(4/5) - Photo: Sony
The Sony A500 is one of Sony’s leading DSLR cameras, coming with a 12.3-megapixel camera sensor and filling the gap between Sony’s A3 range of digital camera and the A7 range of digital cameras. It’s built to meet the needs of the more serious photographers and Sony has also retrofitted the camera with numerous features to this end.
Handling and build
Sony has built the Sony A500 to look like a typical DSLR camera. The A500 is big and slightly bulky (in a comfortable manner) and also comes with a large handgrip which makes the camera very comfortable to use when shooting. Given the Sony DSLR camera’s larger body, the A500 comes with more controls, allowing users more manual control. The controls are all well spaced out and positioned making them easy to access. The front of the camera is mostly dominated by the device’s lens and pop-up flash when in use. On the back of the camera we find an optical viewfinder and a 3-inch tilting LCD screen. Though the device may seem complicated to use at first glance, Sony has added enough automotive controls to the A500 making it accessible to even less experienced photographers.
Cool features
In terms of features, the Sony Alpha 500 comes with a 12.3-megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor which has been optimised for low light conditions. The A500 offers continuous shooting at 5fps using the optical viewfinder and at 4fps when using the LCD screen to frame images in Live View mode. In making the Sony DSLR camera easy to use, the A500 comes with Auto HDR which automates most of the settings on the camera. Also included is Quick AF Live View, Manual Focus Check Live, a 9-point AF sensor, SteadyShot image stabilisation, dust reduction, face detection, a smile shutter and a pop-up flash. The device also features an ISO sensitivity range of ISO 200 up to ISO 12800.
Excellent image quality
The Sony A500 produces some pretty good shots, with noise being kept at bay even up to ISO 6400, which is pretty impressive. Images also come out with a lot of detail due to the Dynamic Range Optimiser which makes colours look highly vivid. Exposure on shots is also good, with the A500 using the High Dynamic Range feature to increase exposure. However, images do come out a little soft at times, but this can easily be corrected in the editing phase using photo-editing software. Low-light photography is excellent with no red eyes, while night photography is also equally excellent.
It produces images of excellent quality and is also equally reliable. It provides some good value for money and makes for an excellent investment in one’s digital photography.
Tags for this article: Auto HDR, DSLR camera, Dynamic Range Optimiser, Sony A500Sony A500 Price
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Video Review
| Description: Full review at www.cameralabs.com . A 14 minute 1080p HD tour around the Sony Alpha DSLR A550, the company's latest mid-range DSLR, featuring two different Live View systems, a tilting VGA screen and fast continuous shooting. For my full review with comparisons, sample images and video,results and current pricing, please click the link at the start of this text or visit cameralabs . com. If you have any questions regarding this review, feel free to post on the Cameralabs forum! |
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