Digital Camera Review: Sony Alpha SLT-A33

Speed redefined

Digital Camera Review: Sony Alpha SLT-A33

by Trevor Tan
05:54 AM Dec 10, 2010

If you haven't realised, some of Sony's recent interchangeable lens cameras, such as the Alpha NEX-5 and the SLT-A55, are made in Thailand.

During a recent visit to Sony's camera factory in Ayutthaya, which is an hour's drive from Bangkok, the Sony executives emphasised that the quality of the products made there is in no way compromised. The manufacturing and quality control processes in the Thai factory are similar to those in Sony's Japan factories. During the factory tour, I noticed a Japanese newspaper being used to test auto-focusing issues, and the user interface of some camera-testing machines is in the Japanese language, too. Sony's Ayutthaya factory manufactures the Alpha NEX-3, NEX-5, SLT-A33, SLT-A55 along with the E-mount and A-mount kit lenses for the worldwide market. I got to test one of the cameras, the Alpha SLT-A33 ($999, body only).

Unlike conventional mirror boxes in a DSLR, the A33 adopts Sony's new Translucent Mirror Technology (TMT). TMT uses a fixed translucent mirror, which does not need to be raised each time you press a shutter. Light can thus be simultaneously received by the image sensor and a phase-detection autofocus sensor. This allows quick auto focusing (AF) during video recording when you are using Live View.

Plus, the use of TMT helps to reduce the size of the camera. Nevertheless, at 124x92x85mm, the A33 is not as compact as the NEX-5. But at 433g (body only), it is light for a DSLR.

The A33 feels surprisingly solid. The rubberised grip allows you to hold the camera comfortably, with most buttons within easy reach. For example, the dedicated movie button can be easily pressed with your right thumb.

However, it took me a while to find the Menu button, which is situated behind the mode dial on the top left of the camera. Maybe it should swop places with the D-Range button sitting on the top right near the shutter release. Anyway, not all functions are found on the Menu; some are accessed via the Function button on the rear.

Equipped with a 14.2 Exmor HD CMOS image sensor (1.5x crop factor) and Sony's BIONZ image processing engine, the A33 has a 3-inch turn-and-twist LCD screen that allows you to shoot self-portraits or videos at any angle.

There's a Finder/LCD button that you can press to alternate between the electronic viewfinder (EVF) and the LCD. Note that the camera quickly switches to LCD mode when you move your eye away from the EVF.

Camera operation is swift. Startup is almost instantaneous while shutdown takes around 1.6 seconds due to the dust-cleaning operation.

On the downside, the A33 warms up fast as well, especially when you are shooting videos. The camera will prompt you to shut it down if it gets too hot.

There is minimal shutter lag and the A33 can shoot up to 7 frames per second (fps) by activating Speed Priority. It records full high-definition (HD) 1920x1080 video up to 29.97 fps.

Using the Live View to record video elicits fast AF even when you are zooming in and out of the scene. It is the fastest AF I have ever experienced on a DSLR in video mode.

The picture quality is superb for its class, with sharp rendition of pixels. The colours are vibrant, "popping" with life and smooth tones, but they tend towards the warmer side of the colour spectrum. White balance is spot-on in most lighting conditions.

Noise performance is stellar, with no noise artifacts visible till ISO 1,600. Only at ISO 3,200 does the noise become evident. You might want to use higher ISO settings such as 6,400 or 12,800 only for the web.

The full HD video quality is splendid, with smooth frame rates and great audio. Minimal ambient and wind noise is picked up.

With its stellar picture and video quality, fast operation and good handling, the Sony Alpha SLT-A33 shows that it doesn't matter where the product was manufactured.

Source: www.todayonline.com

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Digital Camera Review: Sony Alpha NEX-5

A stellar first shot from Sony

Digital Camera Review: Sony Alpha NEX-5

by Trevor Tan
05:55 AM Sep 17, 2010

THE mirrorless interchangeable lens camera market is becoming increasingly crowded, with Sony becoming the latest to jump on the bandwagon with its Alpha NEX-5.

Without the pentaprism and the reflex mirror of digital single-reflex (DSLR) cameras, mirrorless cameras become very compact while managing to retain the sensor (and picture quality) of a DSLR.

Available in black or silver and capable of shooting full high-definition (HD) 1080i videos, the NEX-5 boasts a 14.2-megapixel Exmor APS-C HD CMOS image sensor (with 1.5x crop factor), a BIONZ image processor, a tiltable three-inch LCD screen and dual memory card slots (Memory Stick and SD card).

Without any lens attached, the NEX-5 looks like any digital compact camera. Measuring 10.8x58.8x38.2mm and weighing 229g (without battery), it is the world's smallest and lightest mirrorless interchangeable lens digital body, says Sony.

The body feels sturdy in the hand despite its diminutive size and light weight. But the rubberised grip is so small that I had to use my ring finger and pinky to support the grip in order to hold the camera properly.

The compactness of the NEX-5 means fewer buttons can be placed on the body. On the top right of the camera sit the power, play, shutter release buttons and video record button. The rear right hosts three buttons and a wheel dial.

Although this button layout allows you to access the controls quite easily, it is labourious to change most settings, as it has to be done via the menu screen. For example, to change the ISO settings, you will need to access the home menu, go to "Brightness/Color", and browse to ISO before you can turn the dial to change to the setting you desire.

Fixing the metallic-barrelled E-mount lens (maybe except the 16mm f/2.8 pancake lens) will increase the camera profile substantially. Even the 18-55mm kit lens makes the camera a tad imbalanced at times when you hold it.

The startup and shutdown performance is good, clocking 1.2 seconds and 0.6 seconds respectively. Auto focus performance is equally impressive, at 0.4 seconds in good lighting. In low-lighting conditions, it takes up to a second to lock on a focus. Shutter lag is around 0.4 seconds, with shot-to-shot timing clocking around a second.

Picture quality is fantastic, with smooth gradation of pixels and vivid colour reproduction. Auto white balance, while accurate, tends toward the warmer side. Noise levels cannot be picked up until ISO 800. At ISO 1600, noise is not very visible but the image does get a bit soft. Even at ISO 3200, where noise is visible, it looks natural and film-grained.

HD video quality is crisp and sharp. And with the NEX-5's ability to re-focus automatically during video recording, you will not miss a thing. The drawbacks are the limited video control that only allows you to de-focus the background, and obtrusive ambient audio that is picked up readily.

Sony's first shot at the mirrorless interchangeable lens system is a real bargain at $1,199 with the 18-55mm kit lens. This is especially so given the stellar image and video quality, which easily compensate for the camera's less than ideal handling. TREVOR TAN

http://www.todayonline.com/Tech/Techreviews/EDC100917-0000033/A-stellar-first-shot-from-Sony

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