Sony's new a350 DSLR may appear to be the must-see of their 2008 PMA booth, but there's more to the a300 than meets the eye.
| Sony DSLR-A350 |
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 The 14.2-megapixel A350 fits somewhere between the beefy a700 and the a200, positioning itself to directly compete with other entry-level priced DSLRs like Canon's EOS Rebel XSi. Design-wise, the main attraction of the a350 is the 2.7-inch live view LCD, the soon-to-be ubiquitous technology that enables real-time image adjustment pre-capture, allowing the user to see how the changes they're making to the camera's settings will directly affect the image. Curiously enough, the prism viewfinder is physically blocked when switching to live view mode. We're also seeing the vertically tilting LCD more and more; we're told it's better for low angle shooting, but we still think a 180-degree rotating LCD provides more flexibility than one that only tilts up and down. The continuous shooting speed of 2.5fps (which drops to approximately 2 fps in live view mode) could be considered subpar, and we're not fans of Sony's menu systems in general, as they tend to be convoluted, complicated and aesthetically unattractive. The a350 is no exception. But we absolutely love the optional vertical grip battery pack, which positions buttons perfectly for vertical shooting, even adding an additional shutter. Release: March 2008. Price: $800.
Pros: Tilting, live view LCD, excellent optional vertical grip
Cons: Slow continuous shooting, awkward menus
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| Sony DSLR-A300 |
Specs » Gallery » |
 The a300 is almost identical to the a350 in its body, lens and most of its features. Its differences lie mainly in the sensor (10.2-megapixels to the a350's 14.2-megapixels), and oddly enough, its faster burst mode (3 fps to the a350's 2.5 fps). Sold in a kit with the same lens, it comes in about $100 less than the a350, and considering it actually shoots faster and that for us, the difference between 14 and 10 megapixels is negligible, we'll take the a300. Release: March 2008. Price: $800.
Pros: $100 cheaper than a350, faster burst mode
Cons: Smaller sensor
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