Sony a380

Photo answers review

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The Sony a380 is one of the latest DSLRs to come from Sony this year, with a brand new look and some interesting features to give photography beginners and enthusiasts a helping hand. Packing in a respectable 14.2MP CCD sensor means it can deliver more than enough resolution for even the most demanding photographers.
This is a small and light camera that easily meets Sony’s claim that it’s ideal for holiday photography. On a recent holiday the camera, charger and cable packed down into a very small camera bag that was comfortable enough to carry around all day. Its design uses sleek lines and curves that make the camera look smoother than previous Alpha models. Unfortunately, these looks don’t extend to the feel of the camera itself. It feels rather plasticky, with a small, awkward grip that isn’t quite big enough to get a hold of. The shutter button is also raised on the top of the camera rather than angled towards the front, where it would be more comfortable when composing and shooting through the viewfinder. On the other hand, it’s actually quite comfortably positioned for shooting with Live View.

Features
When you think of Sony Alpha cameras, what springs to mind? If you’re thinking of built-in image stabilisation, Smart Teleconverter, Bravia TV compatibility, menu-based controls and ease of use you’re on the right track. However, the new Sony a380 doesn’t stop there. Perhaps the most interesting feature is the new help guide that explains different controls and functions for you in short, simple terms. What’s Sports mode? The a380 will tell you what it is and when to use it. The on-screen help graphics can be really useful if you need them, but if you prefer you can just switch them off.
There’s also the new graphic display that shows the relationship between aperture and shutter, and what type of photography your chosen settings are most suitable for. This is a good idea for beginners, but like anything programmed it has its limitations and more advanced shutter and aperture combinations such as those for panning are missed out.
That said, by the time you’re ready for techniques such as panning you’ll probably know enough about this relationship not to need the guide anyway.

Tilting LCD screen
The new 2.7in tilting LCD screen feels much more robust than the similar screen on the a350, and while only being made up of 230,400 dots it produces clear and sharp images. The tilt mechanism makes it possible to shoot from high and low angles with ease and can be particularly handy for macro and night photography. The mechanism does, however, make the screen stick out of the camera at the back slightly, which means your nose is fighting with the screen when shooting using the viewfinder. Coupled with the positioning of the shutter button, this suggests that this camera may have been designed with the type of photographer who shoots primarily with Live View in mind.
The Live View is actually very good on this camera and functions exactly the way you’d want it to. A diaphragm closes over the viewfinder, keeping light from spilling in. The LCD screen shows the focus points in the same way as the viewfinder so you get a familiar view, and the fast autofocus behaves the same way as when shooting through the viewfinder, so you can be sure you’re getting the right part of your shots in focus.

Bravia TV compatibility
Sony is one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of televisions, so it comes as little surprise that it has been creating a synergy between its TV offerings and its digital cameras. Like the a700, the new a380 can be connected to any HD TV for large screen slideshows, but if you have a compatible Sony Bravia TV, PhotoTV HD utilises settings specially designed for still image display to get the best out of your shots. Then with Bravia sync you can control playback using your Bravia TV remote. If you do want to view images on a HD TV, a compatible Bravia model or other, you’ll certainly need a mini HDMI cable. Two options are available from Sony, with the cheapest starting at £31 for a 1.5m Type A/Type C rolled-gold terminal cable.

Final viewpoint
With the a380, Sony has come up with a camera with some of the best Live View functionality out there. ISO response from its 14.2MP sensor is very good – offering the freedom to shoot in even the toughest light conditions – but unfortunately this is let down slightly by the overall design of the camera body. The grip is almost non-existent and the shutter button is positioned awkwardly for shooting through the viewfinder... and the viewfinder isn’t great, either. On the plus side, the a380 is nice and light, and the design suggests that this is a camera for those who prefer to use Live View. Price wise, the a380 is good value for money and for only £29 more than the body-only price you can pick up the kit with an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 DT lens. You really couldn’t find a lens cheaper, so if you buy this camera, buy the kit.


Specifications
Street price £559 (body only)
Effective resolution 14.2MP
Sensor type CCD
Crop factor 1.5x
Lens mount Sony Alpha/Konica Minolta
Exposure modes P/A/S/M, auto, scene select
Metering modes Multi-segment, center-weighted and spot
ISO range 100-3200
Shooting speed 2.5fps
Card type SD, SDHC, MS PRO, MS HG DUO
LCD monitor size 2.7in
Aspect ratio 3:2, 16:9
Live View Yes
Autofocus 9-point
Integrated cleaning Yes
Built-in stabilisation Yes – SteadyShot INSIDE
Weight/size (wxhxd) 490g/128x97x71.4mm