DailyTech - Updated: Sony Alpha A100 D-SLR Gets Official

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Gadgets Updated: Sony Alpha A100 D-SLR Gets Official
Brandon Hill (Blog) - June 5, 2006 12:42 PM

20 comment(s) - last by Hokum.. on Jun 6 at 3:56 AM

Image courtesy Digital Photography Blog

Sony gets its feet wet in the D-SLR business

We've been talking about Sony's entry into the digital SLR market for some time now. The first steps came with Sony's acquisition of Konica-Minolta's camera business and later with the formation of the Alpha brand. Now the company is ready to officially announce its first Alpha model, the A100.

The Alpha A100 features a 10MP CCD with Super Steady Shot image stabilization built into the body, anti dust technology, eye start auto focusing and a 9-point auto focusing system. The camera also makes use of a large 2.5" LCD for image playback and menu navigation, supports Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick PRO Duo and CompactFlash/Microdrives, USB 2.0 support, 1600 mAh battery (good for 750 shots) and a 1-year parts and labor warranty. Here's more from Sony's press release courtesy of Digital Photography Blog:

Enjoy the all-new Sony a (alpha) DSLR-A100 camera with an amazing all-around lens to get you started. Included in this kit is the versatile new SAL-1870 lens. This standard lens easily handles the full range of shots you’ll take most often—but there’s nothing “standard” about its advanced optical design. In 35mm equivalent, it covers wide-angle 27mm to 105mm midrange telephoto for snapshots, portraits, interiors and more—an excellent all-around lens to travel with.

Update 06/06/06: DPReview.com and DCRP.com have each posted their previews of the new Alpha A100 on their sites.

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Great kit lens

By Staples on 6/5/2006 1:48:34 PM , Rating: 2

27-105 is a great range for a kit lens. Much better range than Canon or Nikon's kit lens.

Who makes the Sony kit lens? It is on from Minolta or Carl Zeiss?

RE: Great kit lens

By wicktron on 6/5/2006 2:12:59 PM , Rating: 2

It's either Minolta or Tamron since Sony has a large stake in Tamron.

The lens I'm excited for is the Carl Zeiss T* 16-80mm (24-120 equiv). The T* lenses are quite excellent.

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RE: Great kit lens

By Staples on 6/5/2006 2:18:41 PM , Rating: 2

Will this lens from Zeiss be made for this camera? I have a Rebel XT and I have never seen a Zeiss lens for it nor have I for a Nikon mount. Are Zeiss lens actually made for common SLRs?

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RE: Great kit lens

By wicktron on 6/5/2006 2:25:37 PM , Rating: 2

Yes, the Zeiss T* 16-80 is an official lens for the Sony Alpha.

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RE: Great kit lens

By wicktron on 6/5/2006 2:26:49 PM , Rating: 2

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity...

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RE: Great kit lens

By ProviaFan on 6/5/2006 4:00:26 PM , Rating: 2

Zeiss does make lenses for the Nikon F-mount, though they are fixed length lenses with wide apertures, professional build quality, and a price tag to match.

Their site (ab)uses frames, so click below, then go to Photo & Video, then Nikon (ZF) if you want to read about them (or click on the ad box on the side if it shows up).
http://www.zeiss.com/photo

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RE: Great kit lens

By tdawg on 6/5/2006 3:55:21 PM , Rating: 2

The Sony kit lens is an 18-70mm lens, which with the size of the sensor, makes it equivalent to a 27-105mm lens on a 35mm film/sensor size. This is the exact same focal range as the Nikon 18-70 DX kit lens.

Now, which one performs better will have to wait until people can actually get there hands on an Alpha.

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RE: Great kit lens

By TomZ on 6/5/2006 4:14:44 PM , Rating: 2

I think the Nikon is actually a little better, since it has a slightly larger aperature, if I am interpreting the specifications correctly.

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RE: Great kit lens

By nikon133 on 6/5/2006 5:25:17 PM , Rating: 2

Actually, not completely.

