Alpha A700 Semi-pro DSLR, the "user-friendly" King

AlphaMountWorld brings you our updated Alpha A700 Camera production Digital SLR Review

January, 2008 Carl Garrard

Overview:

From the name... to the specifications, the semi professional A700 surprised many of us (remember that?). A great many expectations were put on the A700 before its release. Judging from the forum reactions and review sites all over the world, the A700 has met these expectations in terms of features, price, build quality, and yes now even the most important feature...image quality. The jury has come in and the A700's image quality is at a very high level. Months of use with my A700 have yielded some excellent results. Since my preview was completed in early September of 2007, the A700 received an upgrade in I.Q. with its first firmware update providing sharper jpegs with higher contrast. Its second firmware upgrade fixed a bug that would lock up the camera (and a bit more), and with those small wrinkles worked out the A700 can now truly shine to its fullest potential.

One thing that really stands out about the A700 is its versatility. Because the A700 has such a fluid and easy to use User Interface and proper photographer friendly layout and ergonomics, it has never disappointed me in any of the different types of photographic assignments I have given it. From macro, to landscapes, to birds in flight, the A700 answers my needs and begs for more. I have yet to push the A700 to its fullest potential even after months of heavy dedicated usage.

With possibly 2 or 3 more DSLR models expected by April of 2008, there should be no doubt left in the hearts of Sony consumers that the 900lb gorilla has indeed entered the market (no pun intended there ... A900). Yet, the A700 lends to standout within the Sony DSLR lineup, and against the competition for some time to come. Its specifications and quality speak for themselves. It has a been a very reliable DSLR for me, not once missing a beat or showing any signs of wear and tear. It feels brand new out of the box still to this day. It is very well built.

Sony has answered critics and dedicated fans alike with a very capable advanced DSLR that is quite frankly the best camera I have ever used (to date). Without getting into specifics, I would have to take a rough guess and say that the number of keeper photographs I have taken with the A700 has increased by 50%. I do believe that the added features I needed that were designed into the A700 have a direct effect on that number. That's no joke.

That said, on with my user review of the A700. When I wrote my preview in September, I mentioned how it made a first impression on me. Obviously I was tickled with a new camera purchase, and one of which was a high quality machine. Since then, that feeling has been replaced with a more long term satisfaction and appreciation of this fine camera.

My personal list of expectations for the A700 included features already in the A100, and more.

Important to me were improvements needed in:

1. Viewfinder coverage and brightness
2. Faster Auto focus speed/tracking with greater accuracy
3. More resolution
4. Sealed buttons, switches and body
5. Better build quality and tolerances
6. Improved LCD
7. Faster flash sync speed
8. More control via software with raw/dro control added
9. Frames per second performance
10. Dedicated Laser focus assist, or focus assist lamp
11. Continued user friendly interface
12. Carrying over the fantastic low ISO resolution of the A100
13. Improved SSS (super steady shot, in body stabilization)
14. Faster start up time and shutter lag

What Sony delivered was all the above, and more.

Grade for the A700? Read on...