The Digital Camera Store

Written on the 2010-05-29

rating of 5.0

Let's keep it short and sweet: There is absolutely NOTHING, ZILCH, NADA, ZERO THAT WOULD CLASSIFY THIS CAMERA'S FINISH AS "GOLD!" <br /><br />Anyone buying this model for that feature will be sorely disappointed at this unbelievable ripoff!!! <br /><br />I even crosschecked the serial number to check for a switch - but it IS the "GOLD" model and it IS NOTHING BUT THE PLAIN STANDARD SILVER FINISH! <br /><br />Sony makes a great camera and I'm keeping this camera purely because it IS a super unit. Just don't get suckered into the GOLD TONE CON. <br /><br />NO ONE WOULD EVER DESCRIBE THIS MODEL/MY NEW CAMERA AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN SILVER... <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-05-25

rating of 5.0

I have had this camera for about a year, having "moved up" from a canon FTb film camera I have had since the 1970's. (Still works perfectly, by the way.) The Sony A300 is my first digital SLR, but I have had a few digital point and shoot cameras in the past (the Olympus C765 is my favorite "old" camera.) <br /> <br />The Sony is plenty feature rich for a slightly advanced amateur like me. I have taken some great shots with this camera. It has no shutter lag to speak of, the "live-view" feature is extremely helpful. I have asked it to do some difficult shots, like time exposures (automatic setting) inside St Peter's in Rome. Great, beautiful results. Image quality is very good, excellent sharpness. Color is maybe a little over saturated, but that can be fixed easily in post production. <br /> <br />The stock 18-70 f3.5-5.6 kit lens is nice, but I'm starting to lust after faster glass. I also purchased a Tamron 70-300mm zoom lens for the Sony which has been great for taking sports pictures from the sidelines. Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras These new digital cameras have such great ASA ranges, that even pokey lenses like the Tamron's can shoot good photos in limited light. <br /> <br />For the price, I am very happy with this Sony A300. My only other comment is I wish it had (high quality) video recording capability.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-04-15

rating of 4.0

I had considered several Canon and Nikon models before settling on this camera and I could not be more satisfied. I have taken over 10k photos in the last one year I have owned it. I use it along with my Tamron 18-200 and Sony 50mmF1.4 lens and the image quality is quite good. The most impressive thing about this camera is it's battery. <br />The tiltable lcd makes taking overhead and low level photos a breeze. Some shots taken with this camera have been uploaded in [...].
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-04-09

rating of 4.0

I have owned the Sony alpha A300 for a little over a year now. Coming from a traditional film camera background, I find this camera very easy to use while supporting all the features that I need. Sony's liveview is the quickest you're likely to find, and the technology incorporated into the A300 is second to none, and the very useful in the body shake reduction (coupled with legacy minolta lens compatibility) make high quality lenses quite affordable when compared to other camera brands. <br /> <br />With that being said, I am slightly disappointed with the image quality straight out of the camera. I find that with stock glass, images tend to be a bit soft, and need richness added in post processing. (This should be expected with a camera in this class though.) The average user who is likely to purchase a camera in this price range will probably not notice much of a difference between the Sony and its competition, and I've found the Sony to be a much better price. I am simply suggesting that the body outperforms the kit glass, and stepping up to a G series, or zeiss lens would really help with the lack of richness. (I'm probably being picky here. A person will likely never notice unless his images are printed over 13".) <br /> <br />This camera really shines when a person leaves the stock modes and sets picture style, and aperture to his liking. The lower ISO's perform beautifully, and I personally don't ever have a need to venture beyond an occasional ISO 800, so noise has never been an issue for my work. Autofocus could be a bit quicker, but again, of the cameras in this price range a person isn't likely to do much better. All in all I love this camera and find it very enjoyable to shoot with. <br /> <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-02-01

