Photo answers review
Photo answers rating 
Features & handling
Considering the price, it’s amazing that the Alpha 100 offers a resolution of 10.2MP. Based loosely around the now-discontinued Konica Minolta Dynax 5D, the Sony Alpha 100 benefits from Minolta’s years of producing SLR bodies. The actual design comfortable to hold and easy to operate but it doesn’t feel quite as substantial as many of the other models on the market. Partly this is due to the finish.
There are two mode dials – the one on the right serves as the standard exposure mode dial, while the one on the left allows you to access the key shooting options such as white balance, metering and ISO setting. This shooting dial works okay, but it’s a trifle cumbersome. You need to turn the dial to the setting you want but then have to press the Function button in the middle to actually access the menu.
Just as on the Konica Minolta Dynax range, the rear monitor is used as a display to show you the main camera settings but automatically switches off when you raise the camera to your eye using Eye Start technology. There’s a sensor below the viewfinder that registers when you raise the camera to your eye and activates the autofocus, saving valuable time. It can get a trifle annoying though, so many users may prefer to turn it off.
Rather than just launching a brand new lens mount, Sony has utilised the range of existing Minolta lenses.
Performance
It’s not often a camera in this price range really stands out with image quality. But the Alpha 100 does just that with just a little help from its 10.2 million pixel sensor. Noise is extremely well-controlled throughout the ISO range but at the lowest settings of ISO 100 and Lo80 the results are incredibly smooth. Overall, the results are simply fantastic and out of the reach of any D-SLRs in this price range.
The Alpha 100 comes with built-in Super SteadyShot (a revamped version of Minolta’s Anti-Shake) and it’s claimed that it will compensate for around 2-3.5 stops in shutter speed. In basic terms this means if using a 50mm lens, you would normally only be able to handhold around 1/50sec, but with Super SteadyShot activated you should be able to get sharp results around 1/30-1/20sec.
The amount of highlight and shadow detail you can capture (or dynamic range) is one of the key considerations for many digital photographers. The Alpha 100 offers three settings – off, normal and advanced. Basically, it alters the image’s setting to maximise the tonal range.
Verdict
Although the Alpha 100 wasn’t considered to offer much at it’s launch, Sony has come up with a winner. Whether or not the modern user simply trusts anything with the Sony logo on or not, the great price of the camera means that if you are looking for a budget D-SLR, the Alpha 100 should certainly be on your shortlist.
| Weight/size (WxHxD) |
545g/133x95x71mm |
| Effective resolution |
10.2MP |
| Lens mount |
Sony Alpha (Minolta A mount) |
| Focal length conversion |
1.5x |
| Aspect ratio |
3:2 |
| LCD monitor size |
2.5in |
| File formats |
JPEG, RAW |
| Card type |
CF, Memory Stick Duo and Duo Pro with adapter supplied with camera |
| Exposure modes |
Program, aperture-priority, shutter-priority and manual |
| Metering modes |
40-segment honeycomb, centre-weighted and spot |
| Autofocus |
Nine-point |
| ISO range |
100-1600 |
| Battery type |
1x Lithium-ion NP-FM55H |
| Software supplied |
Sony Picture Utility |
| Start-up time |
1.5 seconds |
| Write times |
2 seconds JPEG, 2.5 seconds RAW |
| Shutter speed range |
30 seconds to 1/4000sec |
| Flash sync |
1/160sec (1/125sec with Super SteadyShot) |
| Continuous shooting speed |
3fps for unlimited JPEGs or 6 RAWs |