D70/D70s and D200 are coming with 27-105 glass as well, but a bit faster: 3.5-4.5 compared to Sony’s 3.5-5.6… and Nikon’s glass is also ED.

D50 has shorter (27-80 in 35mm terms) but quicker glass, also 3.5-4.5. No ED.

Canon kit glass for Rebel, Rebel XT, 20D and 30D is a bit inferior – 27-80 and slower than Nikon’s glass – 3.5-5.6, much as I know.

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How is 27-105 better than the D200 kit?

By Hokum on 6/6/2006 3:56:03 AM , Rating: 2

The D200 kit was 18-200mm VR... So it was much wider and longer...

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Minolta A Mount?

By mezman on 6/5/2006 3:24:02 PM , Rating: 2

Will it stil support my Minolta lenses? I didn't see where it said one way or the other. I know that used to be the plan, but is Zeiss going to make Minolta A Mount lenses?

RE: Minolta A Mount?

By melgross on 6/5/2006 5:06:06 PM , Rating: 2

I don't see why Zeiss would make lenses for this mount, unless Sony contracts for them to do so. They have a very small marketshare, and there's no evidence that Minolta/Konica/Sony buyers will pay the *very* high prices these lenses are commanding. After all, Canon sells the most DSLR's, and Zeiss is still considering whether to put those lemses in the Canon mount.

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RE: Minolta A Mount?

By sxr7171 on 6/5/2006 9:26:06 PM , Rating: 2

Yes. Alpha was Minolta's brand name for SLRs in Asia. So I guess your lenses will have to go on these Sony "Alphas" looking forward. The bright side is that Zeiss are going to make 3 lenses for the mount also, so you can use them on your existing A Mount Minolta. Here's to hoping that Sony doesn't screw up the potential your Minolta lenses have.

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Nice for Minolta lens owners...

By ProviaFan on 6/5/2006 12:57:40 PM , Rating: 2

But it doesn't make me regret my Nikon D200 purchase. :)

RE: Nice for Minolta lens owners...

By TomZ on 6/5/2006 2:30:17 PM , Rating: 2

I'm hoping Sony can provide some more competition in "prosumer" DSLR market, and drive down the D200 cost a little more, before I pick mine up. I've used a D100 for a few years now, and it has been awesome.

I'm also looking forward to seeing reviews on the Sony, although I doubt their model would be good enough to keep me from buying the D200.

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Universal mount

By timmiser on 6/5/2006 5:53:47 PM , Rating: 3

Now that we have entered a new era in digital photography with the D-SLR, now would be a good time to have a universal lens mount system instead of this 20th century proprietary lens mount garbage.

RE: Universal mount

By TomZ on 6/5/2006 6:05:02 PM , Rating: 1

For me, it's totally a non-issue. For non-professional users, you just need to buy a single zoom lens, or just buy a kit that includes one. I don't think that interchangeability buys us anything. I would rather the camera manufacturers were able to innovate along that interface rather than having to comply to a least-common-denomenator industry standard.

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wow...

By ksherman on 6/5/2006 12:56:05 PM , Rating: 2

if it really is going to be $1G with the lense.... makes we want to reconsider buying the Canon Digital Rebel XT... I will wait for some reviews though...

great....

By ncage on 6/5/2006 11:37:47 PM , Rating: 2

will it be lens stick or memory lens :). All kidding aside one nice feature that does sound very nice is the anti-dust. Anyone who has a dSLR knows how much dust can be your main enemy. I still don't think sony will be able to compare to Canon/Nikon but maybe i will be wrong. Lenses will be the big factor. Minolta dSLR weren't all that great.

It's Nice to See

By ohnnyj on 6/6/2006 1:34:25 AM , Rating: 2

It's good to see Sony doing something to cast them in a good light rather than all the bad thing that have been hovering around the company lately (root kits, ps3's price, fake blu-ray movie, etc.). This looks like it could be a good competitor to those on the the market which could spur further innovation from all companies. In the long run this means lower prices for us consumers with much better product to boot. I was quite surprised they included support for Compact Flash, a very smart, un-Sony-like, decision.