Sony DSLR-A900 - Expert Reviews

Review summary: The 24.6-megapixel Alpha A900 is Sony's first full-frame digital SLR and is aimed at professional photographers, especially studio-based pros looking for the ultimate in high resolution.

Pros: Viewfinder, image quality, LCD, Intelligent Preview, remote control, effective stabilisation

Cons: Handling issues, noise across sensitivity range, DT lens support

Verdict: It should come as no surprise that the A900 is a solidly built DSLR, capable of producing highly detailed images. From a practical consideration, its resolution and the Carl Zeiss optics currently available make it a perfect match for landscape and ...

Review summary: In its new flagship DSLR, the A900, Sony has eschewed gimmicks like live view and video recording and instead focused upon producing a camera with real appeal to professional photographers. Minolta film camera users who've been eagerly awaiting a ...

Verdict: All tests were conducted with the Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-70mm f/2.8 ZA SSM lens. This lens is an excellent performer and good partner to the 'Exmor' sensor

Review summary: The 24.6 Megapixel Sony A900 is the highest resolution sensor in the full-frame DSLR class. Does high ISO noise mar the picture?

Award: Highly Recommended!

Review summary: In the cut-throat digital camera market it's increasingly unusual for products to be shown in prototype form or announced more than a matter of weeks before they hit the stores. There's several reasons for the manufacturers' habit of playing their ...

Pros: Class-leading resolutionv (as long as your lenses are good enough), incredibly solid build quality, environmental sealing, Intuitive operation and uncluttered control and menu system, Excellent out of camera JPEG results with superb tonality, dynamic ...

Cons: Noise reduction settings applied to raw as well as JPEG files - cannot be 'turned off for raw but left on for JPEGs' (as is normal practice), Relatively high levels of noise at anything over ISO 400 (ISO 6400 is of very, very limited use), Destructive ...

Review summary: The Sony A900 is the flagship DSLR in the Alpha range. Announced in September 2008, it's the first model from Sony to feature a full-frame sensor, and the first full-frame DSLR in the world to boast built-in image stabilisation. The Alpha A900 also ...

Pros: Technically highest resolution to date., Built-in image stabilisation., Superb viewfinder with 100% coverage., Quick handling and 5fps shooting., Technically highest resolution to date., Built-in image stabilisation., Superb viewfinder with 100% ...

Cons: More noise than rivals above 400 ISO., No Live View or movie function., Upper information screen very basic., More noise than rivals above 400 ISO., No Live View or movie function., Upper information screen very basic.

Verdict: Another benefit of full-frame sensors are the large optical viewfinders which go with them. Sony's excelled itself here by delivering 100% coverage which compares favourably against its similarly-priced rivals. Completing the specification are a VGA ...