By Damian Koh, CNET Asia
12/07/2006
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/digitalcameras/0,39005881,39260060p,00.htm

While Samsung may have decided to clone Pentax's *ist DS2 for its first digital SLR outing, Sony took a different route by marrying its technologies with Konica Minolta's technical know-how. The result: The company's pioneer dSLR--the 10.2-megapixel Alpha 100. We don't deny that there are similarities between the Alpha and the now-defunct Konica Minolta Dynax series, but Sony has also introduced some new features into this shooter. Find out more in our review.

Design
The Alpha 100 kit is neither the heaviest nor the lightest entry-level dSLR. However, it is shaped and modeled very much after Konica Minolta's Dynax 5D. The unit weighs 635g (body with battery) and, with the DT 18-70mm F3.5-F5.6 kit lens, the overall package adds up to 892g. Still, that's nearly 100g lighter than Canon's EOS 30D, which weighs 987g with the EFS 18-55mm F3.5-F5.6 kit lens.

Size-wise, the Alpha stands between Canon's EOS 30D and 350D, but is slightly thinner and shorter than Nikon's D50. If you find the EOS 350D too cramped for your fingers, the Alpha 100 could be a better fit without the weight of the EOS 30D.

Model	Body with battery (g)	With kit lens (g)	Dimensions (mm)
Sony Alpha 100	635	892	133 x 95 x 71
Canon EOS 30D	788	987	144 x 106 x 74
Canon EOS 350D	485	689	127 x 94 x 64
Nikon D70s	680	1,070	140 x 111 x 78
Nikon D50	620	830	133 x 102 x 76

Konica Minolta users would doubtless agree that the Alpha 100 bears close resemblance in design to the Dynax dSLRs. In fact, both cameras are near identical in the styling and layout of the control buttons. However, there are also subtle differences between the two units, such as a less-cluttered right-hand grip and more options on the left mode dial of the Alpha.

	The right-hand grip on the Alpha is less cluttered and the two mode dials control most of the camera's functions.

Overall, we note a slight improvement on the Sony compared with the Dynax 5D. However, the left mode dial which controls the metering, flash, focusing, ISO, white balance, dynamic range and color settings evokes mixed feelings. On the one hand, we like how we can change all the camera features at one location, but we also prefer to see dedicated buttons for these settings. In our hands, the Alpha 100 feels comfortable, though some may feel the handgrip a tad too narrow.

Unlike Canon's EOS 30D or the 350D, the Alpha 100 does not have an external status panel to display the current settings. Users will have to rely on the 2.5-inch LCD display on the back of the unit or the viewfinder. If you like to tinkle with the ISO, white balance and focus settings, the Alpha 100 can feel slightly cumbersome since you will need to shift your left hand away from supporting the unit to the left mode dial.

We're nitpicking, but we feel the buttons (left and right mode dials and the AF/MF sliding switch on the left) are a mite stiff. The flash, which doubles as a focus assist lamp by firing intermittent strobes of light, has to be lifted manually; the spring mechanism serves only to keep it in position.

The USB connection hides behind the same cover that protects the memory card compartment at the rear corner of the handgrip. At the bottom of the unit is the battery holder which uses a push-and-lift mechanism to open the plastic lid. What we would like to see is a lock to prevent accidental opening. The metal tripod receptacle is also aligned with the center of the lens and the focal plane of the CCD sensor which is good.

Features
What's different on the Alpha 100 compared with most digital SLRs is the use of a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) sensor instead of a less power-hungry CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). This sensor measures 23.6 x 15.8mm (APS-C size), similar to the one used on Nikon's D200 and which, according to Sony, should produce pictures with a wider tonal range and less noise.

	The Cyber-shot DSC-T9 is Sony's first compact snapshooter to feature the company's Super Steadyshot system.

