Compared to...

Up until now, most camera companies have offered a single 'entry-level' model aimed mainly at first-time DSLR buyers. This way of approaching the market dates back to the first Canon Rebel (300D), which did away with heavy-duty construction and prism viewfinder and offered a carefully limited feature set to prevent it cannibalizing sales of the more expensive models. Until recently, ignoring the instances of older models remaining in the catalogues while stocks run down, this approach has been taken by the other manufacturers.

Sony clearly believes that there are potential DSLR shoppers who buy based on price (A200), those that shop for features (A350), and bargain hunters who want a balance of the two (A300). There are hints that this finer segmentation of the entry-level market will continue but, at the moment, there are few directly comparable cameras on sale.

The most direct competitor is Canon's high-pixel-count 450D which offers stronger specifications in the traditional DSLR areas but doesn't offer the convenience of the A350's live view system. Other than that, we're seeing what happens if you step up a price-level to the enthusiast/semi-pro level of the Pentax K20D, which offers much more advanced construction but at a greater cost. Finally we look at what the A350 offers, in image quality terms, over its cheaper sibling, the A200 (which almost certainly shares a sensor with the similarly priced Pentax K200D and Nikon D60).

Positives versus the competition

• Phase-detect autofocus without mirror flap
• Tilting screen
• Built-in sensor-shift stabilization (over the EOS 450D and D60)
• Detailed battery status display (as percentage)
• Supplied IR remote control
• High specification for the price

Negatives versus the competition

• Small viewfinder
• Live view doesn't allow fine focusing
• No depth of field preview, even in Live view
• Live view brightness fixed to exposure (tricky in low light)
• No top panel status LCD (requires use of battery-sapping rear LCD for status)

