Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

14.20 Megapixels	Sony Alpha (Minolta A) mount	2.7 inch LCD

Pay Less! $636.99

Basic Specifications
Resolution:	14.20 Megapixels
Kit Lens:	3.00x zoom 18-55mm (27-83mm eq.)
Viewfinder:	Optical / LCD
LCD Size:	2.7 inch
ISO:	100-3200
Shutter:	30-1/4000
Max Aperture:	3.5
Mem Type:	MS Duo / MS PRO Duo / SDHC
Battery:	Custom LiIon
Dimensions:	5.0 x 3.8 x 2.8 in. (128 x 97 x 71 mm)
Weight:	26.9 oz (762 g) includes batteries
MSRP:	$849
Availability:	06/2009

Test Summary (Mouse over items for explanations)
Power-on Time	0.6 sec
Shutter Lag, Full Autofocus	0.198 sec
Shutter Lag, Prefocused	0.107 sec
Shot to Shot time	0.74 sec
Continuous Speed	1.73 fps (No limit)
Best Macro	2.40x1.57 in 61x40mm
Viewfinder accuracy (Optical)	95%
Viewfinder accuracy (LCD)	92%
Distortion (Wide Angle)	1.0%
Distortion (Telephoto)	0.0%
Battery Life (CIPA standard)	500 shots

Sony A380 Overview

Bucking the trend toward greater complexity and higher resolution, Sony has revamped their consumer digital SLR line with a new focus on even greater simplicity, lower-cost cameras, and more affordable beginner optics. Indeed, the three new SLRs, the Sony A230, A330, and A380 share more specifications in common with their predecessors than they do differences, with the main changes occurring in the size, weight, and shape categories.

Resolution for all three bodies is unchanged. The Sony A230 and A330 both have a 10.2-megapixel sensor, and the A380 has a 14.2-megapixel sensor. And though the A330 and A380 both have the fastest Live View mode available, they have no built-in movie mode in any model.

The Sony A380's new body design features fewer buttons to avoid confusing the user, and a few tweaks to the Function menu and the Status display. All three cameras are also bundled with a new 18-55mm lens to replace the 18-70mm lens previously used as a kit lens. The new lens design is shorter and lighter, and is the first of the company's new SAM lens line. Standing for Smooth Autofocus Motor, the new electronically linked lenses are designed to be less expensive than Sony's current offerings, while still offering high optical quality.

The Sony A380 includes support for both Memory Stick Duo and Secure Digital cards, with a manual switch to select between the two. Gone is support for CompactFlash, as is now true for most consumer SLRs.

A new Help system joins the improved DRO brought over from the A900 and the Sony A380 and its new brothers have the SteadyShot Inside feature. There are a number of other feature improvements in the Sony A380, including bigger AF points, a new self-timer mode, and even a new optional flash, all of which we'll get to in the User Report below.

The Sony A380 started shipping in June 2009, initially priced at $849 with the 18-55mm kit lens, and $1,049 with the 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses, covering an 11x zoom range. Be sure to check prices by clicking on the links above right and in the shopping pods below for the latest prices on the Sony A380!

Note: Because these three cameras -- the Sony A230, A330, and A380 are so similar, each of their reviews is a slight rewrite of the other. All test and gallery shots, however, are from each camera. Oddly enough, it turns out that they're each pretty unique in their color rendering, autofocus abilities, and a few other aspects. Of the three, we found the Sony A330 to be the best overall choice.

Sony A380 User Report

It's been just over a year since Sony shipped their last trio of consumer Alpha digital SLR cameras, the A200, A300, and A350, and already they've revamped the line with a new external design and a greater emphasis on economical features and accessories. The revamped models are the Sony A230, A330, and A380.

Company representatives told us that extensive focus-group research revealed that people wanted simpler SLRs that didn't cost too much, and were lighter and easier to bring along. And among those who bought an SLR, many expressed a desire to buy at least one additional lens for their fancy interchangeable-lens digital camera, but few ever made the purchase, largely due to cost.

These studies clearly had an effect on the company's plans for their consumer digital SLR line, because the new cameras reflect significant change in the areas of weight, size, and simplicity, while the internal specifications remain mostly the same. Company representatives also noted that nearly each item in the cameras was redesigned to improve efficiency and reduce weight, and though the sensors are indeed the same, the new Alphas include a new image processing system.

Revamped: Side-by-side, it's easy to see how the new small Alpha body and lens are different from the old, largely Konica-Minolta-based Alphas. The grip is smaller, the lens shorter (in both size and focal length), and the shutter button is further back on the camera's top deck.

Competitive: Sony has achieved their goal of making the new Alphas smaller and lighter than their predecessors, though they are not significantly smaller or lighter than the competition. Fortunately for Sony, Canon and Nikon's latest consumer SLRs have gotten taller, so the Sony Alphas look shorter overall, and the new lens brings the camera's length front-to-back closer to the Canon T1i.

Look and feel. The flagship of Sony's consumer line, the Alpha A380 is the same weight and size as the A330, and weighs about 40 grams more than the A230. The weight is well-balanced, partly thanks to the new lens, but the bodies feel somewhat hollow compared to other digital SLRs in this class.