Working together with its Bionz imaging processor is the D-Range Optimizer (DRO) which adjusts exposure values when shooting under high-contrast lighting and color conditions. There are two modes available in this setting: Standard and Advanced. The Standard mode improves dark reproductions of the entire image, while Advanced mode optimizes each image area by enhancing dark reproductions without changing the light tones in the photos. Unless you are really picky, there isn't a significant time difference (in Advanced mode, the camera takes 0.7 seconds) for the Alpha to calculate the adjustments it needs to make. There's a downside to this: As all these calculations are done in-camera, there is no option for the user to make further changes once the picture is taken. Of course, more precise modifications can be carried out using a post-processing software.

Unlike the compact Cyber-shot T9 and T30 (the first Sony cameras to sport optical image stabilization), the Super SteadyShot on the Alpha 100 works in a slightly different manner. Instead of moving the shift lens to adjust the light angle, the CCD maneuvers to compensate for hand movements. Konica Minolta's Dynax dSLRs use the same system, which probably accounts for why Sony adopted the same mechanism. One of the main advantages of having image stabilization built into the camera body is that any lens fitted onto the unit will also enjoy the same anti-vibration benefits. According to Sony, this allows you to shoot up to 3.5 stops slower than the shutter speed required.

The Alpha 100 adopts a two-pronged approach to tackle the problem of dust settling on the CCD, especially during lens changes. An anti-dust coating on the sensor minimizes static charge so it's less prone to attracting alien bodies, while the CCD vibrates rapidly--whenever the unit is turned off--to shake loose dust particles. The difference between Olympus' Supersonic Wave Filter and Sony's anti-dust feature is the former's sensor activates each time the camera is turned on while the latter's works whenever the unit is turned off.

	The Eye-Start AF kicks in when a user gets within a 2cm radius.

Other than being aesthetically similar to the Dynax 5D, the Alpha 100 also inherits other features including the Eye-Start Autofocus (AF) system and LCD orientation. Two sensors are placed right beneath the viewfinder and, when a user gets within 2cm of these sensors, the system will automatically autofocus without manual intervention. You can choose to turn off this feature in the menu.

The camera's LCD will also align the orientation of the screen whether the unit is held in a horizontal or vertical position--another feature which has been brought over from Konica Minolta. A vertical battery grip, which unfortunately was unavailable at the time of testing will be icing on the cake. The 230k-pixel 2.5-inch monitor comes with an anti-reflection coating similar to the one being used on the compact Cyber-shot T9.

Performance
For our tests, we used a 1GB Imation CompactFlash card and the bundled DT 18-70mm F3.5-F5.6 kit lens. The Alpha is compatible with Type I/II CF cards, Memory Stick DUO and Memory Stick Pro DUO (with the bundled adapter).

	We ran tests on the DT 18-70mm F3.5-F5.6 lens that's bundled with the Alpha 100 kit.

One key requisite of a digital SLR is its performance, and Sony's Alpha 100 didn't disappoint in that aspect. The camera powered up in 0.5 second and took about 0.8 second to capture its first photo. Shutting down the unit took slightly longer at 1 second until the red indicator light went off. Focusing was quick in most situations and shutter lag was almost negligible.

For instant review, the camera took 1.1 seconds for JPEG Fine-quality pictures and 1.2 seconds for RAW images. Scrolling through our pictures in playback mode was nearly instantaneous for both recording formats.

We liked the tactile feedback of the shutter button and there was a significantly different feel between half-priming for a shot and the actual click of the button. However, we felt that the loud clack of the mirror flip was distracting and would have preferred it to be muted a notch or two.

The Alpha 100 employs a nine-point autofocus system. Our gripe, though, lay with the flatish directional keypad on the rear of the camera which doubles as controls for its AF system. There was a tendency for the thumb to slip, especially when selecting the outlaying diagonal AF points. Spot meter on the Alpha measured 3 percent, 0.5 percent tighter than the 3.5 percent on Canon's EOS 30D.

	The pop-up flash on the Alpha sits 3cm above the body when activated.

Unlike Canon's Picture Styles, adjusting color settings on the Alpha 100 was basic. We could select from Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night, Black-and-White and Adobe from the DEC (Digital Effect Control) option on the left mode dial. In addition, we could increase/decrease contrast, saturation and sharpness.

