| 24.60 Megapixels | Sony Alpha (Minolta A) mount | 3.0 inch LCD |
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Sony A900 Overview
Imatest Results. The Sony A900 did exceptionally well!
Update 12/11/08: Added RAW crops/files with no NR to Hi ISO NR page. You can also download the ISO 1600-6400 Still Life RAW files with NR turned Off from the thumbnails page.
The Sony A900 has to rank among the most anticipated digital SLRs in recent memory. The company first showed an early version of its upcoming flagship design at the Photo Marketing Association tradeshow in the spring of 2007, and at the following year's show Sony revealed a few more details about the image sensor and stabilization mechanism it would use. With the Alpha A900 featuring a full 35mm frame-sized image sensor, Sony has joined a rather exclusive club. To date only four companies have offered full-frame digital SLRs. Of these, two - Contax and Kodak - have since left the digital SLR market altogether.
That leaves Sony in a head-to-head battle with the two giants of the photographic industry - Canon and Nikon. Each rival offers two full-frame digital SLRs - a mid-range model at around $3000 MSRP, and a pro model for double to triple as much. Sony looks to have rather stirred up the status quo by pricing its flagship at around the same as its competitors' mid-range models, but offering a specification that seems to lie somewhere in between the competing mid-range and pro models -- and in some cases such as sensor resolution, actually leads the field. The Sony Alpha A900 has a whopping 24.6-megapixel resolution from its full-frame Exmor CMOS image sensor -- the highest sensor resolution of any 35mm digital SLR yet announced. To handle all the data produced by the high-resolution imager, the Sony DSLR-A900 uses dual Bionz image processors, and this allows for five frames-per-second shooting for up to 11 JPEG or 13 RAW frames.
The sensor is mounted on a moving platter that allows for in-camera image stabilization, branded as SteadyShot Inside. That's another world's first for a full-frame digital SLR, and it's no mean feat when you consider that the sensor shift mechanism has to deal with the extra weight of a full-frame sensor. The various DSLRs seen to date that feature sensor shift stabilization all have significantly smaller 1.6x crop sensors. Sony rose to the challenge by designing a new more powerful sensor shift mechanism, and rates the Alpha DSLR-A900 as good for a 2.5 to 4-stop improvement.
The Sony DSLR-A900's body is constructed from five main magnesium alloy sections, and includes sealing to reduce ingress of moisture between the body panels, as well as at the various control dials and buttons. The Sony A900 has a Sony Alpha lens mount that also accepts Konica and Konica Minolta glass. A large pentaprism sits above the lens mount, both dictating the camera body's workmanlike visual aesthetic, and providing a very large and bright TTL optical viewfinder with 0.74x magnification. The rear panel features a large 3-inch LCD display with 921,600 dot resolution, equating to VGA (640 x 480) pixel with three R, G and B dots per pixel. This is used solely for reviewing of images, as well as for menus and status display; the Sony Alpha DSLR-A900 doesn't offer live view capability. There's also a small top-panel status LCD which indicates remaining shots and battery life, as well as the basic exposure variables.
The Sony Alpha DSLR-A900 has dual flash card slots, and hence can store images on either CompactFlash Type-I or Type-II cards (including Microdrives), or on Memory Stick Duo cards. The Sony A900 draws its power from a proprietary NP-FM500H InfoLithium rechargeable battery that's rated for about 880 shots per charge, to CIPA testing standards. Connectivity options include both USB 2.0 High Speed for computer connection, and both standard and high definition video. For standard-def, there's NTSC / PAL switchable composite video output, while high-def is achieved via an HDMI connection.
Sony A900 Pricing and Availability
Pricing for the Sony Alpha A900 is set at about US$3,000, with availability slated for November 2008. Pre-orders will be accepted online from September 10th. The product bundle includes the camera body, battery and charger, wireless remote commander, and eyepiece cup. There's also a range of software in the bundle: Image Data Converter SR, Image Data Lightbox SR, Remote Camera Control, and Picture Motion Browser. This last application is Windows-only, while the remainder are included in both Windows and MacOS versions.
