Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 Review

The Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 is a cross-breed 10.2 megapixel (CCD) digital SLR resulting from an agreement between Konica Minolta and Sony to jointly develop digital SLR cameras. The A100 has a compact design, a Konica Minolta lens mount, and an anti-shake feature which is Sony’s way of adopting the best aspects of Konica Minolta's technology while blending it with their own.

Other features include the anti-dust system, advanced image processing, long life battery, and a large LCD monitor. In the UK, the A100 (with 18-70mm lens) has a recommended retail price pegged at £699 and $999 in the USA.

Let’s take a closer look starting with the lens mount: its almost the same as the Minolta A-type mount, so you could use the A100 with any other Minolta A-Type lenses. Most of the 21 Alpha lenses with the A100 were designed using the Konica Minolta lenses in mind, though upgraded with zoom and focusing grips, and a Sony label branded on the whole thing. In fact, you should find that existing Minolta AF models should be compatible with the Sony DSLR-A100; Note that only four of the new lenses that were introduced are made for an APS imaging circle.

On the other hand, the anti-shake system (branded as 'Super SteadyShot') prevents blurred images from happening, thanks to Sony's claim that shutter speeds are at 3.5 stops slower while enabling the Super SteadyShot. The A100 has high sensitivities of up to ISO1600. This means you can handhold much slower exposures than normal. Super SteadyShot works from within through the A100's CCD sensor set on an adjustable platform.

When the motion detectors sense any wobbling movements, the CCD sensor is momentarily shifted in the opposite direction. The sensor can be shifted by 5mm in any direction. This system can counteract slow and fast shaking motions, without draining your battery. Super SteadyShot is enabled when you start taking pictures, and you can turn off this feature at the back of the camera.

The A100’s anti-static coating, a substance known as Indium Tin Oxide, is found on the low-pass filter in front of the CCD. Static electricity can build up on dust, which this coating counteracts. Meanwhile, the Bionz Image processor enables Dynamic Range Optimization, allowing the SLR camera to operate quickly.

The Eye Start AF on the A100 makes use of a sensor that detects how near your eye is to the eyepiece, initiating auto focus and staying that way until you half press the the shutter or put the camera down. This makes sure that the A100 stays focused before you release the shutter.
Note that the A100 uses a NP-FM55H battery doesn't have an InfoLithium readout. Standard NP-FM50 batteries can't be used in the A100.

Pros: the A100’s anti-shake system is Sony’s attempt at improving the anti-blur feature with new gyro sensors. This is great as you can use the A100 with any lens you choose, even those from older or budget models. In a way, you get to save money since you don’t have to buy more expensive anti-shake lenses. It’s interesting how Sony has targeted the dust problem as a major concern for most digital SLR owners; the indium tin oxide is a good solution to keeping dust away from the LPF, thus pushing down the rate of dust-ridden images to a minimum.

Cons: You can’t really be sure if the Super SteadyShot is working just by looking through the viewfinder. You only have the five-bar scale in the viewfinder telling you whether the system is working or not. Meanwhile, some tests show that dust particles is still attracted to the low pass filter, despite the special coating which is supposed to prevent this from happening. You may find most of your images still dust-free, but don’t expect a 100% effectiveness rate.

Overall: Most of the A100 is a combination of Konika Minolta and Sony technology rebranding, with an added twist, though some features may pale when compared to more competitive models from Olympus. The Super SteadyShot feature, in particular, is quite efficient at minimizing camera shakes, allowing you to use the A100 in various circumstances and speeds. The compatibility with other Konika Minolta lenses makes this camera convenient and cost-efficient to use at the same time.

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