The Alpha A350 continues Sony’s push to cut into the consumer dSLR market that has been dominated by Canon and Nikon. Sony has separated itself from the pack by improving the integration of live view into the camera. You don’t have to sacrifice autofocus speed while using live view thanks to the integration of an extra sensor built in to the view finder. This allows the mirror to remain in the down position for full autofocus capability. Another nice feature on the improved live view is the flip out screen to allow for more comfortable shooting at higher and lower angles.

The Alpha A350 also stands a hair above the crowd with its 14.2 megapixel CCD sensor. Sony has deployed the Super SteadyShot feature with this camera, making for better results at slower shutter speeds. The system works by equipping the sensor with a stabilizer system that moves along two axes. The benefit of moving the stabilizer into the camera body is that it will work on any lens attached to the camera. Sony incorporated a dust reduction feature into their stabilizer system that vibrates the sensor during power down to shake free dust particles.

Standout Features

• 14.2 Megapixel sensor with Super SteadyShot technology
• Flip out 2.7” LCD with live view
• Eye start autofocus capability

Features
The A350 also features a nine point autofocus system to help you capture the perfect moment. Sony also improved the range of ISO settings in this model with speeds from 100-3200. Combined with the improved features mentioned above, this camera is a great choice for a point and shoot user who wants to step up into the dSLR market without giving up the user friendly features of a point and shoot.

Other Reviews From Around the Internet

Experts have given praise to the user friendly features such as the tilting, live view LCD and the built in stabilization. Tests have shown the stabilization to offer three stops of compensation versus no stabilization; although you can’t view the effects of the stabilizer through the viewfinder or during live view.

Aside from the addition of these features, experts have found little else that truly stands out. While it does have the largest sensor of any budget dSLR, it also has noise down to 400 ISO at times and could use more in camera sharpening as the images are soft. Despite the soft images, reviewers found the colors and saturation to be accurate, especially in daylight.

Other reviewers have made note of the poor performance of the kit lens. If you want to get full value out of the bigger sensor, be prepared to spend money on a better lens than the DT 18-70.

Summary

Users have appreciated the amount of megapixels as well as the solid feel of the camera in their hand. As to be expected, many have found the live view and tilt screen to be pleasant. Most users were satisfied with the amount of features the camera offered for the price. The only consistent complaint among user reviews is the poor lens quality. Several have reported better results after purchasing a Minolta lens to fit the camera.
 

Take a look at and compare other Professional DSLR Cameras with TopTenREVIEWS listings.