	Sony DSLR-A350	Canon EOS 450D	Pentax K20D	Sony DSLR-A200
Price (Body only) (With kit lens)	$810 / £450 $900 / £480 [check]	$800 / £450 $850 / £500 [check]	$1200 / £725 £800 [check]	$600 / £300 [check]
Construction	• Plastic	• Plastic	• Metal frame • Sealed openings	• Plastic
Dust removal	• Sensor-shift shake • Anti-static coating	• Sensor-shift shake • Anti-static coating	• Sensor-shift shake • Anti-static coating	• Sensor-shift shake • Anti-static coating
Sensor type	CCD	CMOS	CMOS	CCD
Sensor size	23.6 x 15.8 mm	22.2 x 14.8 mm	23.4 x 15.6 mm	23.6 x 15.8 mm
Pixel density (MP/cm²)	4.00	3.77	4.14	2.90
Image Stabilization	Built-in sensor shift	Lenses only	Built-in sensor shift	Built-in sensor shift
Effective pixels	14.2 million	12.2 million	14.6 million	10.2 million
Aspect ratio	3:2	3:2	3:2	3:2
FOV crop	1.5x	1.6x	1.5x	1.5x
Image size	4592 x 3056	4272 x 2848	4672 x 3104	3872 x 2592
Live View	• Yes • No view zoom • AF without mirror flip	• Yes • Up to 10x magnify • Mirror flip AF • Different modes	• Yes • Up to 1:1 pixel view • Mirror flip AF	• No
Lens support	• Sony Alpha • Minolta A-type	• Canon EF / EF-S	• Pentax KAF mount	• Sony Alpha • Minolta A-type
File formats	• JPEG • RAW (ARW)	• JPEG • RAW (CR2)	• JPEG • RAW (PEF) • DNG	• JPEG • RAW (ARW)
Auto focus	• 9 point • 1 cross-type • 0 to 18 EV • Eye-start AF option	• 9 point • 1 cross-type • -0.5 to 18 EV • Eye-start AF option	• 11 point • 9 cross-type • -1 to 18 EV	• 9 point • 1 cross-type • 0 to 18 EV • Eye-start AF option
AF illuminator	Flash strobe	Flash strobe	Flash strobe	Flash strobe
AF adjustment	No	No	Yes, body and up to 20 lenses	No
Metering sensor	40 segment	35 zone	16 segment	40 zone
Metering range	2 to 20 EV	1 to 20 EV	0 to 21 EV	2 to 20 EV
Metering modes	Multi-segment, CWA, Spot	Evaluative, Partial, Spot, CWA	Multi-segment, CWA, Spot	Multi-segment, CWA, Spot
Exp. comp.	+/- 2.0 EV	+/- 2.0 EV	+/- 3.0 EV (In 0.5 EV)	+/- 2.0 EV
Exp. comp. EV steps	0.3 or 0.5 EV	0.3 or 0.5 EV	0.3 or 0.5 EV	0.3 or 0.5 EV
Manual EV steps	0.3 or 0.5 EV	0.3 or 0.5 EV	0.3 or 0.5 EV	0.3 or 0.5 EV
Sensitivity range (boost setting)	100 - 3200	100 - 1600	100 - 3200 (6400)	100 - 3200
Auto ISO adjust	No	No	Yes, Max and Min	No
Shutter speed	30 - 1/4000 sec	30 - 1/4000 sec	30 - 1/4000 sec	30 - 1/4000 sec
Continuous rate (high)	2.5 fps (2 fps in Live view)	• 3.5 fps • 53 JPEG/Fine frames • 6 RAW frames	• 3.0 fps • 38 JPEG/Fine frames • 14 RAW frames	• 3.0 fps • Unlimited JPEG • 6 RAW frames
White balance	• 6 presets (with adj) • Color temp (K) • Manual	• 6 presets (with adj) • Color temp (K) • Manual	• 8 presets (with adj) • Color temp (K) • Manual	• 6 presets (with adj) • Color temp (K) • Manual
Image parameters	• 8 presets • Saturation +/- 3 • Contrast +/- 3 • Sharpness +/- 3	• 6 presets • 3 User defined • Sharpness 0-7 • Contrast +/- 4 • Saturation +/- 4 • Color tone +/- 4	• 6 presets • Saturation +/- 4 • Hue +/- 4 • Contrast +/- 4 • Sharpness +/- 4	• 8 presets • Saturation +/- 3 • Contrast +/- 3 • Sharpness +/- 3
Noise reduction control	3 levels	1 additional level	4 levels	4 levels
DR extension mode	DRO (2 modes)	Highlight Tone Priority	DRange	DRO (2 modes)
Built-in flash	• Electronic pop-up • Guide no. 12 (ISO 100)	• Electronic pop-up • Guide no. 13 (ISO 100)	• Manual pop-up • Guide no. 13 (ISO 100)	• Electronic pop-up • Guide no. 12 (ISO 100)
External flash	• Hot-shoe • Wireless flash	• Hot-shoe	• Hot-shoe • PC sync terminal • Wireless flash	• Hot-shoe • Wireless flash
Flash sync speed	1/160 sec	1/200 sec	1/180 sec	1/160 sec
Delete in record review	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Storage	• CF (inc. UDMA)	• SD (Inc SDHC)	• SD (Inc SDHC)	• CF (inc. UDMA)
Viewfinder	• Pentamirror • 95% coverage • 0.74 x magnification	• Pentamirror • 95% coverage • 0.87x magnification	• Pentaprism • 95% coverage • 0.95x magnification	• Pentamirror • 95% coverage • 0.83 x magnification
LCD monitor	• 2.7" TFT LCD • 230,000 dots	• 3.0" TFT LCD • 230,000 dots	• 2.7" TFT LCD • 230,000 dots	• 2.7" TFT LCD • 230,000 dots
LCD articulation	Yes, 45° down, 90° up	No	No	No
Top panel LCD	No	No	Yes	No
Vertical grip	Yes, VG-B30AM	Yes, BG-E5	Yes, BG-2	Yes, VG-B30AM
Other features		• Custom 'My Menu'	• Color tunable LCD • Weather sealing • Program jump btn.
Dimensions	132 x 99 x 75 mm (5.2 x 3.9 x 3.0 in)	129 x 98 x 62 mm (5.1 x 3.9 x 2.4 in)	142 x 101 x 70 mm (5.6 x 4.0 x 2.8 in)	132 x 99 x 75 mm (5.2 x 3.9 x 2.8 in)
Weight (inc batt)	664 g (1.5 lb)	522 g (1.2 lb)	804 g (1.8 lb)	614 g (1.4 lb)