SLR Digital Cameras

2 Responses to “Sony Alpha A230Y 10.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with Super SteadyShot INSIDE Image Stabilization and 18-55mm and 55-200mm Lenses”

1. Pablo Castro on November 21st, 2009 at 9:41 am

   After years of using Minolta and Canon SLRs, I had wanted a DSLR for a long time. . . but had a limited budget. The Alpha 230 is a great discovery in this sense, because you have almost all the pro features you need, including a very nice ISO range that goes up to 3200, plus two quality zoom lenses, for around 500 bucks.

   That’s the essence, but let me start with my first impressions. . . As soon as I pulled it out of the box and held it in my right hand, it felt too small. I can’t hold it quite as firmly as my other cameras. I asked my girlfriend to hold it, and Voila! Perfect Fit. So I guess this camera is highly recommended for Cinderella photographers. So much, that I immediately looked into the Accesories catalogue for a Vertical grip, which usually makes the camera much larger. . . and found that Sony has three options, neither of which is compatible with the A230. I think that if I still lived in the USA, I would’ve returned this for another Sony Alpha that’s a little larger (and a little more expensive) like the A300. But I’m in Colombia, and I just paid an additional 90 bucks just to get my big ol’ hands on this baby, so I’m gonna have to get used to it. That said, I am aware that in most cases the main support for the camera’s weight is actually my left hand, making its awkwardly small size a reminder of the proper way to hold a camera. . .

   Since I first tried it out at night, one of the first things I tried out were the high ISO settings. . . and they were simply awesome for night shooting. Of course, when you push it too much you get noticeable noise, but that was no surprise. . . I was trying to shoot my cat in virtually NO light and no flash. The menus are really nice, helping you graphically to achieve the exposure you want. Using the camera in manual mode is comfortable, since both aperture and shutter speed are on the same wheel; you just switch between the two by pressing the +- button with your thumb. Construction is plastic, but feels very sold and durable. And the camera is actually heavier than it looks (but that’s because it looks so small to me). Battery life seems quite good but still don’t have reliable info on that.

   I appreciated the in-depth, printed manual. . . I know it’s not very eco-friendly, but those damn PDF manual are no good when you suddenly blank out in the middle of a shoot and can’t remember how to the custom white balance works, for example.

   Next related purchases: A decent flash unit (possibly using an adaptor for the sucky proprietary hot shoe), a carrying case that doesn’t cost half the camera’s price (in other words, not from Sony), and a filter kit, mostly to protect the lenses.

   Oh, and Amazon’t free shipping is the best. It arrived to my Miami address two days before the estimated delivery date.
   Rating: 4 / 5

2. Alexander Patellis on November 21st, 2009 at 9:51 am

   After about a week with this camera, I really like it. I am a photographer and I needed a D-SLR, I wanted to start small, but not too small, and cheap. I did do a LOT of research before buying this. I would not recommend it if you need to take lots of fast consecutive shots, 2. 5fps (frames per second) is not the fastest. Flash recovery time is a bit slow too. If you have large hands this camera might be strange too, the buttons have very little travel and are shallow and the grip is small. The menus and UI (user interface) are very very nice however. Easy to use and navigate. I really like this camera, it is basic, but has advanced features too. Color is pretty good, but for the best results you should play with the settings. Another plus is you can use Minolta lenses too. 18mm-55mm kit lens is pretty nice, 55mm-200mm is also very nice. Both are pretty light. Another thing is the shutter is kinda loud, not a huge down, but something to take note of. Also has a proprietary hot shoe (where you can attach an external flash) but you can buy an adapter online for about $5. The battery life is also pretty good. I really like it, and would recommend.
   Rating: 4 / 5