Compare Prices : Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 - Expert Reviews

Review summary: A novice-friendly digital SLR with a tilting screen

Verdict: Sony's Alpha A380 is lightweight and easy to use, but its price is high for a plasticky camera without video

Review summary: The Sony A380 is a brand new mid-range DSLR, replacing the existing A350 in Sony's burgeoning Alpha range. Like the A350, it's got a 14.2-megapixel sensor, built-in SteadyShot image stabilisation and live view via its tilting rear screen, but these ...

Pros: Super-fast live view autofocus

Cons: Uncomfortable to hold

Verdict: Another decent, user-friendly DSLR from Sony, but the lack of true innovation is a disappointment

Review summary: Can Sony challenge in the DSLR stakes?

Pros: Lightweight, user friendly, intuitive, reliable performance, warm, colour rich images, adjustable LCD, less expensive than immediate rivals

Cons: No HD video, hinges for adjusting LCD are stiff, obvious plastic elements of build, kit lens could be sharper, noisier than rivals at higher ISOs

Verdict: A reliable performer delivering richly detailed and colourful images, though you might want to trade up from the kit lens fairly quickly

Review summary: Boasting the same Quick AF live view system of its predecessor, what else does the latest Alpha model provide for the entry-level consumer?

Verdict: That the Sony A380 is only a minor upgrade indicates one of two things. Either the entry-level user is already well-catered for, with everything they need to take the kind of images they would require, or a better-specified model which would sit a ...

Review summary: Sony's mid-range DSLR doesn't pack video, but does offer a novice-friendly user interface. Is it an ideal 'My First DSLR'?

Pros: User friendly. Compact size. High speed autofocus in live view mode. Improved kit lens

Cons: Not much of a development from the A350 it replaces. Fewer physical controls than most rivals. No video. Tiny grip