Sony Alpha DSLR-A350 Review

Friends are always asking me for digital camera recommendations, expecting me to suggest a digital SLR. I almost always end up recommending point-and-shoots. People like the idea of a digital SLR with its implied quality and control. But most of the time, the complexity of a DSLR and the post-processing required are the opposite of what they need and a less expensive compact digital camera is the better choice.

Luckily, the Sony Alpha A350 is a different kind of digital SLR. It lets you act like a professional or kick back and use it like a point-and-shoot. If you�ve used nothing but point-and-shoot cameras, the A350 will be a comfortable upgrade. The Live View mode will let you take photos in a familiar way and features like Smart Tele-converter and D-Range Optimizer mean that you won�t be a slave to Photoshop just because you own a digital SLR. Sure, it�s still an SLR and you should probably only buy it if you�re willing to also purchase a couple of lenses over time. But with built-in features like Super SteadyShot image stabilization, you don�t have to buy more expensive image-stabilized lenses like you would with a Nikon or Canon. The reduced detail in higher ISO images may be a deal breaker for some, but I think most will enjoy the picture quality. If you�re stepping up from a point-and-shoot digital camera, the image quality is still going to be a noticeable improvement.

As a professional photographer, I thought I might turn my nose up at a digital SLR that acts like a point-and-shoot. But the Sony A350 is a fun camera. It has all the manual controls I�m used to, but lets me experiment with different angles and gives me features like image stabilization without having to carry around $2,500 worth of heavy gear. It�s not a camera I can recommend to aspiring professionals, though. For more serious performance, better look to the Sony Alpha DSLR-A700. Or better yet, the just announced Sony Alpha DSLR-A900 - a 25-megapixel, 5 FPS camera that substantially raises the performance ceiling of the Alpha lineup. Interestingly enough, it is missing the killer Live View functionality of the A350, but it�s clear that Sony is now paving an upgrade path from entry-level camera to the more rugged, feature-rich and high-performance body that you�d need as a pro shooter.

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