Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Review
Compared to...
As with the majority of our studio image quality comparisons we selected the nearest competition by category, specification, price and feature set. As per the previous page this means the Canon EOS 40D, Nikon D300 and Olympus E-3.
Lenses used
For direct comparisons we always use sharp prime lenses stopped down (F8-F9 or F6.3 for the Four Thirds lens). Here we have used the Minolta 50 mm F1.4, Canon EF 50 mm F1.4, Nikon 50 mm F1.8 and Olympus 50 mm F2.0 Macro.
Studio scene comparison (JPEG)
Sony DSLR-A700 (ISO 100) vs. Sony DSLR-A700 (ISO 200)
- Sony DSLR-A700: Minolta 50 mm F1.4 lens, Aperture Priority, ISO 100 and 200
JPEG Large/Fine, Manual WB, Default Parameters (Standard), Self-Timer (auto MLU)
Sony DSLR-A700 |
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| 3.4 MB JPEG (4272 x 2848) |
3.5 MB JPEG (4272 x 2848) |
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As you can see there is as good as no difference looking at these crops side-by-side, and indeed if you overlay the images and do layered A/B testing (even at 200%) the differences are fractional, subtle and not clearly better at one sensitivity or the other. With this in mind and considering that we have discovered that ISO 200 is the base sensitivity (and that this is hinted at in the user manual) we have chosen to use the image taken at this sensitivity for comparison to other cameras.
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Dec 18, 2010
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Dec 1, 2010
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Dec 19, 2007
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Feb 16, 2009
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Turning ten years old this week is the A700, Sony's first high-end DSLR after fully taking over Konica Minolta's camera business. With plenty of Minolta DNA, it debuted in September 2007 to take on the likes of Canon's 40D and Nikon's D300.
Nearly two years after Konica Minolta transferred its camera division over to Sony, and over a year after Sony's first DSLR (the A100), today is the day that the curtain is finally lifted on the long-awaited 'high end' Alpha digital SLR (in principle the replacement for the Konica Minolta 7D). The new model sports an impressive specification including magnesium alloy construction, 12MP CMOS sensor (with on-chip A/D conversion), 5fps shooting and a wealth of features and customization options, though interestingly (given the recent spate of announcements) no live view option. There's also a couple of new lenses and a new vertical shooting grip.
We've had a pre-production A700 for a couple of weeks in order to produce a detailed hands-on preview, available now.
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