Sony Digital SLR Cameras |
Page updated: January 2010
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Sony has branded its digital SLR line "ALPHA", using the lowercase α from the Greek alphabet.
The rationale: when you want your cameras to be number one, doesn't it make sense to use the first letter of the alphabet?
Joking aside, the term ALPHA is familiar to photographers and Japan and China who have used Konica Minolta cameras - which makes sense, since Sony acquired all of Konica Minolta's digital SLR technology in 2006.
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A Brief History of the Sony Digital SLR Camera
Sony has pretty good timing.
They ramped up their digital SLR presence and partnered with Konica Minolta right before KM closed up shop for good.
Sony acquired all of Konica Minolta's production know-how, allowing them to develop their first digital SLR in fairly record time.
What follows is a short timeline of the development of the first Sony digital SLR:
- July 19, 2005 - Konica Minolta and Sony announce partnership to jointly develop digital SLR cameras
- January 19, 2006 - Konica Minolta closes up shop and sells operations to Sony
- January 22, 2006 - Sony sets their sights on acquiring a whopping 25% of the digital SLR camera market
- April 19, 2006 - The ALPHA brand of digital SLR cameras is introduced
- June 5, 2006 - Sony announces their first digital SLR: the ALPHA DSLR-A100
2008 promises to be a big year for Sony digital SLR cameras: so far, they have already announced three new models (the A200, A300 and A350) with plans to announce a couple more (including a professional-grade 24 megapixel full-frame camera) toward the end of the year.
Sony wanted to be a big competitor in the digital SLR camera market, and that's exactly the direction they're heading.
The Latest Sony Digital SLR Cameras
Sony's latest digital SLR offerings now span the range from beginner models to ones geared more for advanced amateurs and semi-professionals.
Sony ALPHA DSLR-A330 |
Release Date | July 2009 |
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| Key Features | 10 megapixels, dust control, image stabilization | |
| Uniqueness | Flip LCD | |
| Great For | Family photography | |
| Level | Beginner | |
| Avg. Kit Price | $600  | |
| Competitors | Canon Rebel XS, Nikon D3000, Olympus E-620, Pentax K-x | |
| The A330 is the most basic camera in Sony's current lineup - and is also the most economical. The live view LCD screen can be flipped out from the camera body, making high and low-angle shots significantly easier. | ||
| Compare prices for the DSLR-A330 at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video | ||
Sony ALPHA DSLR-A380 |
Release Date | July 2009 |
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| Key Features | 14 megapixels, dust control, image stabilization | |
| Uniqueness | Flip LCD | |
| Great For | Family photography | |
| Level | Beginner | |
| Avg. Kit Price | $800 | |
| Competitors | Canon Rebel XS, Nikon D3000, Olympus E-620, Pentax K-x | |
| The main difference between the A330 and A380 is the step up in megapixels. On all other features, these cameras are virtually identical — if you don't want to make large prints then go for the lower megapixel count on the A330. | ||
| Compare prices for the DSLR-A380 at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video | ||
Sony ALPHA DSLR-A450 - NEW! |
Release Date | February 2010 |
IMAGE COMING SOON |
| Key Features | 14 megapixels, dust control, image stabilization | |
| Uniqueness | In-camera HDR | |
| Great For | Family photography | |
| Level | Beginner | |
| Avg. Kit Price | TBA | |
| Competitors | Olympus E-620, Pentax K-x | |
| The A450 slots in between the 300 line and the 500 line of Sony DSLR cameras, and borrows a bit from both. Its size and shape make it look more like an A500 or A550, but it lacks the flip-out LCD and fast live view autofocus included on those cameras. The battery stamina has been improved, allowing for over 1,000 shots on a single charge. | ||
Sony ALPHA DSLR-A500 |
Release Date | July 2009 |
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| Key Features | 12 megapixels, dust control, image stabilization | |
| Uniqueness | In-camera HDR | |
| Great For | Family photography | |
| Level | Beginner to Intermediate | |
| Avg. Kit Price | $850 | |
| Competitors | Canon Rebel T1i, Nikon D5000, Olympus E-30, Pentax K-7 | |
| The next step up in price gets you a camera with several enhancements over the simpler A380: a larger LCD (3 inches), faster continuous speed (5 photos per second), a greater ISO range (200 to 12800) and the ability to capture High Dynamic Range (HDR) images in the camera. Like other Sony DSLR models, the live view LCD screen flips out from the camera body. | ||
| Compare prices for the DSLR-A500 at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video | ||
Sony ALPHA DSLR-A550 |
Release Date | July 2009 |
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| Key Features | 14 megapixels, image stabilization, fast continuous speed | |
| Uniqueness | In-camera HDR | |
| Great For | Action photography | |
| Level | Beginner to Intermediate | |
| Avg. Kit Price | $1,050 | |
| Competitors | Pentax K-7 | |
| Virtually an A500 clone, the A550 features a sensor with a higher megapixel count (14 instead of 12). The A550 also includes an added bonus for action shooters: a boost in continuous shot speed. The A550 can capture consecutive images at 7 per second, which is plenty to capture peak moments of action. | ||
| Compare prices for the DSLR-A550 at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video | ||
Sony ALPHA DSLR-A850 |
Release Date | September 2009 |
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| Key Features | 24.6 megapixels, full frame, image stabilization | |
| Uniqueness | Full frame sensor | |
| Great For | Studio | |
| Level | Intermediate to advanced | |
| Avg. Kit Price | $2,000 (body only) | |
| Competitors | Canon 5D Mark II, Nikon D700 | |
| The A850 is Sony's second full-frame digital SLR (the first is the A900 below), and the real reason to get this camera is for the 24.6 megapixels that it captures in every shot. If you don't need images that big (put another way: if you don't shoot for print publications) then save yourself the cash and opt for one of Sony's other models. | ||
| Compare prices for the DSLR-A850 at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video | ||
Sony ALPHA DSLR-A900 |
Release Date | October 2008 |
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| Key Features | 24.6 megapixels, full frame, image stabilization | |
| Uniqueness | Full frame sensor | |
| Great For | Studio | |
| Level | Intermediate to advanced | |
| Avg. Price | $3,000 (no lens) | |
| Competitors | Canon 5D Mark II, Nikon D700 | |
| The A900 is Sony's first foray into the pro-DSLR market. The A900 includes a lot of high-end features but the standout is its sensor: it's full frame and it captures a whopping 24.6 megapixels in every shot. The real suprise here is that it's able to capture images at a continuous rate of 5 photos per second (despite their enormous size). | ||
| Compare prices for the DSLR-A900 at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video | ||
Related Links
 Pentax Digital SLR |
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