digital SLR Camera, Sony