Sony DSLR-A300

Sony a (alpha) DSLR-A300: the camera that links you and your subject. For first-time DSLR users, Sony combines superb 10.2 MP quality, a high quality DT 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 standard zoom lens, and Live Preview in a large tilting 2.7" LCD monitor for point-and-shoot simplicity. You'll have super-quick AF response, 3 fps continuous shooting while you see your subject in the viewfinder, and high sensitivity (ISO 3200) for great low-light shots. What's more, you get simple controls, Creative Style settings and in-camera Super SteadyShot® image stabilization that work with every Sony, Carl Zeiss® and legacy Minolta a-mount lens. Stamina® power for up to 730 shots, Auto Pop-up Flash and many more features make DSLR model an excellent choice for your favorite new hobby.

10.2 MP Super HAD™ CCD

Superb image quality gives you great DSLR shots right from the start, with a large APS-size CCD imager developed by Sony to expand dynamic range, and minimize noise more effectively for clear, sharp photos even at high sensitivity setting (up to ISO 3200).

Live Preview of Your Subject

The DSLR-A300's Live Preview mode links you and your subject on a large 2.7” LCD screen, for a familiar point-and-shoot style -- with super-quick AF response and accurate exposure control to help you catch the perfect moment. In Live Preview mode, the camera bypasses the optical pentaprism mirror to create a live “eye-to-eye” view of loved ones, children, pets and fast-changing scenes.

Tiltable 2.7” Clear Photo LCD Plus™ Screen

A large built-in screen with 2-way angle tilt provides a sharp, clear view of your subject and tilts up or down for low-angle or high-angle monitoring in situations where you want a child-level or overhead shot.

Continuous Shooting While Viewing

The DSLR-A300 lets you shoot continuously at up to 3 frames per second while you see your subject in the viewfinder , so you never lose track of the action. In JPEG mode, you can shoot up to the limit of your flash memory card; in RAW Burst Mode you can capture up to 6 shots, with intelligent buffer management to allow more shots to be captured without waiting for the buffer to clear.

Smart Teleconverter 2X Zoom

At the touch of a button you can zoom in electronically on your subject, reproducing pixels on a 1:1 basis with no degradation in picture quality. One touch zooms in at 1.4X, the second touch advances to 2X zoom -- creating the 35mm equivalent of a 200mm telephoto effect with the DSLR-A300's standard 18-70mm zoom lens.

Expanded ISO Sensitivity

A broad sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200 enables the DSLR-A300 to capture beautiful color images even in very dim light -- with High ISO Noise Reduction technology that reduces picture noise artifacts at high-sensitivity ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 settings by eliminating noise from RAW data after analog-to-digital conversion.

Super SteadyShot® In-Camera Image Stabilization

Because image stabilization is built into the DSLR-A300, every lens benefits by an advantage of from 2.5 to 3.5 exposure steps. This allows you to shoot effectively with minimum blur even in low light without flash -- or adjust exposure control for smaller lens aperture, to increase depth of field and bring both foreground and background into sharp focus.

Bionz™ Image Processor

The “brain” of the ± (alpha) DSLR-A300 is the advanced Sony Bionz™ Image Processor, using hardware-based Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuitry to enhance images with rich tonal reproduction, improved white balance and exposure control, and expanded D-Range Optimizer capabilities. With 2-channel data transfer from CCD to processor, your camera can also respond faster.

1200-zone Evaluative Metering

Exposure information from the image sensor dedicated to Live View is divided into 1200 zones of luminance and RGB color information. In addition D-Range Optimizer technology contributes to judge the scene and then determine the optimum exposure to reproduce images with a more natural look.

Dynamic Range Optimizer

To improve results with backlit subjects and recover details hidden in shadows or lost in glare, the DSLR-A300 provides Dynamic Range Optimizer at two levels: Normal DRO, to improve detail using standard gamma curves for fast shot-to-shot response time, or Advanced DRO, to adjust dynamic range area-by-area for the greatest precision.

Anti-Dust Technology

Changing lenses in a DSLR can allow dust to enter the camera -- so to keep the CCD imager cleaner for better pictures, the DSLR-A300 utilizes both static-free anti-dust coating on the CCD filter and anti-dust vibration that automatically shakes the CCD to dislodge dust each time the camera is shut off.

Auto Pop-Up Flash

The camera flash automatically pops up and fires when needed, to help first-time DSLR photographers shoot more effectively. Auto Pop-up works in Auto mode and some scene selection modes; Flash is cancelled in Landscape, Sport or Sunset modes and in “Flash Off” position on the Exposure Mode dial.

Eye-Start Autofocus System

It begins precision autofocus adjustments the moment you raise the camera to your eye -- so unlike some DSLR cameras that don't start focusing until the shutter button is half-pressed, the Sony DSLR-A300 never slows down your ability to catch fast action.

9-Point Center Cross AF Sensor

A fast focus motor and improved focus control help bring images into sharp definition more quickly, with predictive focus control that automatically calculates the position of a fast-moving subject.

Scene Selection Modes

Along with auto exposure, the DSLR-A300 gives you scene selection modes to optimize camera performance for Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports, Sunset and Night Portrait/Night View situations.

Creative Style Settings

To express your creativity and personal taste, you can adjust contrast, saturation and sharpness settings for any of 8 finishing styles -- including Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Night View, Sunset, B & W and Adobe RGB modes.

Index and Slide Show Display

To quickly review your photos, the DSLR-A300 can display 4, 9 or 25-frame index views -- or present automatic slide shows with fade-in/fade-out effect.

