 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.
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It's ok
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| Review Date: February 26, 2010 |
| Reviewer: shopping fiend, crawfordville fl |
| I think most people decide to go with a DSLR because they've got a friend with one that takes fantastic pictures and they want to get that themselves. I knew going in that I would have to learn how to use it. I bought this camera on sale for $399 and hard a really hard time getting good pics out of the camera. I think out of hundreds of pics I took while I had it, I thought 3 were really good. I bought a telephoto lens to see if that would help but it didn't. The pictures had no color, were not sharp, and terrible DOF. I probably could have been able to eventually use it to its fullest potential but I want good photos now. I finally took this one back and decided on a Nikon D90. I am going to get in in a week (come on Amazon!) It's a lot more but I think if you really want a dslr it's because you want GREAT pics, not just pics that are better than a point and shoot. |
Sony Alpha 230
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| Review Date: February 16, 2010 |
| Reviewer: O. Verbovaya, Norman, OK, US |
I got the camera 2 weeks ago and so far I am very pleased. I am not a professional and I have always had a point-and-shoot cameras and this is my very first DSLR camera. For those who are looking for a DSLR camera on a budget this is a good choice! I can not afford a very expensive camera at this time, but this one is a good quality for the price you pay! Before I got it I read the revierws and I asked two professional photographers to look it up online and tell me what they think and both of them said "it is not bad at all" so I went ahead and got it. It is pretty easy to operate and I like the quality of the images and the overall appearance of the camera. I got an additional lense (70-300 mm) and I am very happy with this camera.
Pros: decent quality for a relatively low price, good start for those who are making a transition from point-and-shoot camera to a SLR camera, you may buy additional lenses, tripods and otehr equipment and take the pictures you want, the battery life is pretty long, has many functions and settings for those who preffer manual mode and for those who do not want to mess with the manual mode.
Cons: A230 one doesn't have a life view and it takes some getting used to, the one that has a life view is more expensive. No video. It comes without a camera case, you you will need to get one. |
The Perfect starter DSLR
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| 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. |
My First DLSR and Im Very Pleased
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| Review Date: December 14, 2009 |
| Reviewer: K. R. Webb, Indianapolis, Indiana USA |
| I've had the camera for a few days now. Its been wonderful. Many people online seem to complain about Sony's default settings for the camera. They say the color is "off" a little. I've taken of 400 pictures in a few days and haven't any problems with the colors of the photos. I recommend buying an external flash. Its been a big help.Sony HVLF20AM TTL Digital Flash for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Cameras |
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