Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3/B Black Digital Camera
(8.1MP, 3264x2448, 31MB Internal Memory, Memory Stick Duo?PRO Duo Card Slot - MPN: DSCH3B) Price Range: $249.88 - $309.98 from 15 SellersRebates & Special Offers: $30 Merchant Restricted Rebate availableDescription: Longer zoom, smaller size. Sony puts 10X Optical zoom in the palm of your hand. With compact body design, 8.1 megapixel resolution and a top-quality Carl Zeiss lens, the black Cyber-shot DSC-H3 packs more photo opportunities in a small size....Sony puts 10X Optical zoom in the palm of your hand. With compact body design, 8.1 megapixel resolution and a top-quality Carl Zeiss lens, the black Cyber-shot DSC-H3 packs more photo opportunities in a small size. Advanced Sports Mode (up to 1/2000 sec.) catches fast action. And Face Detection detects up to eight faces in a picture, so everyone will look their best. HD Output provides spectacular photo viewing on your Sony BRAVIA and other compatible HDTV screens and the Sony Double Anti-Blur Solution combines Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization with High Sensitivity (ISO 3200) for crisp imaging in low light. Also available in silver, a Sony Style exclusive.
Sony DSLR-A100 Overview
Sony, one of the first to come out with digital camera prototypes back when they were just an idea, has finally thrown its hat into the ring with the big boys. Their first SLR is from a collaboration with Konica Minolta that leverages on that company's 26-year-old MAXXUM/DYNAX line. Though Konica Minolta this year pulled out of cameras altogether, the collaboration continued with Sony taking over the Alpha name (a name used exclusively in Japan) and the lens and accessory lineup. The first camera in the Alpha line is the DSLR-A100, a 10.2 megapixel, three frame per second SLR based on the Konica Minolta MAXXUM 5D.
The new camera holds a lot more promise than its predecessor, but brings with it the benefit of the established Alpha system. We had the opportunity to look at a pre-release version of the camera, and ran it through some preliminary tests. We have a user report and our usual thorough coverage of design and function, as well as timing and detail down to the menus
The new camera holds a lot more promise than its predecessor, but brings with it the benefit of the established Alpha system. We had the opportunity to look at a pre-release version of the camera, and ran it through some preliminary tests. We have a user report and our usual thorough coverage of design and function, as well as timing and detail down to the menus
Benefits
Now that the talk of expectations and first impressions is over, I can get into what makes the Sony A100 unique. First, its APS-C sized, 10.2 megapixel CCD sensor is the least expensive on the market. From our first experience, it's a pretty nice sensor, likely related, if not identical to the CCD in the Nikon D200.That sensor is mounted, as I mentioned, on an improved anti-shake mechanism for from 2 to 3.5 stops of additional exposure "help" as you try to shoot in low light, countering every detected twitch. According to Sony materials, that means if you were shooting a 250mm lens, you'd normally be required to use a shutter speed of 1/250 to prevent motion blur. In theory, Super SteadyShot could keep the camera stable enough to get the same shot at 1/20 second. I can't vouch for that statistic, but I have captured some pretty impressive images in situations where I'd normally lose them to motion blur. I also find that the five bars in the viewfinder that indicate how much anti-shake latitude I have left help tell me just how shaky I can be. With a little concentration, I can bring those bars back down from three or four to one or two, where I'm better assured a stable shot.