High-Resolution Thumbnails for PhotoTV HD Viewing

The DSLR-A300 automatically creates high-resolution thumbnail images for viewing on Sony's BRAVIA® HDTV in optimized PhotoTV HD mode, with image format adjustable for standard 3:2 or widescreen 16:9 display.

Function Guide Display

On-screen menus are intuitive and easy to use -- and a simple Camera Function Display can be activated and operated with one hand using the “Fn” (Function) button and controller button to adjust Flash mode, Autofocus mode, White Balance, Metering mode, AF area and D-Range Optimizer.

Stamina® Battery Power

In optical viewfinder mode, you can take up to 750 shots on a fully charged NP-FM500H InfoLITHIUM® battery -- and you'll be able to see about how much power remains in percentage increments, so you can keep shooting in confidence.

High-Capacity Media Options

For conveniently storing and sharing your images, the DSLR-A300 accepts CompactFlash™ Type I/II media and optional Memory Stick PRO Duo™ media.

Advanced Lenses and System Accessories

Sony's ± (alpha) system gives you everything you need to expand your creativity in DSLR photography: precision Sony DT zoom lenses and specialty lenses, Sony “G” Series lenses with advanced motorized autofocusing, amazingly bright Carl Zeiss® lens designs, professional-quality flash units, and over 16 million Minolta a-mount lenses sold worldwide.

More external Sony DSLR-A300 reviews!

Sensor	• 10.2 million effective pixels • 23.6 x 15.8 mm CCD sensor • 1.5x FOV crop • RGB primary color filter
Anti-dust measures	• Sensor shake system • Static-free anti-dust coating
Anti-shake	• Super-steady shot in-camera stabilization
Image sizes	• 3872 x 2592 (Large, 10.0 MP) • 2896 x 1936 (Medium, 5.6 MP) • 1920 x 1280 (Small, 2.5 MP) • 3872 x 2176 (Large, 8.4 MP, 16:9) • 2896 x 1632 (Medium, 4.7 MP, 16:9) • 1920 x 1088 (Small, 2.1 MP, 16:9)
Image quality	• RAW • RAW + JPEG • JPEG Fine • JPEG Normal
Color space	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Lens mount	• Sony Alpha lenses (also compatible with Minolta A-type bayonet mount lenses)
Autofocus	• 9-point AF with center cross
Lens servo	• Single-servo AF (AF-S) • Continuous-servo AF (AF-C) • Automatic AF-S/AF-C (AF-A) • Manual focus (M)
AF Area mode	• Wide • Spot • Local
AF Assist	Pop-up flash strobes
Exposure mode	• Programmed auto (P) with flexible program • Shutter-priority auto (S) • Aperture priority auto (A) • Manual (M) • Auto and 7 scene selection modes
Metering	Multi-pattern metering: • 40 Segment • Center weighted • Spot
Exposure compensation	• +/- 2.0 EV • 1/3 EV steps
AE Lock	Exposure locked at detected value with AEL button
AE Bracketing	+/- 1/3EV or +/- 2/3EV
Sensitivity	• Auto • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600 • ISO 3200
Shutter	• 30 to 1/4000 sec (1/3 EV steps)
White balance	• Auto • Seven manual modes with 7-step fine-tuning     • Daylight     • Shade     • Cloudy     • Tungsten     • Fluorescent     • Flash     • Color temperature/color filter • Preset white balance
WB fine tuning	Yes
Image parameters	• Preset modes: Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Night view, Sunset, B&W, Adobe RGB (All others are sRGB)
Viewfinder	• Optical fixed eye-level • Pentamirror type • Frame coverage 95% (approx.) • Viewfinder magnification approx. 0.74x with 50mm lens at infinity; -1.0 m-1 • Spherical Acute Matte focusing screen
LCD monitor	• 2.7" tilting TFT LCD • 230,000 pixel • Features automatic defeat via Eye Sensor
Built-in flash	• Auto pop-up in Auto, Vari-program modes • Manual pop-up in P, S, A or M modes • Guide number approx. 12 at ISO 100
Flash mode	• Auto • Fill-flash • Rear flash sync • Slow sync • High speed sync • Wireless off-camera flash (with HVL-F56AM or HVL-F36AM)
Shooting modes	• Single frame shooting (S) mode • Continuous (C) mode: approx. 3.0 frames per second • Bracket single (press shutter 3 times) • Bracket continuous (hold shutter = 3 shots) • WB bracket, Lo/Hi
Continuous buffer	• JPEG: Limited only by storage • RAW: Approx. 6 frames (shooting continues at a slower rate) • RAW+JPEG: Approx. 3 frames (shooting continues at a slower rate)
Self-timer	2 or 10 sec
Video output	NTSC or PAL selectable
Connectivity	• USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed) • Video
Power	Lithium-Ion battery pack NP-FM500H (7.2 V, 1600 mAh)
Battery life	Approx. 740 shots (CIPA standard)
Dimensions	130.8 x 98.5 x 74.7 mm (5.2 x 3.9 x 2.9 in)
Weight (no batt)	582 g (1.28 lb)
Supplied accessories	• Rechargeable Li-ion Battery NP-FM500H • BC-VM10 battery charger • Video and USB cables • Shoulder strap with eyepiece cap and Remote Commander clip • Body cap • Software/USB driver
Optional accessories	• CompactFlash card (NCFB1G) • External flash (HVL-F56AM) • External flash (HVL-F36AM) • Vertical grip (VG-B30AM) • AC adaptor/charger (AC-VQ900AM)

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