Sony's entry-level dSLR, the Alpha DSLR-A200, delivers a just-the-facts-ma'am shooting experience. For the most part, it provides the average design, basic feature set, modest performance and better-than-snapshot photo quality that typifies this market segment, and it's available for around £520.
Design
The 10.2-megapixel A200 comes with a standard DT
At 532g, the A200 weighs more than most of its competitors, despite its plastic-clad body. It feels solid, though, and the rubberised grip has a deep indent for your finger that makes the camera comfortable to hold. If you plan to connect the camera directly to your computer rather than use a card reader -- which we don't recommend -- then avoid the A200.
For one, the USB connector is located inside the CF card compartment, which means you have to leave the door open while downloading, potentially allowing all sorts of schmutz to get on to the card-slot contacts, or providing a protrusion to hit and hurl the camera to the floor, if you're accident prone. More importantly, Sony uses a proprietary combo USB/AV connector on all its dSLRs, for no reason that we can see other than to force you to buy a cable from them if you lose the bundled one. Annoying.
Operating the A200 is straightforward. There are direct-access controls for ISO sensitivity, exposure compensation and drive/bracketing/self-timer modes, while flash, AF, white balance, AF area and D-RangeOptimiser settings are grouped under a screen pulled up by the Fn button. Unfortunately, unlike the previous DSLR-A700 model, you can't change setting options directly via the information display.
Features
The A200 supports wireless flash, uncommon but not unique in this price class, and we actually like the bare-bones implementation. Rather than grafting pro multichannel support on the camera, which can be quite confusing to configure, it's basically binary: on or off.
The other features -- and their implementations -- are pretty typical for the camera's class, including sensor-shift image stabilisation and a 69mm (2.7-inch) LCD. Like most, but not all, of the cameras in this class, the A200 lacks live view shooting.
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User reviews3
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Steven Eagle 10 October 2012
Good: Easy to use ansd good results
Comment: My first DSLR. I had a choice between the A200 and a Nikon D40, but went for more megapixels.
Had a problem with the lens, which wa fixed under guarantee and no issues since then.
Nice thing about this camera is that you shoot straight away on fully automatic mode, but, when you have read the instructions, there are lots of manual settings to "play" with.
Generally very pleased with the camera and have now passed it on to my nephew, who is doing a photography course at school.
The camera doesn't have a live view, but you don't really need that.
Only annoying thing is Sony's habit of introducing new models every few minutes, as you don't seem to get that with Nikon and Canon.
Marcel Winkler 7 September 2012
Good: Good value for money, great battery life
Bad: No live preview
Comment: If you can still find one they have a great price right now
mickarchie 30 April 2012
Good: Only just bought it but photo quality looks pretty good. Not looking to win photographer of the year comps.Like to hear shutter sound, remindsa me of older film camera.The lens with the camera seems ok Have bought a 70-300 Sigma, who make very good lenses, in my opinion,.to go with it Don't think fitting the USB cable is a prob. just be careful where you put it.
Bad: Pity about no live screen preview but never had that on the film camera so no prob.Can look at the pics on screen after taking so if it's wrong do it again.Never had that with film.
Comment: as above
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