Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 (Body Only) Reviews: Digital SLR Camera

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Score 9.0/10 Read 104
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+ This digital camera scores high on build quality. - It has no outstanding negative points.

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Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 (Body Only): See full product description

Ease of use	8.8
Image quality	9.0
Features	8.8
Build Quality	9.2
Value for money	9.2
Overall rating	9.0

Some customer reviews of Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 (Body Only)

Most helpful reviews

Peter, Woodley Experienced amateur

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: Good solid camera, good ise to hold
Bad points:: The ISO "film" speeds could be lower. The frames per second could be higher

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	7.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	7.0
Overall rating	8.0

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Confirmed purchase: 28 Nov 2010

Gerry, Lanarkshire Scotland Experienced amateur

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: With all the major controls at hand, I find it very easy to change settings without taking the camera away from my face.
Battery life is excellent, and although I did purchase a second battery I have only occasionally used it. (I often shoot 400-500 shots per session)
I have shot with this camera in the rain several times with no adverse effect, and although I often change lenses in outdoor locations, I have had no problems with dust on the sensor.

The body is nicely balanced, both with heavy and not so heavy lenses, and has a quality feel about it.

I have shot several times with the camera tethered to a laptop, which I found convenient, and find the remote control a real bonus when shooting with a tripod.
The cameras ability to identify light temperatures is a great addition, and is often used.

I would recommend this camera for both beginners and semi professional users..
Bad points:: I have found nothing to complain about since purchasing this camera

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Review date: 27 Jun 2010

Bryan, Bodmin Experienced amateur

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: Most importantly this camera has great ergonomics with all controls within easy reach whilst you eye is at the viewfinder. As with all the DSLRs in the range, image stabalisation is built into the camera body itself so it is available on all lenses. Although the range of lenses is still fairly small and there are not as many third party lenses available as there are for say Canon or Nikon, eqivalent lenses are less expensive as they do not need image stabalisation built into them, however quality lenses can be had at bargain prices because all lenses designed to fit the Minolta A mount will fit and all functions will work. Easy to use. It makes a great point and shoot camera for those family snapshots as well as having enough features and quality of image to keep any semi-pro happy.
Bad points:: Only one really and that is the hotshoe mount is inherited from Minolta which means you need a manufacturer specific flash, and these are expensive. The situation would not be so bad if the older Minolta flash units would work withh TTL metering. Although they fire and will auto zoom with some lenses all exposure needs to be done in manual mode as they will only fire at full power. A bit of let down for me personally as I had just purchased one for my Minolta film body assuming that it would also work with the Alpha A 700. More research in future me thinks.

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	9.0

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Review date: 21 Apr 2010

IAIN , Experienced amateur

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: Image quality,build,ease of use,exposure,excellent AF,versatility,speed.
Bad points:: Heavy on batteries,high ISO image quality (above iso 1000!)

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	8.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	9.0

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Review date: 16 May 2010

Anthony, Oxted, Surrey Experienced amateur

Score 1.0/10

Good points:: Comfortable in the hands quick and easy to operate, a good menu system and a fast operation. The large bright viewfinder is a joy to use, so much better than the 'squinty' little viewfinder so often found with cameras featuring live view, I like a camera free from features such as video and live view.
I am delighted with the A700 the image quality is superb the DR system is excellent and the build quality is very good, highly reccomended.
Bad points:: None to think of.

Ease of use	2.0
Image quality	1.0
Features	2.0
Build Quality	2.0
Value for money	1.0
Overall rating	1.0

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Review date: 15 Jun 2010

Alan, Sheffield Point & shoot

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: I am disabled, a wheelchair user. Most of the time I use the camera at airshows and need to use the panning technique, Because of my disability I am not able to do this using the normal technique and am therefore unable to hold the the camera with two hands, so I have to use it with just one hand and I have found that the weight/balance of the camera is just right. The controls are easy to use
Bad points:: The back screen is very dificult to see in bright sunlight. It would be improved if the 'Live View' screen was made available on this model.

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	8.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	7.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Review date: 10 Jun 2010

Arthur, Bournemouth Experienced amateur

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: i just love everything about it,and using a zeiss lens with it makes it exceptional...
Bad points:: that it has stopped being made

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Confirmed purchase: 01 May 2011

Read all 104 customer reviews

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This Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 (Body Only) is reviewed on PC Advisor

This Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 (Body Only) is reviewed on TechRadar

Product Features

Camera Type	SLR
There are 2 main types of camera: The SLR and the Compact. SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. SLR cameras use a prism to reflect the exact image as seen through the lens and so offers a more accurate viewfinder. SLR cameras have detachable lenses offering greater flexibility if you wish to take a variety of different photographs. Compact cameras have a built in lens and an ‘above lens’ viewfinder which is less accurate but they are often cheaper, more sleekly designed and easier to carry anywhere with you to capture that moment perfectly without having to fiddle with complex settings or a bag full of lenses.
Resolution (Megapixels)	13

