The Alpha DSLR-A350 is the middle child in Sony's 2008 digital SLR lineup. The A350 has a lot to offer for $799 (body only), including image stabilization, the best live view system on the market, responsive performance, class-leading battery life, and sturdy build quality. In terms of photo quality, the A350 has some work to do -- like most of Sony's recent models, there's just too much noise reduction applied to photos. The A350 is a decent enough digital SLR, but I think its 14 Megapixel sensor is overkill for most folks. You can get the same features and better performance from Sony's DSLR-A300, and you'll save $200 to boot.
The DSLR-A350 is a midsize SLR with a sturdy metal frame. Combine that with a hefty grip, and you'll probably agree that the A350 feels "just right" when you're holding it. The camera has more than its share of buttons, some of which are placed in awkward locations. It would've been nice to have a second command dial as well, maybe instead of that digital zoom button that most people will never use. The A350 has the same sensor-shift image stabilization system as Sony's other D-SLRs. This does an effective job of reducing blurring photos due to "camera shake". This same system is also used to keep dust from accumulating on the sensor.
The biggest feature on the A350 is its innovative live view system. Improving on the design first developed by Olympus, Sony has managed to deliver a live view system that makes you feel like you're using a point-and-shoot camera. The thing that sets Sony's system apart is the ability to use the camera's AF sensor without having to flip the mirror down first. This allows the camera to focus just as quick as it does without live view turned on. You'll preview your shots on a sharp 2.7" LCD display with 230,000 pixels which can be tilted for easier viewing. I did find the screen to be difficult in general to see outdoors. You may have difficulty seeing things in low light when using live view, as the screen does not "gain up" very much. And that brings up some of the other negatives about live view. You only see 90% of the frame, so what you see is not what you get. There's no way to digitally enlarge the frame, which comes in handy when you're using a tripod. Two areas of camera performance -- namely continuous shooting and battery life -- both drop when using live view. And finally, the design of the LV system has made the optical viewfinder quite small.
more : dcresource
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