rating of 5.0

This is my first DSLR, the only decent camera I had before was an Olympus C2100UZ. I bought the Sony six months ago, on the recommendation from someone I trust with these kind of things. At the time this camera had features that other cameras had which cost a couple hundred more. <br /> <br />In particular, this camera had Live View. You can take pictures from the LCD screen in the back. A lot of entry level cameras didn't have this in early 2009. It's a fast Live View design, too. It doesn't slow down the shutter. <br /> <br />Live View might not be relevant a real camera purist. But for someone who's trying to drag his family into the DSLR world, the Live View helped get this camera adopted quickly. <br /> <br />While it's not a Nikon or Canon, there seem to be a lot of old lenses out there that work with this camera. My first additional lens purchase was an inexpensive used Konica/Minolta 50mm f1.7 prime lens for portrait shots. With this lens, I am now a novice who spent way less than a grand and can even shoot good pictures indoors without a flash in many conditions. <br /> <br />It's been a good camera so far.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-11-22

rating of 4.0

This is my first DSLR, and I am very happy with it. I was looking into getting the Sony Alpha 330, but after doing research I found the the 330 actually has less features(it is lacking a port for a shutter release remote, manual white balance adjustment, and less buttons that make key features much harder to change) and is just simply smaller. So the 300 is really the same as the 330 with more features, and if you do some shopping, much cheaper(in my case over $100). Overall the 300 is a great camera but does have its pros and cons as all cameras. <br /><br />Pros: <br />Live View-the live view system that sony uses is probably the best live view system on the market as it does not pause to capture the image. I love the live view, it saves me a ton of time using manual settings messing with aperature and exposure. My girlfriend has a 200 and spends a lot of time playing with settings and taking test photos. The live view is also very nice if you have glasses as well. <br /><br />Image stabilization in camera-This is very nice because you don't have to shell out big bucks for image stablized lenses like with canon and nikon. <br /><br />Uses Minolta Maxxim lenses-the ability to use Minolta Maxxim lenses means there is a ton of affordable used glass out there, many that are unchanged from the current sony offerings. <br /><br />Takes good images-The 300 has a nice balance of speed and image quality. <br /><br />Flip up/flip down lcd- Awesome feature that is usually only found in higher end cameras. <br /><br />Cons: <br />High noise at ISO over 400- I won't shoot at ISO over 400 because of the noise. <br /><br />Smart teleconverter-This feature is a neat idea but is nothing more than digital zoom and degrades the image so you really can't crop afterwards if you use this feature. <br /><br />Lcd screen sticks out-The screen sticks out quite a bit when folded in, not a huge deal but will smudge from your face if you use the OFV, I would suggest the lcd screen protector made by sony so you don't scratch the screen. <br /><br />Overall the Sony 300 is a great camera for the money, you get a lot more for less money then you would with some other manufacturers offerings. <br /><br /> <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-10-19

rating of 5.0

This is my first slr camera and so far I am very happy with it. I always owned Sony <br />camera's and never had any problems with them. All the options and features that are on this camera are great.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-10-05

rating of 4.0

I purchased the Sony DSLR A300 the first of 2009 and downloaded the software on my 10 year old 32bit computer, the software worked good. A few months later, I up graded to a new computer with Vista- 64Bit processor. I loaded the program on my computer and did a reboot as it asked, the computer did not start up again, I received an error message "Windows failed to start, a recent hardware or software change might be the cause". Even though Sony's site says the program will work with Vista, it does not. I got my computer fix and tried again with the same result, the software program is now on the way to the dump
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-09-26

rating of 5.0

This was my first Digital SLR camera so I spent some time researching it and other Sony models and Comperable Canon and Nikon models. <br /> <br />I think the A300 is a better value because it comes with a better lens than the new models (like A330 and A380). On the A300, the standard lens is 18 - 70mm while on the A330 & A380 you get a 18 - 55 mm lens. The only advantage of a 330 or 380 is they come with an HDMI cable so you can see the pictures on your TV. You get an RCA cable with the 300. But this is for still shots only as these cameras do not take video. The 380 has a 14MP resolution, so it is a little slower 2.4 frames/sec vs 3 frames/sec). <br /> <br />I prefer the 300 over the Nikons and Canons because of the lower price (about $100 less) and also because it is easier to use and has some more features like the ability to shoot through the LCD or viewfinder, the steady shot (in camera, not lens), 3200 ISO and the tiltable LCD screen so you can take pictures while holding the camera overhead or low to the ground. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-08-25