Sony A900 User Report
by Shawn Barnett
It takes but a glance to see that the Sony Alpha A900 is unique among modern digital SLR cameras. The large, pyramidal shape behind the SONY logo suggests that a very large pentaprism glass element lies underneath. A quick glance through the viewfinder completes the impression: it's like a room in there, into which it seems you might fall if you're not careful. 35mm camera owners from the last century will find the Sony A900's viewfinder comforting, then quickly forget about it and begin composing with an impressive photographic tool.
Like its predecessor the Sony A700, the Sony Alpha A900 is big and boxy, not attempting to appear sleek, it looks more like a big industrial device, as cameras once did. Yet it fits well in the hand: a machine to the eye that is nevertheless well crafted for the human intended to use it.
Its weight is substantial, at 2.07 pounds (939g) without a lens, but with a battery and CF card (that's lighter than the Nikon D700 and just a little heavier than the Canon 5D); and it measures 6.1 x 4.6 x 3.2 inches (156 x 117 x 82mm). Add the Zeiss 24-70 f/2.8 zoom lens and the Sony A900 really gets heavy, coming in at 4.17 pounds (1,894g).
The Sony A900's front panel looks a lot like the A700, though the handgrip bulges a bit more into the hand, and the Mode dial is positioned straight and level, while the A700's was mounted at a slant. Missing from the front of the grip is the Grip-sensor that was part of the Eye-start AF system.
Just under the bright orange Alpha logo is the PC flash sync terminal, covered with a rubber flap. Like all other rubber flaps on the Sony A900, this terminal cover swings open and stays open, as it's hinged to the camera, rather than the rubber itself serving as a hinge. That means you don't have to fight with it as you make your connection.
The Sony A900's grip has a comfortable finger groove for the middle finger, in which the infrared Remote Commander sensor is nestled. The inside of the grip is indented for a better finger grip, as is the front of the camera between the grip and lens, which is fairly obvious in the photo above: a very nice touch that those with long fingers will appreciate. Textured rubber surrounds the grip areas both left and right of the lens. The bottom of the body on the left (on the right side in this image) is tapered to allow a more comfortable fit into your palm as you reach your fingers around to the lens barrel.
The rear of the Sony A900 is laid out identically to the Sony A700. Positions are slightly different, with the LCD taking up less of the overall space, mostly because there's more width overall. The left side tapers away just left of the LCD, somewhat minimizing the bulk of the bulge at the left, giving your nose a little break as well, as you move your right eye up to the viewfinder.
Shutter. Just left of the optical viewfinder, you can barely see a latch for the viewfinder shutter, which is wise to close when shooting on a tripod.
The Sony A900's LCD is the same resolution as was on the A700, with 921,600 pixels, and a transflective (both transmissive and reflective) design, meaning that in bright daylight you can still frame images. Checking exposure accurately is a little harder, but that's what histograms are for. Note that though it's a hot feature on many of the latest digital SLRs, the Sony A900 has no live view mode; however, there is a new Intelligent Preview mode that can serve on occasion, and do a few tricks. More on that later.
Note that though there are still infrared sensors beneath the optical viewfinder, these are only for turning off the LCD when you put the camera up to your eye; Eye-start AF is no longer a feature on the Sony A900.
The rear Status display also opens up the option to change many settings right on the screen. Just press the Fn (function) button and use the joystick above it to navigate around the screen. Pressing down on the joystick activates your selection, which you can modify with one or the other control wheel (the rear or front wheel). It'll take a little time to figure out which wheel is necessary for each item, unfortunately. Some use only the front, others use both.
Shown here with the big, beautiful Zeiss 24-70 f/2.8 zoom lens, the Sony A900 has a fitting, if high-dollar, mate. We shot extensively with this lens, and found it to be better than satisfactory, worthy of the A900. It also balances out the A900's big body. See our review of this $1,800 lens on SLRgear.com.
Body. The Sony A900's body is magnesium alloy, with large openings for the LCD and lens mount, as well as a cutout for the card door. The battery grip is also magnesium alloy, as shown here. The overall feel is quite solid. The body is sealed against moisture, as are the buttons and dials.
Now's a good time to point out that there is no pop-up flash on the Sony A900, due partly to the very large pentaprism inside. I think many of the Sony A900's intermediate owners will miss the convenience of a pop-up flash, as an external flash unit significantly raises the weight of an already large and heavy camera.
