By: Erik Vlietinck
Thu, September 06, 2007 - 8:31:00
Pros: 21HKV3QFR9L._AA_SL160_.jpg
Contras: 0596101686

http://www.sony-europe.com
Score:

What sat in the pipeline for months, has happened today: Sony announces its newest addition to the Alpha digital SLR camera system. Aimed at serious photo enthusiasts and semi-professionals, the Alpha 700 teams uncompromising performance and responsiveness with superlative HD image quality --from shooting to viewing.

In addition to its magnesium dust/moisture sealed body and professional photographer friendly features, the Alpha 700 has a new intuitive navigation system, allowing camera settings to be adjusted in a split second under the most exacting shooting conditions, Sony says. There’s also an extensive new palette of customisation options and creative tools to help photographers take their passion to the next level.

Better CMOS Sensor Comes to the Aid of New BIONZ Processor

Key to the Alpha 700’s performance is its all-new 12.24 effective megapixel “Exmor” CMOS sensor, developed by Sony in-house. This new sensor utilises cultivated CCD imaging and original Column A/D conversion technologies to deliver high-speed and high picture quality. The latest-generation Sony semiconductors and advanced signal processing techniques ensure images with extraordinary clarity, sharpness and detailing plus rich, lifelike colours, tones and textures --touted to be even better than the original Alpha 100. The new Exmor sensor also consumes less power and should significantlydecrease noise.

For the first time ever in a digital SLR camera, the advanced Exmor CMOS sensor performs A/D conversion using dedicated convertors that are located close to each element array on the sensor itself. Analogue noise cancellation prior to A/D conversion is complemented by further on-chip noise reduction once signals have been digitised.

This results in digital signals that are exceptionally immune from external noise and interference that can seriously degrade analogue signals produced by other sensors. Digital signals with reduced noise are then fed from the Exmor sensor to the newly developed “BIONZ” processing engine where they are subjected to a further RAW noise reduction stage prior to compression and encoding. Whether all this processing does or does not affect image quality, remains to be tested!

With a maximum sensitivity of ISO 3200 --of which readers of IT Enquirer know that I consider such high ISO levels to be marketing hype-- the Alpha 700 can grab sports/action shots, atmospheric interiors or relaxed portraits in any available light.

Super SteadyShot optical image stabilisation inside the camera body is compatible with the complete range of Apha-mount lenses. Anti-shake performance has been improved by up to half a stop over the entire focal length range. Equivalent correction now extends from 2.5 to 4 stops (depending on lens, camera settings and shooting conditions), according to Sony.

New Centre Dual Cross 11-points Autofocus Enhances AF Performance

With 11 focus points and 11 lines, the new centre dual cross sensor provides a major enhancement in AF performance under a wide range of real-world shooting conditions. High precision AF can be achieved at open aperture with lenses brighter than F2.8. In addition, lens drive control time has been shortened for object distance calculation and focus position. An AF illuminator assists with fast, accurate autofocus in low light or with low contrast subjects.

A new ‘Quick Navi’ interface that is called “brilliantly simple” in Sony’s press release, assures fast, positive operation in high-pressure shooting situations when there’s no time to fumble with function menus. Camera settings can be accessed instantly via the easy-to-use joystick and icons on the 3-inch photo-quality screen. Selected parameters can be adjusted directly without the need to drill down into sub-menus.

The Sony Alpha 700 is probably the first digital camera in its price segment that offers a global ‘snapshot’ of no less than 28 camera settings that can be stored in one of three user memories for instant recall. A dedicated Custom button can be assigned to frequently-needed functions such as file size and auto focus area select.

The Alpha 700 is engineered to meet higher demands than the Alpha 100. Tough, durable magnesium alloy body panels are complemented by a reinforced aluminium alloy chassis. Weather-resistant silicon seals protect buttons and media card slots against dust and moisture. The camera’s overall robustness is underlined by a new shutter release sound and powerful AF drive motor that reduces noise and vibration while focusing.

The newly-developed high performance shutter unit is proven to withstand approximately 100,000 cycles. Maximum shutter speed is 1/8000 sec (1/250 flash sync speed or 1/200 with Super SteadyShot on) to freeze fast moving action. A new high-power core-less motor and double-stopper anti-bounce mirror mechanism allows continuous shooting at up to 5 fps.

In JPEG Fine or Standard mode shooting is limited only by free media card capacity, while a single burst of up to 19 frames can be captured at 5 fps in RAW. Not as impressive as the Canon EOS 1D Mark III, but at its price point undoubtedly among the very best in this area.