Sony's aggressive foray into the DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera market continues with the latest α350 ($1,399 with 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens). Early adopters of the α200 must be cursing under their breath as they could have gotten much more if they have waited and forked out a mere extra $300. So, what did they miss out on?

Apart from the dust protection and in-built image stabiliser, the Sony α350 comes with a 14.2-effective-megapixel CCD image sensor that has a 1.5x crop factor. The other significant features are the 2.7-inch LCD that can be tilted up and down as well as Sony's ingenious version of Live View.

Sony's application of Live View differs from that of others — it uses an additional image sensor to produce a real-time visual on the LCD screen, which keeps the reflex mirror down. This not only means you can use auto-focus during Live View, it also reduces shutter lag significantly. From my tests, shutter lag when taking photos on Live View mode is about half a second. The downside is that you might not be getting the full image of what you frame because of the smaller Live View image sensor.

In addition, it seems that Live View has become such a priority that the optical viewfinder has become an afterthought. It's probably the smallest and dimmest optical viewfinder I have come across on a DSLR.

You can easily switch between Live View and normal mode via a slider on top of the camera. Button placement and menu interface are logical and intuitive. You can literally start using the camera straight out of the box.

The body feels sturdier and less plastic than the α200, probably due to its magnesium alloy shell. Startup and shutdown are almost immediate on normal mode.

Despite the higher megapixel count, there is no significant improvement in image quality. But that's not bad news, as the α200 offers superb image quality with sharp pixel rendition and good contrast. Auto white balance is spot-on in most conditions, yielding nice skin tones and accurate colour reproduction.

Noise performance is stellar, with noise artifacts surfacing at ISO 800. I don't even mind using the highest ISO setting of 3,200, as the noise present is not significant enough to cause concern.

Review

The Sony α200 is a stunner, and the α350, an eyeopener, literally. With its fast Live View mode, it certainly gives a glimpse of what future DSLRs are capable of. Add to that excellent image quality, ease of use and low price, and this is one DSLR that should interest any DSLR beginners, photography hobbyists and even professionals. I can’t wait to try the rumoured Sony α900! - TODAY/fa