rating of 5.0

This is the absolute best camera ever. I love it. I retired a Sony Alpha100 and this one is everything I wanted. Price ($600) was excellent and also works perfectly with Minolta Maxxum lenses. Highly recommended. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-07-07

rating of 5.0

works very well, I love this camera, it is light in weight ( great for travel or walk around ), uses more reliable cf flash memory cards, has anti vibration built in to camera, unlike canon and nikon that build it into lenses that are more expensive . It also has a tilt up screen, anti-dust vibration and many other features, All that and it is easy to use, with a great 18-70mm kit lens, for a bargin price for a 10mb dslr.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-05-12

rating of 4.0

I love this camera...great for starter. Still so much to learn about the features...some confusing.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-05-04

rating of 4.0

There is really only one reason to choose this camera over the more established Nikon and Canon offerings and that is Live View. To put it simply, this is the ONLY DSLR with the ability to use the LCD screen to compose and take your picture with no sacrifice in focus speed vs. using the optical viewfinder. This is similar to how you use a point-and-shoot. Thus it is a great camera for those who prefer to take pictures using the LCD screen. <br /> <br />Canon and Nikon both offer a form of live view that relies on contrast focus to take the picture which is slower and less accurate. <br /> <br />I happen to love taking picture using the LCD screen in part because I wear a motorcycle helmet taking pictures which won't allow me to use the viewfinder on a traditional DSLR. Those who wear glasses or who like to shoot from the waist, ground, or overhead will also really appreciate this. <br /> <br />If this feature is not important to you, you are better off getting the Canon or Nikon as they are a more mature platform with more support than Sony DSLRs. <br /> <br />Keep in mind that the larger sensor on a DSLR allow a much better picture than any point-and-shoot. You will really notice this in low light/indoor shots where you can take pictures largely without flash which always looks so much better. You will also notice a much faster frames per second rate and much more flexibility in composing shots using custom settings. <br /> <br />Those who simply want a point-and-shoot simplicity can set it on automatic and get great looking shots. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-04-23

rating of 5.0

I bought the camera to replace my old 35 mm Cannon, it is as fantastic but digital, I only wish it could also take video, how difficult is that? even my cell phone can. Great product.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-04-03

rating of 5.0

The Sony Alpha 300 is a very nice mid entry level camera to anyone with a desire to explore digital photography. <br /> <br />I had first purchased the Alpha 200, and about a week later, Sony launched the Alpha 300. I was able to return my out of the box camera, and ordered this newer model. I am glad I did, because of all the features that this camera has, as I will briefly describe below. <br /> <br />It is a fantastic piece of equipment that allows amateurs, and mid level photographers to engage in their creative shooting, while using some of the advantages of a point and shoot camera. <br />One of the main features that makes this camera so desirable is its 'live preview' feature on its LCD screen. <br />I was used to shooting photos on a Sony Cyber before upgrading to a digital SLR. The few days I had the Alpha 200 I hated the fact that I had to look in the viewer. But with the Live preview function in this camera, I was satisfied of being able to shoot as I had already been shooting for about 3 years, and do it with much better results with this 10Mb pixel camera. <br /> <br />I spent a couple months shooting with the automatic setting, which is just as using a point and shoot camera. <br />The real power of this camera is unleashed when you start playing with the other shooting settings. I have already transitioned into only using this camera on its manual setting, and being able to create certain moods in the photographs I have shot, all by controlling exposure and aperture, the two technical elements that are required in photography. <br />They are easily controlled and can be changed on the fly, while photographing your subject matter, by a simple button and a dial. <br /> <br />A less known feature is the ability to take 3 shoots per second, with different exposure settings, using the EAB (Exposure Auto Bracketing) setting, very useful for those who want to combine 3 shots into one, using postprocessing with either Photoshop, or any other graphics program. <br /> <br />The camera is compact, its weight is very manageable, and the life of the battery allows you to take as many photos as you want to create photographic essays on whatever subject you like. <br /> <br />I definitely recommend this camera to anyone getting into the fantastic world of digital photography. As I said, you can set the camera in automatic, and learn to use it, and gradually play with the other settings until you are using it as it is meant to be used. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-03-13

