Sony DSLR-A700 - Expert Reviews

Review summary: First impressions of the Alpha DSLR-A700, Sony's $1900 (as of 12/14/2007), 12-megapixel digital single-lens reflex camera, brings to mind terms like "massive," "brick-like," and "complex." With its deep right-hand grip and 2.75-pound weight (which ...

Pros: Sturdy magnesium body Extensive exposure controls

Cons: Inconsistencies with auto white balance Mediocre software bundle

Verdict: With its sharp, 12-megapixel imaging and with more exposure controls than most photographers--amateur or professional--will likely use, the beefy and finely designed A700 rises to nearly pro-level photography, making it well worth its $1900 price tag. ...

Review summary: The Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 digital SLR is a complex, well-made camera with tons of controls. The A700 takes exceptionally sharp, well-exposed shots.

Verdict: With its sharp, 12Mp imaging and with more exposure controls than most photographers - amateur or professional - will likely use, the beefy and finely designed Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 rises to nearly pro-level photography, making it well worth its £1,124 ...

Review summary: Our final review of the Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 has been completed using a production-level camera. All sample and test photos were taken with this production camera running version 2.0 of the A700 firmware. Please note that the 16 - 80 mm (Zeiss) lens ...

Pros: Excellent photo quality (though see issues below) ; Well built, easy-to-hold body ; Sensor-shift image stabilization reduces blur on most legacy Minolta and all forthcoming Sony lenses ; Dust reduction system ; Stunning 3-inch LCD display ; Full ...

Cons: Noise reduction a bit heavy at high ISOs (workaround: shoot RAW) ; Tends to underexpose a bit ; No live view support (only mentioning this since everyone else has it now) ; Legacy hot shoe limits third party flash options ; Lots of buttons scattered ...

Verdict: One feature you won't find on the A700 is live view. Three months ago I don't think anyone would care, but with the introduction of the Canon EOS-40D, Nikon D300, and Panasonic DMC-L10, the A700 seems a bit out-of-place

Award: Highly Recommended!

Review summary: The Sony A700 is the second DSLR camera from Sony, a more complex model than the original A100 that is aimed at the prosumer photographer. The Sony A700 bears more than a passing resemblance to the Konica Minolta Maxxum / Dynax 7D DSLR, which is ...

Verdict: Offering a compelling combination of intuitive design and handling, sophisticated functionality and excellent image quality, the Sony A700 is an easy DSLR camera to recommend. Being based so clearly upon a previous Konica Minolta camera has given Sony ...

Review summary: When Sony introduced the A100 in June 2006, the company made a commitment to develop the Alpha system to include a full line of products. Since then, many Sony and Carl Zeiss ZA T* series lenses have been released, and now, the second camera is ...

Verdict: The Sony A100 received accolades for its Super SteadyShot stabilizer that also provides automatic dust removal by vibrating the (antistatic-coated) sensor. The A700 includes both features but employs a more effective Anti-Shake system that can dampen ...