The latest Alpha with translucent mirror technology (DSLT) – the Sony a35 – is smaller, lighter and generally improved, with more creativity, faster operation and Full HD video.
Translucent mirrors enable a camera to shoot faster and perform uninterrupted continuous autofocus, because there is no need for the mirror to move out of the way in order to capture an image. This technology was adopted by Sony for the Alpha range with the a33 and a55. Although the phrase DSLT does not roll off the tongue like DSLR, the camera formats are pretty similar. The main difference is the fixed/translucent mirror, but you also have an electronic viewfinder.
Features
The latest DSLT Alpha is the a35, which utilises a brand new Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor chip. This 16.2MP sensor is designed to improve image detail and better control noise levels, and it is partnered with the BIONZ image processor. The translucent mirror enables the a35 to shoot at a rapid 5.5fps, but this can be increased to 7fps by using a cropped central portion of the image area – a feature called Tele-zoom High Speed Shooting. With both these shooting speeds tracking AF can be delivered without being interrupted by mirror movement. The same applies to the camera’s video capture, which delivers Full HD with live AF. The LCD is a 3in high-quality fixed panel. While other Alpha models offer vari-angle movement, it is still a clear, sharp screen. Alongside the more traditional shooting modes, the a35 introduces a number of in-camera picture effects. These can be used in both still or video capture, which is most useful. The effects can be previewed on the camera’s LCD screen too, so you can see what it will do to your image before you capture it. The a35 has SteadyShot INSIDE along with Sweep Panorama (including 3D) and AUTO+.
Performance
The Tru-Finder display is excellent on this camera – enough to satisfy us and anyone else who is used to an optical viewfinder. It delivers 100% coverage and is crystal clear. The AF is very responsive, and you have 15 focus points to pick from, should you opt for manual selection. We really liked the way you could preview the Picture Effect filters to see what they would achieve before you committed to capture. Images are well detailed from this new sensor, and the exposures are on the money. The 18-55mm lens isn’t the sharpest, but it still delivers good results. The video is most impressive with accurate AF, and although the mic picks up a lot of wind noise the audio quality is good. Using the Sweep Panorama function is very easy, but it does sound like you are using a machine gun as the camera takes the required multiple shots!
Final verdict
When the first DSLT camera hit the market, it caused a serious stir – and rightly so. The product is designed to fulfill the roles of a DSLR and a camcorder, and it does this very well. The Picture Effect filters on the a35 are rather fun, and it was nice to get a real-time preview of the effects. HD video is becoming standard in this type of camera, but few offer real-time AF, and with the translucent mirror the ability of the real-time AF is enhanced. With the addition of a few improvements, such as a vari-angle LCD, this camera could be the complete package.
www.sony.co.uk
Key spec
Street price £599 with 18-55mm lens
Effective resolution 16.2MP
Sensor type 23.5x15.6mm Exmor APS HD CMOS
Lens mount Sony Alpha
Exposure modes PASM, Auto, Auto+, Scene, HD movie, Picture Effects
Metering system 1200-zone evaluative metering
ISO range 100-12,800
Shooting speed 5.5fps (7fps with cropped image at 8.4MP)
Card type SD/SDHC/SDXC/MS Pro Duo
LCD monitor size 3in
Built-in flash Yes
Live View Yes
Built-in stabilisation Yes
Weight/size (wxhxd) 473g/124.4x92x84.7mm