rating of 5.0

I think for Taking Corner Shot, High or low Height shots the Live LCD is boon. <br /> <br />Camera Battery rocks, Decent options for Lense from G, DT and Ziess Lense. <br /> <br />Camera is very very affordable compared to same Feature in Nikon and Canon where we have to pay more then $ 500 for just Normal Lens with VR (Vibration Reduction) as it inbuild in Sensor. <br /> <br />I think CMOS Sensor could have render image Better but Price Vs Value Ratio may go up then.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-02-23

rating of 5.0

This is a great DSLR camera. I've been completely satisfied with it. I originally decided on Sony because the ability to re-use my old Minolta Maxxum lenses (which is a huge plus). The Live View was a big selling point for choosing the A300 over the A100 or A200 (as well as over Canon and Nikon), it's definitely worth it for the LCD tilt and taking pictures like you do with point and shoot. My kids and wife exclusively takes pictures that way. <br /> <br />The stabilizer also is very good and helps alot - as I mentioned, even my son (7 yrs) can take very good pictures. <br /> <br />My only complaint is the popup flash, I wish it was a little higher and possibly a little more powerful. I do see some pictures have a shadow from the front of the lense cover (or overhang - not sure that its called). <br /> <br />Overall, a great DSLR camera for the beginner, you will not be disappointed. I would definitely recommend purchasing the LCD cover to protect it from scratches.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-02-14

rating of 5.0

I bought this camera at Circuit City's going out of business liquidation sale for $480 to capture my first family vacation to Puerto Rico. During our 8-days in P.R. we shot over 1500 photos on beaches, rain forest, resorts, restaurants, driving down the road, etc. The only accessories used were a standard UV filter and high speed 4GB CF card. <br /> <br />Pros: <br />- Exceptional Battery life. Took close to 800 photos over three days before battery needed replacement. <br />- Very intuitive menu. My wife, who has never used a SLR or DSLR was able to take great photos with this camera (menu setup also makes it easy to teach) <br />- Tilting live view screen. Nice feature if you want to avoid bending down to take pictures of the kids or get some low angle shots. Also nice to take pictures over obstacles (walls at El Morro fort) <br />- Compatible with Playstation 3. I just plugged the camera in to my PS3's USB port and was able to upload the photos into the PS3 hard drive... which brings me to the next point <br /> -- Absolutely stunning photo quality! After uploading the photos to my PS3, I viewed them full screen on my 65' Mitsubishi HDTV (1080p, connected via HDMI cable). The results are stunning. Clear, vibrant colors (all photos shot at 10mp.) I can even zoom in another 50% and the photos still look good. We're talking the equivalent of a 31x56 inch photo! <br />- Great instruction manual. I wasn't expecting the instruction manual to provide a crash course in photography, well done. <br /> <br />Cons: <br /> <br />- The flash is mounted low and creates a shadow when shooting on objects closer than a few feet <br />- 10mp means really large files and slow transfer times. But that should be expected... <br />- LCD: Doesn't sit flush with the back of the camera... This would be a great improvement. <br /> <br />I highly recommend this camera to those new to DSLR's. Just make sure you budget for all the gear to go with it (good protective case, cleaning kit, UV filter (cheap investment that will save your lenses, CF card.) <br /> <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-02-12

rating of 2.0

I bought this and returned it for a Nikon D90. Poor quality and it felt like a toy compared to the Nikon D90. Don't waste your time or money. Go with Nikon or Canon.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-02-03