The Mode dial on the left has only full Auto, Program, Aperture, Shutter, and Manual modes, plus three user-programmable Custom modes; there are no Scene modes. To the right there's a new top status display, one that's very simple compared to most high-end digital SLR cameras. It displays only numbers, usually the shutter speed and aperture values, along with remaining frames available.
Top buttons. Buttons for White balance and ISO are harder to reach with your hand on the grip.
The other four buttons on the top control Exposure Compensation, Drive mode, White balance, and ISO, working in concert with the rear control dial. While the front buttons for Exposure compensation and Drive mode are easy to press, we found the other two a little harder, comfortable with neither the thumb nor forefinger without removing your hand from the grip.
Quality port doors.
The Sony A900's rubber doors are the best-behaved doors we've seen on any camera, swinging open and staying put, rather than flapping shut when you let them go. In clockwise order from the top left, they are Remote, HDMI, USB/Video out, and DC In.
Two card formats.
Sony A900 owners will have the option of using CompactFlash or Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo format. Unfortunately, switching between cards is not automatic when one fills up, as is common on other dual-card digital cameras; still, you can access it on the rear Status display, which turns into an onscreen menu when you press the Fn (Function) button.
Physical Comparisons
Sony A900 vs Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
Pro configuration: If you're going to be shooting for long periods, a battery grip is a good idea, but it makes the A900 bigger than the comparable EOS 1Ds Mark III. Naturally, you don't have to use the battery grip to enjoy all the quality and speed that the A900 offers.
Sony A900 vs Canon EOS 5D
New vs Old: The Sony A900 is a little bigger than the original Canon EOS 5D, now three years old. Both are large and deliver excellent images, but the Sony Alpha A900 captures quite a bit more detail.
Sony A900 vs Canon Rebel XSi
Big vs Small: Just for good measure, I thought I'd throw in the A900 next to a popular small digital SLR. The Sony A900 is a lot larger than the Canon Rebel XSi.
Using the Sony A900
Though the Sony A900 is large and heavy with the Carl Zeiss 24-70mm f/2.8 mounted, I quickly came to accept that burden and just enjoyed shooting with the camera. It's a little like moving from driving a nice car to driving a big truck. Handling is different, somewhat unfamiliar at first, even a little ungainly, but soon you're tooling along like you've been driving a big truck for years.
The big Carl Zeiss optic is beautiful, and both looks and feels terribly precise. Focus and zoom rings are tight and smooth. Even the metal and plastic lens shade is perfection. It mounts to the machined bayonet slot tighter than a piston ring and snaps briskly into place.
Its bulkiness almost makes the Sony A900 look a little more primitive, like some kind of early digital SLR design, or else a film camera from an earlier era. It certainly looks different from other cameras on the market, to be sure.
That big optical viewfinder is wonderful, and it does indeed seem to show 100 percent of the frame, to my surprise. Sometimes it was an unwelcome surprise, because I'm used to framing with tighter, less accurate viewfinders. Often when I thought I'd get away without stepping back to include just a little more of the subject's boundaries in a tight shot, I found that the Sony A900 was instead quite faithful to what I saw in the viewfinder. Gone was the slop I had come to count on from other digital SLRs, whose viewfinders seldom show more than 95 percent of the frame.
Controls. Most controls are well-placed, and the dials and wheels have the appropriate resistance. They're not too firm and not too light, and they don't feel cheap. The mode dial is also quite firm, locking into position well. Though I seldom expect much from joystick controls, the Sony A900's joystick is just right. You can toggle in four directions, and press down to activate many controls. It's especially useful for moving the focus point around in a hurry, as well as for navigating the Function menu.
Two controls are not perfectly placed, though. One is the Function button itself. It's a long reach from the joystick to the button, making the onscreen menu more difficult to use than it should be. Also vexing is how after making a change to a menu item, you're not returned to the Function menu display to make another selection; instead you're dropped back into the Status display. If you want to change more than one item, you'll have to make that reach to the Fn button again.
The other occasional problem control is the Depth-of-field preview button, which I have set to serve as the Intelligent Preview button. I too frequently press this button when shifting the heavy A900 from hand to hand, or while turning it to shoot in vertical format. Intelligent preview exposures take a few seconds to expose and appear, meaning that the camera is occupied for those seconds; more dangerous is that the camera will continue to display the image for some time, waiting for input, thus draining the battery without my knowledge.
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