| p>This Sony a200 is the bottom of the range | | | | for more than 800 as the Sony sensor does not |
| fully fledged entry level d-SLR from Sony. With | | | | cope well above ISO 400. If you plan on regularly |
| prices now well below £300 could this be | | | | using a high ISO this may not be the right model |
| the camera for you to enter the next level of | | | | for you and it may be of considerable benefit for |
| your photography? I believe it can. Offering a | | | | you to think more over to the Canon entry-levels |
| wide range of features, lenses and quality that | | | | as even these cope excellently with ISO for |
| has brought Sony where it is today, this camera | | | | example the slightly pricier Canon 450d. |
| will definitely be giving the bigger names | | | | All of the images taken with these modes can |
| something to worry about. | | | | also be achieved by using manual control. This is |
| This camera is obviously designed from scratch | | | | one of the features that allow it to pull away |
| to bring ultimate simplicity to beginners to | | | | from many standard digital cameras; you have full |
| enthusiasts alike. The build quality is very good for | | | | control over the end exposure of your image. |
| the price, though not as strong as many other | | | | Shutter, aperture and ISO are just some of the |
| cameras in the market, it looks as though it could | | | | aspects of the image you have to control with |
| still take a fair blow or two, but not three. The | | | | only a simple light level indicator allowing you to |
| 10.2 mega-pixel offering is more than enough for | | | | see if your image will be over or under exposed. |
| most levels of photography and images can be | | | | This will let you get exactly the image you are |
| blown up to at least A3 before any real problems | | | | after, albeit with a lot of practice. Blurring water |
| are noticed. The menus are easy to navigate; | | | | and light trails will be easily accessible to you |
| everything can be found where you expect and | | | | allowing you to capture stunning images. |
| offering a wide range of options. It allows for full | | | | The kit lens supplied is the 18-70mm, f3.5-5.6 |
| quality Jpegs and medium quality Jpegs as well as | | | | Sony lens that comes supplied with most of the |
| the RAW format found on more expensive | | | | Alpha range. This image works surprisingly well for |
| models, and of course, you can also shoot full | | | | the cost delivering sharp images even with the |
| quality Jpegs at the same time as RAW allowing | | | | aperture fully open. It is not on par with a slightly |
| you maximum control of editing white balance and | | | | pricier lens from Canon or Nikon but certainly |
| other settings after the event. This means you | | | | does the job. Although it is slightly more telephoto |
| don't have to get all the settings absolutely | | | | than standard 18-55mm kit lenses the extra |
| correct out shooting as long as you are | | | | 15mm is not noticeable and is not a big enough |
| competent with a computer and Photoshop. | | | | reason to shy away from the Canon entry range, |
| The body is laid out extremely well with quick | | | | discussed later. Images will be sharp with slightly |
| access buttons and switches to a range of | | | | more chromatic abrasion near the edges than |
| shooting modes as well as autofocus settings and | | | | normal but this can only be expected from a |
| areas. The mode wheel found atop the camera | | | | camera as cheap as this. Extra lenses are available |
| works much better than other models and almost | | | | from Sony as well as many other stockists usual |
| every ordinary digital camera. These modes | | | | to photography. These range from superb fisheye |
| include, auto, shutter-priority, aperture-priority, | | | | kits, all the way through the super-wide angles up |
| portraits and sports, as well as many others. It | | | | to extra telephotos. The range is not as complete |
| can shoot up to 3fps, which is not great but is | | | | as longer established Nikon or Canon ranges but |
| certainly enough for amateur photography. The | | | | definitely fairs up well, also given that old Minolta |
| ISO range starts low at 100 and works up to a | | | | lenses as well as most modern Tamron and |
| total of 3200, although it is not really worth asking | | | | sigma lenses come with the alpha mount. |