Speedy performer
Other often-used settings, such as ISO and White Balance, are accessed through the navigation pad. My main concern regarding the controls layout is the position of the playback button at the back of the camera. This appears on the bottom right and sits next to the delete button, which I found difficult to get used to. Another niggle is there's just one control dial to change shutter and aperture.
The 3in display viewing areas is reduced by icons in the margins
The Fn button next to the thumb rest gives access to a quick menu that is well organized and allows you to change common settings such as drive mode, flash, AF area, metering, dynamic range functions (DRO/HDR) and more. Selections are made with the shutter/aperture control dial at the front. The full menu is also well thought out with settings being divided into sections – it is quite extended though, with 12 different screens, so navigation can be lengthy.
The SLT-A35 features a 3in LCD screen with a 921k dot resolution which is sharp with good contrast. However, the actual viewing portion of the LCD is half an inch smaller than listed on the specs because the sides of the screen are permanently used to display menu options and settings. An optical viewfinder would require more light than the amount filtered through the translucent mirror, hence, the electronic equivalent. While this approach might not match the quality of an optical viewfinder, I found the performance from its 1.15m-dot resolution and 100 per cent frame coverage proved a very acceptable alternative.
One of the main attractions of the SLT option is the increased speed during capture. The A35 nicely obliges with the ability to continually shoot up to 5.5fps in standard mode or 7fps when the Telezoom mode is activated, which reduces the resolution to 8.4Mp. Start-up times and shutter lag are also impressive but where SLT really makes a difference is in the autofocus performance.
The A35 features a 15-point phase detection AF system with three cross sensors, which is one of the fastest and most responsive I've experienced with this class of camera. Both in still and video mode, the A35 locks onto the subject without any perceivable delay and constantly keeps the subject in focus, even in low light and with fast movement. The other by-product of this fast performance is a truly seamless Live View operation, which continues to be a sticky point even for far more expensive cameras.
The A-mount body accommodates Minolta, Konica and Sony Alpha lenses
If this lightweight, affordable camera had already pleasantly surprised me for its intelligent design, fast performance and innovative features, the best had yet to come. When I reviewed the images it produced I was blown away – the SLT-A35 delivered some stunning images with saturated, vivid yet natural colours and an unexpected level of fine detail.
Next page: Sample Shots
COMMENTS
re: Viewfinder
The viewfinder is 1.4 MP - higher res than the rear screen (920K).
The EVF on these cameras are for most practical purposes better than the optical viewfinders on most non "full frame" digital cameras. Of the APS-C cameras, only the viewfidners on the top end models are better. For critical adjustment, you have the ability to zoom in, particularly useful for macro work or other critical focus tasks.
I can't speak for everybody
but I'd quite like to see these videos of your dog. You can't just tease us with them and then refuse to youtube.
Sony's profusion of models allows competing camera stores to carry different stock to the one next door, while still offering more or less the same features, thus allowing them to avoid having to price match.
I wonder if this is worse than a conventional DSLR with a mirror for collecting dust? I could imagine the pellicle gradually getting contaminated & requiring VERY careful cleaning to prevent the images being spoiled.
