Sony Alpha DSLR-A900 Review: Digital Photography Review

Sony Alpha DSLR-A900 Specifications

Price (body only)	• $2999.99
Body material	Magnesium Alloy chassis, high grade plastic exterior
Sensor	• 35.9 x 24.0 mm CMOS sensor 'Exmor' • RGB Color Filter Array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter • 25.7 million total pixels • 24.6 million effective pixels • On-chip Column A/D Conversion & NR
Image sizes	• 6048 x 4032 (24M 3:2) • 4400 x 2936 (13M 3:2) • 3024 x 2016 (6.1M 3:2) • 6048 x 3408 (21M 16:9) • 4400 x 2472 (11M 16:9) • 3024 x 1704 (5.2M 16:9) • 3924 x 2656 (11M APSC) • 2896 x 1928 (5.6M APSC) • 1984 x 1320 (2.6M APSC)
File qualities / formats	• RAW (.ARW 2.0) • Compressed or uncompressed RAW option • RAW + JPEG Fine • JPEG Extra Fine • JPEG Fine • JPEG Standard
Dust reduction	• Static-resistant anti-dust coating • CCD-shift dust reduction mechanism
Lenses	• Sony Alpha lenses (also compatible with Minolta A-type bayonet mount lenses) • Can be used with DT (1.5x crop) lenses in APS-C mode
FOV crop	1.0 x
Image Stabilization	• CCD-Shift ' SteadyShot INSIDE' system • Five level LED shake indicator in viewfinder • Claimed equivalent to 4 steps in shutter speed *
Auto Focus	• TTL CCD line sensors (9-points, center dual cross types + 10 assist sensors) • EV 0 to 18 (ISO 100) detection range • Predictive focus control for moving subjects
AF area selection	• Wide AF area • Spot AF area (center) • Focus area selection (any of 9)
Focus modes	• Single-shot AF • Direct Manual Focus • Continuous AF • Automatic AF • Manual focus • AF micro adjustment (+/- 20 steps for up to 30 lenses)
AF assist illuminator	• Yes (built-in LED lamp) • Range approx 1m - 7m
Eye-start AF	No
Shooting modes	• Auto • Programmed AE (with shift) • Aperture priority AE • Shutter priority AE • Manual • MR (memory recall) / Custom
Sensitivity	• Auto (200 - 3200) - upper/lower limit selectable * • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600 • ISO 3200 • Up to ISO 6400 (expanded range)
Metering modes	• Multi-segment (40 segment Honeycomb pattern) • Center-weighted • Spot
Metering range	• EV 0 to 20 (Multi-segment / Center-weighted) • EV 2 to 20 (Spot metering) (at ISO 100 with F1.4 lens)
AE Lock	• AEL button (customizable) • Half-press shutter release
AE Bracketing	• Single or continuous bracketing • 3 or 5 frames • 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 or 2.0 EV steps* *2.0 EV steps for 3 frames only
Exposure compen.	• -3.0 to +3.0 EV • 0.3 or 0.5 EV steps
Shutter	Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane Shutter
Shutter Speed	• 30 to 1/8000 sec • Bulb
Flash X-sync	• 1/250 sec • 1/200 sec (with SteadyShot INSIDE on)
Aperture values	Depends on lens, 0.3 EV steps
DOF preview	Yes, dedicated button
White balance	• Auto • Daylight • Shade • Cloudy • Tungsten • Fluorescent • Flash • Color temperature (2500 - 9900 K) • Manual (Custom) - 3 memories
White balance fine tuning	• Auto (none) • Preset WB: -3 to +3 • Fluorescent WB: -2 to +4 • Color temperature WB: G9 to M9 (19 step Magenta / Green compensation)
White balance bracketing	• 3 frames • Hi or Lo steps
Dynamic range optimizer	• Off • Standard • Advanced Auto • Advanced • DRO advanced bracketing (3 frames, High/Low selectable)
Color space	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Color modes	• Standard • Vivid • Neutral • Clear • Deep • Light • Portrait • Landscape • Sunset • Night view • Autumn Leaves • B&W • Sepia • Adobe RGB
Image parameters	• Contrast (-3 to +3) • Saturation (-3 to +3) • Sharpness (-3 to +3) • Zone Matching (-1 to +2 steps) • Brightness (-3 to +3 steps) (Available in all color modes)
Noise reduction	• Long exposure for exposures longer than 1 second (User controllable: On / Off) • High ISO NR High/Normal/Low/Off at ISO 1600 or higher
Viewfinder	• Eye-level fixed optical glass pentaprism • Spherical Acute Matte focusing screen (interchangeable) • Magnification approx. 0.74x • 100% frame coverage • Dioptric adjustment (-3 to +1.0) • Eye-relief 20 mm from eyepiece • Eyepiece cup removable • Eyepiece shutter built-in • Viewfinder info bar
LCD monitor	• 3.0 " 'Xtra Fine' TFT LCD • 921,600 pixels (640 x 480 x 3 (RGB)) • 100% coverage • Anti-reflective coating
Flash compensation	-3.0 to +3.0 EV in 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 2.0 EV steps
External flash (optional)	• Sony HVL-F58M • Sony HVL-F56M • Sony HVL-F42M • Sony HVL-F36M • Macro Twin Flash Kit HVL-MT24AM • Ring Light HVL-RLAM • Off camera flash shoe FA-CS1 AM
Drive modes	• Single-frame • Continuous (H/L selectable) • Self-timer (10 or 2 sec) • Continuous bracket • Single-frame bracket • White balance bracket • DRO bracket
Continuous shooting *	• H: Approx 5fps max • L: Approx 3fps max • RAW: Up to 12 frames • cRAW (compressed): Up to 25 frames • RAW+JPEG: Up to 10 frames • JPEG (XFINE): Up to 11 frames • JPEG (STD/FINE): 285/105
Self-timer	• 10 sec • 2 sec • Mirror up function (optional) • Remote control
Orientation sensor	Yes, for shooting, playback and control panel display
Connectivity	• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (mass storage, Multi-LUN or PTP) • Video out (NTSC or PAL) • HDMI type C mini jack • DC-IN • Remote terminal • PC control (with supplied software)
Remote control *	• Wired: with optional RM-S1AM or RM-L1AM • Wireless: with included remote control
Video out	• AV (Selectable NTSC or PAL) • HDMI (1920 x 1080i, 1280 x 720p, 720 x 580p, 720 x 576p) • 'PhotoTV' HD settings applied with BRAVIA.
Storage	• Compact Flash Type I/II, UDMA Mode 5 compliant • Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo, PRO-HG Duo • Supports FAT12 / FAT16 / FAT32
Power	• NP-FM500H Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (1650 mAh) • CR2025 Wireless remote • Battery charger included • Optional AC adapter • Battery life Approx 880 shots (CIPA standard)
Vertical grip	• Vertical Grip VG-C90AM • One or Two NP-FM500H batteries with auto switchover for power (additional battery is optional).
Dimensions	156 x 117 x 82 mm
Weight (body)	• No battery: 850 g • With battery: 895 g