Optical zoom ratio	1
The amount by which the camera optics (lens) can bring the subject closer.
Screen size (Inches)	3
Screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner.
Digital zoom ratio	1
Not to be confused with optical zoom, digital zoom enlarges a portion of the image thus simulating optical zoom. In doing so, some image quality is lost.
Type of image stabiliser	Yes
If a photo is taken at a slow shutter speed, or at a long focal length, the effects of ‘hand shake’ will be amplified. Some cameras come with built-in image stabilisation which is designed to act against this to produce sharper images. It’s great for low light shots without a tripod, like at a gig.
Type of image stabiliser	Optical Image Stabiliser
If a photo is taken at a slow shutter speed, or at a long focal length, the effects of ‘hand shake’ will be amplified. Some cameras come with built-in image stabilisation which is designed to act against this to produce sharper images. It’s great for low light shots without a tripod, like at a gig.
Touchscreen	No
Touchscreen technology allows you to move and click things directly on the screen using your finger or a stylus pen.
3D	No

Colour	Silver
The main colour of the product.
Media format	Compact Flash
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
PictBridge	Yes
An industry standard allowing images to be printed from camera to printer, without needing a computer. CIPA PictBridge Standard Website
Macro Mode	Yes
This mode allows close-up photograpy of small objects such as insects and flowers.
Video recorder	No
Video recording functionality allows the capture of videos in mpeg or avi format which is great if you want to capture a whole scene, not just one moment.
Manual Focus	Yes
Almost all modern cameras have autofocus. Manual focus allows you to override the autofocus and set the distance yourself. This is especially useful if your camera is struggling to focus in a low-light or confusing scene.
Timer	Yes

Weight (g)	690
The weight of the product in grams.
Weight (g)	139
The weight of the product in grams.
Flash	Yes
Whether or not your camera has an in-built flash. Flashes are essential for fully capturing a low light image.
Body Only	Yes
dSLR cameras have detachable lenses and are sold in a variety of combinations. This facet lets you know whether the package your are considering comes bundled with a lens or whether it is just the body of the camera.
WiFi	No
Wifi allows you to connect your device to wireless routers or modems which allows you to connect to broadband internet.
Shortest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/4000
This is the fastest speed at which the camera can take a photo. Faster shutter speeds really freeze the action and are great for sports photography.
Longest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/30
This is the longest exposure your camera will take. The longer you take a photo for, the more light is let in and the more motion is captured. Long shutter speeds can give fantastic, artistic results. Try photographing the night sky at 30s or longer to see how the rotation of the Earth causes the stars to curve through the scene.
Waterproof	No
If your camera is waterproof you will be able to film under water which is perfect for diving and snorkeling.
Viewfinder	Yes
USB port	Yes
Socket for connecting devices such as a computers and other components.
Dimensions (mm)	104.8x141.7x79.7
The size of the device in millimetres, in width x height x depth.
RAW Format	Yes
GPS Receiver	No

Resolution (Pixels)	4288x2865
A camera sensor, that captures the photograph, is measured in pixels. The number given here is the horizontal amount of pixels followed by the vertical quantity of pixels. The more pixels a camera sensor has, the bigger and higher quality the image will be.
Release date	2007-09-28
The date the product was originally made available for purchase.
Height in mm	104.8

Width in mm	141.7

Depth in mm	79.7

Serial Shot Mode	Yes
Bluetooth	No
Bluetooth is a technology for the wireless transfer of data such as contacts, photos and music between mobile phones, computers and a host of other Bluetooth enabled devices. Read more about Bluetooth on Wikipedia
Autofocus	Yes
Changeable Lens	Yes

Digital Cameras Buyers' Guide

Manufacturer's Description

High performance Digital Single Lens Reflex (D-SLR) camera – body only. Superlative HD picture quality from shooting to viewing. Ultra-responsive performance, ruggedly constructed and beautifully easy to use.

Sony ‘Exmor’ 12.24 effective megapixel CMOS sensor with on-chip A/D conversion and dual noise reduction
High speed BIONZ image processing engine for superb image quality
Ultra responsive operation with fast, high-accuracy 11-point autofocus and 5fps continuous shooting
HDMI output for viewing on HD Ready display plus PhotoTV HD mode for optimised Full HD images on new BRAVIA televisions
3.0-inch Xtra Fine 921k dot resolution LCD screen for critical shot evaluation
Compatible with full range of a-mount lenses from Sony and Carl Zeiss plus Konica Minolta lenses
Enhanced SteadyShot INSIDE optical image
stabilisation in camera body reduces camera
shake with all lenses*
New Quick Navi function for fast, easy access to camera settings
Rugged magnesium body with aluminium alloy chassis and controls sealed against dust and moisture
Dual anti-dust system protects sensor during lens exchange
SteadyShot INSIDE was previously known as Super SteadyShot

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