Sony's A57 falls under the A65 and A77 as Sony's new mid-level SLT. Specifications are remarkably similar to the aging A55; the A57 uses the same 16 megapixel sensor yet trades the former's small form factor for the A65's chunkier styling. A55 users might not find any compelling reasons to upgrade here, especially because the A57 lacks a GPS, but that larger body does make room for a battery with 50% more juice. The kit is only $800 list, another blow to Canon and Nikon's mid-range lineup. Image quality tends to be a bit better than Micro 4/3's cameras and comparable to other mirrorless cameras with the same sensor size.
Store Ratings and Offer Details for the
Sony Alpha A57
Trying to decide on a new DSLR /DSLT - Sony a57? a65? Nikon D3100?(Carole — 10/24/2012)
I am new to the DSLR / DSLT line of cameras. I currently have a Sony Cybershot point and shoot DSC - H55. I want to upgrade and am flustrated with the SLOW speed of picture taking of the Cybershot. BUT ..I LOVE my little camera in that it fits very well into my pocket and not only takes excellent pictures but also Video! I believe that I take as much video with my little camera as I do pictures. I am considering the Sony a57, the Sony a65 and the Nikon D3100 and am open to others as well. I would like to stay within the $900 and under range. I like the 10x zoom of the Cybershot and wish I could zoom in a well with the 'trial' Sony a57 and Nikon D3100 that I am now testing. Would the Sony 18 - 135mm lens allow me to do this? We like playing with the 12fps speed of the Sony a57!! Can you help to point us in the right direction with our new camera purchase? Thank you!
I definitely think you're on the right track with the Sony A57. The video output from the Sony cameras will be much better (and with better autofocus) than anything from Nikon. For zoom the 18-135 is the cheapest longest option you'll find. They also make an 18-250mm lens but it's a lot more money.
The other thing I'd recommend is to look at the Sony NEX cameras. You say you appreciate small size, and these are much smaller than the Alphas. Take a look at the 5R and the 6.
Sony has been a leader in the consumer electronics industry for the past 30 years. All Sony digital cameras reflect the company's devotion to including the most current technology paired with a minimal style to produce high-quality compact digital cameras for casual users, hobbyists, and even professional photographers.
Sony's Latest Innovation in the Digital Camera Field
In September 2012, Sony announced the release of its latest camera, the Cybershot DSC-RX1. According to Sony, this is the first full-frame compact digital camera available. A 24.3 megapixel full-frame sensor attached to a capable 35mm f2 lens makes this camera very desirable. This pocketable combination produces professional-quality photos in a package that's relatively small.
Two of the best Sony digital cameras of 2012 as indicated by consumer ratings include the following:
* Sony Cybershot HX30V: For amazing video and photos in a package that's compact, but versatile, and great for consumers that love to travel, this is a perfect Sony digital camera. The 18.2 megapixel camera is known for its fast performance, including full HD video capture and extremely fast continuous burst mode, on top of features like a GPS tracker. * Sony Cybershot HX200V: Its fast burst mode and extremely large 35x optical zoom has resulted in this camera being rated as one of Sony's best digital cameras by consumers. The lack of RAW capture makes it obvious that Sony is marketing this camera for a market that's more amateur than a lot of the competition. The HX200's image quality has been rated from good to excellent by Sony digital camera reviews, with the video quality being among the greatest available.
Sony has a wide variety of digital cameras suitable for photographers of any skill level, and reviews of most of the cameras offered by Sony can be found on this site. You will be totally happy with the end result regardless of which Sony digital camera you decide on.
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