CES is this week, and naturally, we have new cameras being announced already. Sony is the second camera maker this year, after Samsung, to make their first camera announcement for 2010. Like Samsung, Sony also has a new interchangeable lens camera to bring to the table, and it comes in the form of a traditional ‘with mirror and optical viewfinder’ digital SLR. The Alpha A450 is yet another sub-$1000 digital SLR which, as its name suggests, sits below the current Alpha A500 in terms of feature set. Still, there are still some things (ie the image sensor) which it receives as a ‘pass-me-down’ from the higher end Alpha A550.
Sony Alpha A450
(Basic digital SLR)
- 14.2 effective megapixels (APS-C sensor, 1.5X crop) for Alpha A450
- Sony/Minolta lens mount (1.5X crop factor))
- Dust reduction
- In-body sensor-shift image stabilization
- 2.6 inch fixed LCD (The Alpha A500/A550 have larger displays which can be tilted outwards)
- 95% viewfinder with 0.80X magnification
- ISO speed range of 200 - 12800
- Live view uses secondary CCD sensor inside viewfinder chamber
- Auto HDR (High dynamic range) takes two pictures and combines them into one
- 5 FPS burst mode, goes up to 7 FPS in “Speed” mode (which locks focus and exposure)
- Full manual controls with RAW mode and hotshoe
- 9 point AF
- No movie mode
- Dual memory card slots for SD/SDHC and Memory Stick Duo
- Uses a lithium-ion battery (NP-FM500H); 1050 shot per charge battery life rating
- Available in February, price to-be-announced (All Sony USA tells us now is “under $1000″ , presumably with 18-55 mm kit lens)