Sony Alpha A100K 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 Lens
by Sony
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sony Alpha A100K 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 Lens
Customer Review: A solid little camera
Summary: 5 Stars
The a100 was the first Sony DSLR I bought. I was pleased enough Sony's cameras that I eventually sold my a100 and stepped up to the a700. Despite all the numerous technical advantages the a700 has over the a100, I missed my a100. There is a certain quality to the images that this body produces that I missed. Images are particularly sharp, the dynamic range is impressive and colors are very rich, making this camera a very ideal camera for landscapes and static scenes. In the end I picked up another a100 to share the camera back with my a700. I probably should have never sold my first one.
A lot of people talk about image noise and the a100. It is maybe a slightly nosier camera than some of its contemporary competition but I find it usable up to ISO 800. I would avoid ISO 1600. I find more fault with the slowness of the AF system than anything else. I think this is more likely to hold back your images than the noisiness of the sensor. This is why I would not recommend this body for shooting fast moving objects. Slower moving objects it can handle. It is an excellent camera for landscape photography that can capture a lot of fine detail when paired with a good lens. I find the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 to be a very good match for this body.
Don't let the plastic bodies of these cameras fool you, they are quite solid and well built. Much better built than the A200 through A380 models if you ask me. The a100 is really quite the bargain nowadays. You can still find them new in stores if you look around. They're great little cameras. Definitely worth taking a look at.
Customer Review: Sony Hasn't Let Me Down Yet!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Sony Alpha A100 is my third Sony digital camera and my first dSLR. Having been very pleased with my previous Sony cameras, and after thoroughly researching dSLR offerings from Nikon, I decided to go with the A100. I'm glad I did!
This camera has well exceeded my high expectations. It had its trial run on a high school class field trip to New York City, and I must say that it performed exceptionally well in a variety of shooting situations, from candid street shots, cityscapes, and class portraits in the NASDAQ studio (thanks to the wide-angle portion of the excellent 18-70mm kit lens, I was able to fit the entire group in the picture without a problem!). On a later date, I experimented with outdoor shots taken after a winter storm, and was able to capture stunningly beautiful images of snow-capped branches, dripping icicles and foraging bluejays.
Auto focus is fast and accurate; image quality is sharp and clear. The menu is easy to navigate and controls are intuitive. In my opinion, the digital noise over ASO 400 - a consistent negative I keep seeing in reviews about this camera - is NOT THAT BAD, and nothing that can't be fixed with good image processing software like Photoshop Elements 4.0.
If you are looking for an entry-level dSLR, you can't beat this camera. The image quality and performance of the A100 far surpass its low price. I foresee spending many hours honing my photography skills on this camera. But even when I feel it's time to move on to a pro-level dSLR, my Alpha will stay with me and, as its name implies, always be first.
Customer Review: Best Quality for the PRICE
Summary: 5 Stars
I am an amateur photographer that mainly takes family photos. I bought the a-100 to take the place of my older Minolta SLR camera. I had a few lenses and an external flash for the Minolta. So, the fact that the Sony a-100 would use those old lenses and flash was a major selling point for me. This was also my first digital SLR purchase. I have had experience with other point and shoot digital cameras, but never stepped up to the SLR experience until now. I was not disappointed. This camera takes great pictures. It also has great image stabilization built right into the camera (which can save $$$ on the cost of lenses over Canon and Nikon models). This combined with online printing from ritzpics.com or imagestation.com makes for great 4x6 prints (which is 99% of what pictures I take). Occasionally, I take a shot that is worthy of enlarging to 8x10 or larger. This camera can go up to 16x20 with no problem. All prints have been superb so far.
A great number of people complain about high noise at ISO settings higher than 400. I don't find that to be true. I have taken pictures indoors with a 1.7 speed lens (tripod mounted) with no flash that look great at 8x10. There is no noticeable noise. I haven't gone to 1600 ISO yet, but I haven't really had the need either.
In short, if you want a great digital SLR camera that has lots of bang for the buck, then you just can't go wrong with the Sony a-100. It is pretty much a remake of the Minolta 5D/7D, and I personally love the Minolta camera/lens series.
Customer Review: Awesome Camera, great for beginners
Summary: 5 Stars
Overall I am very impressed with this camera. If you do lots of out door shooting, or flash based shooting, this camera does a great job capturing vivid colors. The auto setting works for most situations. If you are shooting in low light ( night clubs ) and want to capture the people and the lights to give a really lively effect, you will need to purchase a different lense. f1.4 or f1.7 would be ideal. expensive but they will make a huge difference in the quality of the pictures. The only downfall to this camera is its new, and there are not a ton of lenses available for it. On the other hand the Cannon EOS you can find plenty of new and used lenses at great prices. I shoot over 600 photos in a single night with this camera, and it worked great. This camera is capable of shooting up to 3 pics / second. If you are using the buildin flash you will have to wait longer for the flash to recharge. This got annoying as I found myself missing shots because the flash wasn't ready to go again. Definately get an aftermarket flash for this camera if you need to shoot one after another with no delay. You are going to see alot of people bash this camera because they are brand loyal to cannon or some other brand. Don't let that deter you from getting this camera, Sony did a good job with this. Even though a photographer is only as good as their equipement. If you know this camera well enough it can shoot just as good as the much more expensive Cannon's.Customer Review: Really really good choice
Summary: 5 Stars
After doing many late nights of reviewing before making a purchase I was down to the Canon Rebel 400D or the Sony a100. The built in stabilization pushed the Sony over the top. I have a limited budget and can't see myself spending thousands on the canon lenses.
I have big hands and the Sony felt better. I've owned it for less than 2 weeks and I've taken over 500 pictures, almost all...like 95% are perfect,indoors with flash, without, outdoors with the white balance so easy to adjust. All I can say is ....Wow... I am not a pro but I do like to fiddle with all the settings...I found it to be very intuitive.
I'm really glad I chose the Sony. So if you're on a limited budget and you have bigger hands, I say choose the Sony. As far as the "noise" goes, most pro's say it has a lot, at higher ISO (1600). Not on mine...At least none that I can see. Pro's also say it is loud, like the shutter and chip is loud...Really it's not too loud and...I kinda like hearing it snap a picture anyways...but...that's just me. I bought the kit with 2 lenses the 18-70 and the 70-300 for 899....The rebel was the same price...but...again...with the built in stabilization...I feel I made the right choice. Try them both out...While you're at it try the Nikon D80 too. Most pro's say all three are just about equal less the stabilization on the canon and Nikon...I say test drive em all and whichever you choose will be the right one:)