Much of the weight reduction is due to the significantly trimmed grip on the Sony A380, as well as its smaller Lithium-ion battery. Unlike most SLR grips, the Sony A380's stops well short of the camera's shutter release, and the shutter button now appears on the camera's top deck. Everyone on the staff but me disliked this new design; and I only accept it because you can easily adjust your grip by balancing the camera's base into the palm of your hand, which puts your index finger in better position to reach the grip, while your pinkie and ring fingers curl around the grip. After a bit of use with one of the heavier Sony lenses, like the Carl Zeiss 24-70 f/2.8 lens, though, I can tell you it puts a strain on these latter two fingers, and makes you miss the rest of the grip. If you don't hold the Sony A380 as I outline above, getting your index finger up to the shutter button is a strain.

It seems Sony was aiming for a more retro look with this design, harking back to gripless film SLRs of days gone by, with their metallic tops and leather-covered bodies. The look is appealing once you get used to it, and those who use a camera strap and the new light SAM lenses will hardly notice the smaller grip.

The Control dial now faces forward, just beneath the Sony A380's Shutter release button. The lens release button and AF/MF switch are in the same positions relative to past models. The Sony A380's Alpha logo is now smaller, embossed into the gunmetal-colored top of the two-toned body design. Above that, the mode dial is partially concealed, recessed into the top deck to reduce the chance of accidental activation.

There is still no depth-of-field preview button on the Sony A380.

The Sony A380's new shorter lens includes a bayonet mount for a lens hood, but Sony did not include a lens hood in the samples we received. The mode dial is only accessible from the rear and left side of the Sony A380. Sony moved the Power switch from the rear left of the camera's back to a better position surrounding the Shutter release button, a method also used by Nikon and Pentax on their SLRs. Gone is the flash activation button to the left of the lens mount, where it appears on most other digital SLRs. Sony said too many customers never thought to look there, so they've moved it to the rear navigation disk. It's a little more cumbersome to activate now: you have to press the flash button (the right side of the nav disk), then use the up and down arrows to select an active flash mode. Then, once you half-press the shutter release, the flash will pop up.

Also note the Live View/Optical Viewfinder (OVF) switch, which manually moves the front mirror of the pentamirror arrangement inside the Sony A380 optical viewfinder assembly, directing the light to the Live View sensor inside. A shutter also covers the optical viewfinder at this point, preventing light from entering and affecting the light meter. More on this in the Live View section below.

Just right of that switch is the Smart Teleconverter button, which activates the Sony A380's digital zoom, only available in Live View mode, which zooms the view by 1.4x and 2x with successive presses of this button. The resulting image is cropped from the full image when it is saved to the card, but not upsampled, resulting in a smaller, pre-cropped image.

Note also the substantial thumb grip, which really does help when holding the Sony A380 as I've described.

What also helps your grip is the soft taper Sony applied to the bottom right of the A380, which makes resting the camera in your palm more comfortable.

The back of the Sony A330 shows just how far Sony has gone toward simplifying the interface of these new cameras. The Display, Drive mode, ISO, and Flash buttons are now integrated into the four-way navigator, and the AE-Lock button no longer exists. That's a clear sign that these cameras are aimed at consumers.

The rubber eyecup looks more integrated into the body, but it's still removable like any other eyecup, with an upward tug. The infrared sensor is also still in play, offering both the option to turn off the display when you bring the Sony A380 to your eye, as well as to start up autofocus before you even press the shutter button.

Recessed more deeply into the back of the Sony A380, the articulating LCD tilts a little further up and down than it did on previous models. The card write lamp now juts out left of the LCD. Though it's an odd position, it beats being under the thumb, as it was on the A350. Note also the ambient light sensor on the lower right of the tilting LCD, which reads the light directionally and turns up the LCD's brightness in bright sunlight.

On the LCD itself is the new display screen, designed to help new users understand the relationship between shutter speeds and aperture.

Ports. All but the power port on the Sony A380 are on the camera's left side, including the HDMI Out and USB ports, as well as the SD and Memory Stick HG Duo card slots. Note also the Memory Stick/SD switch, a manual-only switching method. The whole array is concealed by a sliding pocket door that ducks down and slips inside the Sony A380's body.

Having the memory card slots on the left makes inserting and removing cards a little easier, because you don't have to let go of the grip to make the change, as you do on nearly every other digital SLR on the market. The choice of a pocket door also makes using the video and USB port much easier, thanks to the lack of a rubber door. It's also worth considering, though, that the door is not weather-sealed.

On the camera's right is another port door, covering the DC-IN port. It's much more difficult to open than the pocket door, being of the rubber variety. Note also the camera strap lug, recessed so that it doesn't stick into the palm of your hand.

Viewfinder. Optical viewfinders are usually preferable on most digital SLRs, but the Sony Alpha series has had its shortcomings, most notably it's difficult-to-see AF points. I've always liked how they were angled to match the orientation of each autofocus sensor, but that also made them harder to see in some situations.

Sony A380 Lens options

The Sony A380 is compatible with an array of new Sony lenses, and also with all Maxxum and Alpha lenses.

Twenty-six, plus two, plus four. Sony Alpha cameras are backed up by 26 current lenses, plus two teleconverters. This photo doesn't include the four new lenses announced with these cameras, three of which appear below.

The three, plus yet another. Sony has announced four new lenses, labeled SAM for their Smooth Autofocus Motor. They're marked with a silver band around the barrel. Only three of the lenses are new: the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 and the 50mm f/1.8 (expected to retail for $150); the 55-200mm f/4-5.6 is a re-release of an older lens. Not pictured is the 30mm Macro lens.

Accessories. Sony has also continued to expand their accessory offerings for the Alpha line, with new cases, wraps, lens bags, grip straps, an LCD cover, and an LCD shade.