Sony Alpha A900
Review Date : Mon, 10 Nov 2008
Author : Matt Golowczynski
- Product Shots: http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/equipment/galleries/productshots/sony/9789/1/0/sony-alpha-a900-product-shots.html
- Sample Photos: http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/equipment/galleries/sample-images/sony/9649/1/0/sony-alpha-a900-sample-images_pg_Inspire.html
- Video: http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/videos/reviews/341731/sony-alpha-900-video-review.html
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 |
It’s hard to believe that just over three years ago there wasn’t a single DSLR bearing Sony’s name. Yet now, its Alpha system has proved itself just as credible as its competition, and with the A900 the company’s aim to have a DSLR line spanning the entire market has been fulfilled.
Of course, entering such a market is not a decision to be made lightly, and in fairness Sony’s position was a somewhat advantageous one right from the outset. The company already had a history of semiconductor manufacture before it took control of Konica Minolta’s imaging arm, and already had its foot in both compact and camcorder markets, too. Furthermore, its huge marketing muscle goes some way to explaining the Alpha range’s meteoric rise, with Sony’s transparency about its ambitions making the A900 a talking point for the past two years.
Naturally, Sony’s competitors have been making their own advances too, yet at least on paper the A900 still manages to hold a number of trump cards, not least in its resolution. Perhaps more important, the A900 provides the strongest indication yet as to what part Sony will play in the ever-changing DSLR landscape. So, will the A900 be the camera that finally ends the dominance of Canon and Nikon?
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 studio photographers, as well as anyone else needing high-resolution files. With its full-frame sensor, those still holding on to their Minolta lenses will also regain their wide angles. Hats off to Sony for the grip and flash options it provides for use with the model, too. These really go above and beyond the norm, and if they are indicative of how committed Sony remains for the professional then we can’t wait to see what comes next. But just as it’s clear what applications the A900 does suit, we’d be more hesitant to recommend it for anything that requires shooting at high sensitivities. With such a populated sensor we see a slight disadvantage when it comes to controlling noise, and this, together with its resolution, narrows the market for whom the A900 would be the ideal camera. We make this point not to demean the camera’s performance, but more to highlight how better suited it is to certain applications than others. <br><br> Yet despite this, we do admire what Sony has done with the A900. It blends a capable feature set with highly detailed images, adding a further dimension to the full-frame DSLR market.
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Latest comments
January 20 12:22
Kabir Halim
Fantastic Camera. My brother bought this on his way to America and took some amazing pictures with it. Very Simple to use the built in menu's, and to upload pictures on the computer. Expensive but easily worth the money.
June 16 10:54
Alex Cozac
Acquired here in Terra Santa...Israel, from a gray seller...as I always owned Minolta SLR's...so my 7 collected lenses are usefully...looking forward to acquire a Zeiss Vario Sonnar 24-70mm....yes...expensive...but will work much better that my "Vintage' Minolta lenses. Till meantime my Minolta film glass 25-85mm AF it's 995 fitted for "Around ed Use"...very satisfied specially for such "Huge" ultra bright viewfinder. Bottom line...Love it!!! Peace, Alex!