Even though the pop-up flash on the Alpha 100 sits 3cm above the body when activated, we noticed shadows at the bottom of the frame at the wide end of our DT 18-70mm kit lens. Sony rates the range of the built-in flash at between 1 and 5m.

Continuous shooting, as claimed by the company, clocked at three frames-per-second when shooting 10-megapixel images in JPEG Fine quality, and we could shoot until our memory card ran out of space. Burst mode in RAW format was slower at 2fps, and went on until the buffer was full (the buffer is indicated by the number "6" when seen through the viewfinder. This number drops as the buffer fills up. When shooting in JPEG, the buffer is indicated by the number "9" but we never managed to deplete the buffer). It took approximately 5.7 seconds for the buffer to be cleared before we could resume shooting in RAW at 2fps.

The 2.5-inch LCD monitor was able to give us reasonably vivid and sharp images even under bright sunlight. With the exception of the Olympus E-330, you won't be able to use the LCD screen here to frame your shots. You'd still have to rely on the viewfinder, which was clear even though it showed only 95 percent of the total view.

The 1,600mAh Lithium-ion battery pack is rated for 750 shots on a single charge. During our one-day field test, we took approximately 200 shots with the Eye-Start AF turned on half the time, Super SteadyShot on, occasional flash, typical reviewing of images on the camera's LCD. At the end of the day, we still had a full battery.

Image Quality
Our JPEG images were pleasing with rich vibrant colors and lots of details which we liked. Barrel distortions were minimal, though we did see some traces of it, especially with straight lines along the corners at the wide end of our lens. Exposures were well-controlled and the camera's automatic white balance was spot-on most of the time--good for first-time dSLR users still learning the workings of a dSLR. One thing to note is the shadow cast at the bottom of your frame caused by the pop-up flash.

	You can convert your RAW files using the Image Data Converter SR to JPEGs or TIFFs.

Each JPEG averages at 3MB and RAW files are about 8-10MB. Sony uses a proprietary format for its RAW images with the ARW file extension. Two programs come bundled with the retail package. The Image Data Converter SR converts your RAW images to JPEG or TIFF formats and the Picture Motion Browser does as its name suggests--allows you to browse through your pictures either in a folder or calendar view, with basic photo-editing (adjust brightness, saturation, sharpness, tone curve and red-eye reduction) capabilities.

The Image Data Converter SR, however, is the more full-featured of the two. It allows you to post-process your RAW images. JPEGs have little use in this program since you can only rotate the photo or adjust the tone curve. The Master Palette shows the list of controls that, when selected, opens up another box from which you can edit your frames. Noise reduction using the software managed to reduce speckles on our high ISO pictures with little loss of details. Overall, installing the programs was a breeze and the learning curve was gentle.

	The image shown here is with the DRO off. Click here to see a sample of how the DRO Advanced helped soften the shadows under the roof.

Much of the hype surrounding the Alpha 100 revolves around its D-Range Optimizer, which delivered surprisingly good results. Shadows in our images taken in the Advanced DRO mode were less pronounced without looking over-processed. We couldn't say the same for the Standard mode since the changes were minute.

Noise was very well-controlled between ISO 100 and ISO 400 and it's only at ISO 800 where we began to see image quality suffer a little. At the maximum selectable sensitivity setting of ISO 1,600, noise was clearly evident. However, that's still manageable for a camera of its class and our real-world shots looked decent.

Conclusion
Sony's entry into the digital SLR market was likely a calculated move. Though the Alpha 100 is currently its only dSLR, and an entry-level one at that, the company is clearly signaling to others that it's serious about the digital photography segment. Based on the Alpha mount, the Alpha 100 is compatible with all past Konica Minolta lenses while Sony has 21 new glasses to complement its maiden unit.

The Alpha 100 will have two kit bundles for users to choose from: One with the DT 18-70mm F3.5-F5.6 lens, the other with an additional DT 75-300mm F4.5-F5.6 lens. There's no local pricing details yet, but the Alpha 100 body is estimated to be US$899.95, with the bundle offering the DT 18-70mm kit lens expected to cost about US$999.95.