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| Sony Alpha 200 Review - First Preview |
| Friday, 01 February 2008 | |
|
1) 4 GB Sony Memory Stick Pro 2) MS to CF card convertor 3) Sony Alpha Compact Case 4) Screen Protecter (Sheet Type) 5) $100 Sony Lens Voucher Before doing some real serious testing and reviewing of this camera, I would like to share with you guys the excitement of opening the package of this little baby! More reviews about the camera's performance will be done in the next 1 week or so, please stay tune or sign up for mylifephotography.net's RSS feed. The packaging box as usual comes in a crimson orange colour that strongly defines Sony's burning desire to be one of the market leader in the DSLR's industry.The default kit lens 18-70 DT is enclosed in another small box, fitting nicely into one of the sections in this bigger box.
Opening the box and I could see 4 thick manuals in different languages, 4 smaller instruction manuals and 2 sets of posters that my gf will gladly throw away for me. 1 set of posters contains information and photos of the whole arsenal of Sony Alpha lens and 1 set contains the information of the related accessories. Why 2 sets? I supposed Sony wants everyone to paste them on the walls of their homes and work offices so they can be constantly poisoned by the Sony Alpha Virus!
I didn't have the time to test the Sony Alpha 200 camera yet but I took a closer look at the camera body first and this is what I feel about the Sony Alpha 200's body. Size and Weight The size of of the camera fitted nicely into my average sized hands, however I think that it will be abit too small for those with larger hands. However, this problem can be easily solved with the purchase of the vertical grip that Sony has produced even for this entry model DSLR. The weight was pleasantly light too as compared to my old Konica Minolta 7D and it will be the most suitable choice of camera to be brought for those overseas trips that you do not want to be ladden with too much weight. Viewfinder This is a minus point for me. The viewfinder is too small for me! As compared to 7D, the viewfinder of Sony Alpha 200 is significantly smaller and I guess I will need some time to readjust and get over this little problem. Controls While my old 7D practically has all kind of buttons and controls on the main body, Sony Alpha 200 does appear to be rather plain and empty on the body. Most of the control like flash compensation has been designed to be configured in the software rather than external switches. Of course, this is acceptable as this camera is meant to be an entry level DSLR and not for someone who is used to playing with the big toys. The mode control contains the usual P,A, S and M modes. It also contains preset configurations meant for different kinds of situations like Sport Mode, Night Mode, etc... There is an ISO button, which can be easily reached for easy setting of ISO sensitivity. The AF/MF switch is similarly located near the lens mount of the body but clearly it is missing the Continuous AF switch capability. The AF-C or continuous auto focus function can be selected from the software under Focus Mode. There is only 1 jog dial fitted on the front side of shutter button and A/V button is located at the back. This make selecting of aperture size difficult during Manual Mode. Built The built of Sony Alpha 200 feels abit "plastic" although not to the extent that the camera will shatter easily. As this is an entry model DSLR, do not expect it to have the same kind of built as the higher end models. This camera is meant to be lightweight, easy to use and "noob friendly". I will do more intensive shooting in the next few days so please stay tune!
All above photos are taken using Konica Minolta 7D with Minolta 5600 HS Flash and KM 50mm 1.7 lens and Minolta 100mm 2.8 Macro lens. The flash was fitted with a Lightsphere in wireless flash mode. |
I got myself a brand new Sony Alpha 200 or A200 with the default single lens kit (Sony DT 18-70) for a total price of $1,075 SGD (USD $757). The list of freebies that come with the package:
