Hasta La Gadget!

Sony’s really hitting two sweet spots this morning with its new (or, newly confirmed) full-frame A850 (pictured) and mid-range A550 and A500 DSLR additions to the Alpha family. The rumors were basically dead on, with the A850 offering a slight reduction to the A900’s skillset while keeping on the exact same 24.6 megapixel sensor — and nabbing a $1,000 or so price cut in the process (it’s now landing at around $2,000). The A550 and A500, meanwhile, fill in any perceived gaps in the Alpha line with 14.2 and 12.3 megapixel sensors, respectively. They also both score tilt-out LCDs akin to the poorly-received A380, with the A550 sporting a much higher resolution screen than its sibling. Still, even with the other minor tweaks present, we’re not sure how reasonable the $200 price difference between the two cameras is: the A550 goes for $950 ($1050 with a kit lens), while the A500 hits at $750 ($850 with a kit). The glaring omission in all of these cameras, of course, is video recording — something that Sony’s various competition is sporting in a majority of these pricepoints. A head scratcher, to be sure.

Read – Sony Alpha A550 and A500
Read – Sony Alpha A850
Read – Sony Alpha A550 hands-on preview

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Sony debuts Alpha A850, A550 and A500 DSLRs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The leading model of Sony’s “upper entry level” trifecta of Alpha-branded shooters, the 14.2 megapixel DSLR-A380, has been hitting test benches lately and we’ve rounded up the results for your perusal. The consensus appears to be that Sony has focused on bringing fans of compact cams up to the big time, with its uniquely responsive Live View and straightforward usability. Alas, ease of use is not the only thing brought up from the little leagues, with comparatively poor output at ISO 400 and above, lack of any video recording (as with the Canon EOS 500D and Nikon D5000, its nearest competitors) and unsatisfying viewfinder ergonomics. Conclusion? If you were looking for a point-and-shoot on steroids, your search is at an end, young hobbit — but photography enthusiasts should probably look elsewhere.

Read – DP Review
Read – CNET review
Read – Camera Labs review
Read – Photo Review

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Sony Alpha 380 gets lukewarm reviews, must be someone’s perfect bowl of porridge originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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C’mon Canon, this is getting just a wee bit ridiculous. Yesterday’s NYC event came and went without nary a mention of the just-has-to-be-real EOS 7D DSLR, though we did see the latest piece of mildly convincing evidence while canvassing those six new PowerShots. Today, we’re taking a look at what appears to be the top plate of the forthcoming (or so we hear) camera, though the fanboys over at DPReview can’t seem to say for sure if this is a fake or even a sensible design for such a beastly shooter. So, we’re asking you, dear readers — what do you make of this? Are you finally a believer that the almost mythical 7D is actually just around the bend? Or do you think we’re all crazy for being in said camp?

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Is this the top of a Canon EOS 7D, or are we just hopelessly optimistic? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s never a great feeling to get an expensive new gadget only to have it promptly ripped from your hands by a mandatory recall, but those that have gone through such an ordeal can consider themselves somewhat lucky, as Nikon has now issued a statement explaining its second recall of some already recalled D5000 DSLRs. That second go-round thankfully only affects only a “small number” of D5000 customers in Europe, who were apparently unfortunate enough to not have their cameras treated with a new “enhanced procedure” that’s designed to provide an additional preventative measure. From the sound of it, those affected should have already heard directly from Nikon, and will apparently have to only wait a “short time” to get their camera repaired, hopefully for the last time.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Nikon issues statement on second D5000 recall originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This photo of what is presumably the upcoming Sony α850 DSLR was spotted by Photo Rumors on an unnamed retail site. It looks exactly the same as the α900, but doesn’t really seem off on layout compared to the leaked α850 manual. The scary part is that the camera is listed for 1,999 Euro (about $2,833 US), so hopefully Sony is doing something a bit more wonderful under the hood than just those α900 downgrades that have been hinted at so far.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Sony Alpha 850 leaked, looks exactly like the Alpha 900? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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