rating of 4.0

I spent two months reading reviews and looking at the sample pictures taken with various cameras posted on various websites. At first I got caught up in all the specs of different models and the technical aspects of the descriptions. The more I read the more I was inclined to purchase a high end camera and lens. But, I kept saying to myself, "Do you really have to spend $2,000-3,000 to get a good picture?" I kept looking at the sample pictures between cameras and decided not to spend 2x or 3x more for a picture that is a little better. In the end, I am glad that I purchased a Sony A300 with the kit and telephoto lens for $600. I did purchase an additional lens, the Sony DT 18-200mm f3.5 zoom (used $250). That is lens I use the most. I really like that lens and the results I get with it and the A300. For me it came down to value, liveview, and image stabilization within the camera itself. <br /> <br />I have used the camera for two months and continue to learn its features. Overall, I am happy with the results, the quality pictures. The mistakes I make in failing to get 'the shot' rest more with me than the camera. Some reviewers stated that good photographs depend more on the photographer than the equipment. I believe that statement. So I'll keep my money in the bank, thank you. I will continue to use my small P&S and superzooms when I don't want to carry something as big as a DSLR around.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-01-31

rating of 5.0

I bought the Sony Alpha 300 in December and really enjoy this camera. The more I use it, the more I like it. It is a camera that really grows on you. <br /> <br />For somewhat of an entry level DSLR camera, this is one great camera and anyone that gives it enough time to really get familiar with it will certainly enjoy it. As with all cameras there are pros and cons. You need this lens, or that lens, etc., but each step is important and as you use it you learn all those additional things. <br /> <br />This camera is fairly simple and easy to use and once you really get familiar with it (take some time to get familiar with the various features and settings). You will surprise yourself at the great photos you can take. I have seen great photos come from some of the "not so expensive" cameras. <br /> <br />So the "art" of the camera really boils down to the one behind the lens taking the pictures :) You never know when you might catch that "perfect" photo and this camera can do it!
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-01-31

rating of 4.0

I finally broke down, replaced by beloved Nikon FTN film SLR *and* my Canon A650 with a digital SLR from Sony. I can't believe it took this long for someone to figure out that digital SLRs sorely lacked the live view features available on many digital point-and-shoots, and that the live view feature should facilitate waist-level and over-the-head shooting. This Sony has that, and more. For example, image stabilization is in the body, not the lens. This enables the stabilization feature with a wide variety of "legacy" lenses from Minolta, Vivitar, Sigma, Tamron, etc. <br /> <br />Yet the Sony Alpha is *almost*, but not quite perfect, hence only four stars. The Alpha has two shortcomings; it is not available without the kit lens which, although it covers an adequate range, it's largest aperture is still small; it requires a proprietary battery and I prefer the ability to run down to a local convenience store when my camera runs out of juice. Otherwise, the Sony Alpha is a total pleasure to own and to use, IMO far preferable to the competition from Canon and Nikon.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-01-28

rating of 5.0

my wife is very well satisfied with the product and im also satisfied with the pictures that were taken.....
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-01-28

rating of 5.0

This is a really amazing camera. Its easy tu use and it has a lot of modes to shoot under any cirumstances.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-01-18

rating of 5.0

I have been using a film SLR (Pentax) camera for some time and wanted to graduate over to a digital SLR. I went around looking for a beginners digital SLR and had to choose from Sony A300, Canon Rebel XSi and Nikon D60. Looking at the prices and the reviews I decided to buy the Sony A300. One of my more accomplished friends bought the Canon XSi at the same time while another of my friends swore by a Nikon. But after a few months, I have realized that for over 95% of our photos the Sony is just as good, if not better than the Canon or the Nikon, and about 20% cheaper. Also, the image stabilization is awesome and since the stabilizer is in the body, and not in the lens, each individual lens is way lighter. The sensor is as good as the Nikon one and maybe a hair less sensitive than the canon one in very low lights (noticeable at 1600 ISO or over). But, I have realized that a 1600 ISO picture is important low light conditions and mostly when all efforts to improve exposure fails, making it very rare. So it is not worth the 20% of price difference for me. <br />The LCD is way better than the Canon XSi for sure, giving you a much better review of the picture. <br />The menu is easy to handle and the controls are really good. However, the battery life is about as good as the canon, and not as good as the Nikon one. But a second battery easily solves that problem. <br />By the way, it might take you 2-3 months to really become up to date with a good digital SLR if you have never used a dSLR before - till then, you shoud not pass a judgement on the camera. <br />Overall I am glad that I bought the A300 and Love taking pictures with it. I think the A300 gives a real great bang for your bucks. <br /> <br /> <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)