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Sony A700 Review
Review Date: January 17th 2008
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Specifications
Lens Mount
Sony α mount
YES
Compatibility with A-Mount bayonet lenses from Minolta and Konica Minolta
YES
Lens Compatibility
All types of Sony α lenses
YES
Minolta & Konica Minolta α/MAXXUM/DYNAX lenses
YES
Image Sensory
Image sensor type
CMOS EXMOR
Image sensor colour filter
R, G, B, Primary color
Size (mm)
23.5x15.6mm (APS-C size)
Camera
Total sensor Pixels (Mega Pixels)
13.03
Effective Pixels (Mega Pixels)
12.24
A/D Conversion (Bit depth)
12
Automatic White Balance
YES
White balance: preset selection
Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash
White balance: custom setting
YES
White balance: types of color temperature
2500 - 9900 k with 19-step Magenta / Green compensation
White balance bracketing
3 frames, Selectable 2 steps
ISO Sensitivity Setting
ISO100 - 3200 equivalent, ISO numbers up to ISO6400 can be set as expanded ISO range
Super SteadyShot
System: CCD-shift mechanism
YES
Super SteadyShot scale (in viewfinder)
YES
Camera-Shake warning (in viewfinder)
YES
Super SteadyShot capability
Approximately 2.5 EV - 4 EV decrease in shutter speed (varies according to shooting conditions and lens used)
Super Steady Shot compatibility
All Sony Alpha lenses and A-Mount bayonet lenses from Minolta and Konica Minolta
Anti-Dust
Double anti dust system (anti-static coating and CCD shift mechanism)
YES
Auto Focus System
TTL phase-detection system
YES
Sensor
11 points with central Dual-Cross sensor and F2.8 type sensor
Sensitivity Range (at ISO 100 equivalent); EV
0 - 18
Eye Start AF System (on off selectable)
YES
AF Area: Wide focus area
YES (auto with 11 areas)
AF Area: Spot
YES (dual-center cross sensor and F2.8 sensor type)
AF Area: Local focus area selection
YES (11 local areas)
AF Modes
Continuous, Single Shot, Automatic, DMF (Direct Manual Focus), Manual Focus
Predictive Focus Control
YES (with moving subjects in AF-A and AF-C)
Focus Lock
YES (with Shutter button or AF button)
AF Illuminator
YES (with built-in flash)
AF Illuminator range (meters)
7
Auto Exposure System
Light metering type
TTL
Light metering cell
40-segment honeycomb-pattern SPC
Light metering: Multi segment
YES
Light metering: Spot
YES
Light metering: Center weighted
YES
Exposure: Automatic
YES
Exposure: Program Auto
YES (with Program Shift)
Exposure: Shutter priority
YES
Exposure: Aperture priority
YES
Exposure: Manual
YES
Exposure: Scene selection
YES
AE Lock
YES
Exposure compensation
YES (+/-3.0 EV, 0.3 or 0.5 EV steps)
AE Bracketing
With 0.3 EV / 0.5 EV / 0.7 EV increments, 3 or 5 frames; (in "Drive mode setting")
Shutter
Type
Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane type
Shutter Speed Range (seconds)
1/8000 - 30 and bulb
Flash Sync Speed (With Super Steady Shoot Off); second
1/250
Flash Sync Speed (With Super Steady Shoot On); second
1/200
Built-In-Flash
Flash Guide Number (in meters at ISO 100)
12
Flash Metering System
ADI / Pre-flash TTL flash metering
Flash Compensation
+/-3.0 EV (0.3EV/0.5EV steps selectable)
Recycling Time (approx. time in seconds)
3
Flash Mode
Autoflash, Fill-flash, Rear flash sync. Wireless off camera flash and high speed synchronization with Flash HVL-F56AM or HVL-F36AM
Wireless flash mode
YES (with optional Flash HVL-F56AM, F36AM)
Slow Synchronization
YES (instant access with AEL button)
Red-Eye Reduction
YES
Flash Popup
Manual
Automatic Flash
YES (with AUTO, P and Scene selection mode)
Viewfinder
Type
Fixed eye-level system with roof mirror type
Focusing Screen
Spherical Acute Matte
Field of View (%)
95
Magnification (with 50mm lens at infinity)
0.9x
Eye Relief
Approx. 25 mm from the eyepiece, Approx. 21 mm from the eyepiece frame at -1 diopter
Diopter Adjustment
-3.0 to +1.0 diopter
LCD screen
Screen Size (inches)
3
Monitor Type
TFT Xtra fine with hybrid technology
LCD Total Dot Number
921.600
LCD on/off
YES
Brightness adjustable
YES
Recording
Drive Mode
Single-frame advance, Continuous advance, 10 seconds and 2 seconds Self-timer, Single-frame advance AE bracketing, Continuous-advance AE bracketing, White Balance Bracketing, D-Range bracketing
Continuous-Advance Rate (approx. frames per second at maximum)
Hi: 5 fps Low: 3 fps
Number of Continuous Advance
RAW: max. 17 frames; RAW+JPEG: Max.11 frames; cRAW: 24 frames; JPEG Fine and Std: No limit (performance depends on media write speed and shooting condition etc)
Recording Media
Dual CF and Memory Stick Duo slot. Compatible CF Type I / II / MicroDrive; MS Duo / MS Pro Duo and MS-PRO HG
Recording Format
Jpeg, RAW, cRaw
RAW (pixels)
4288 x 2856
Image Size L - JPEG (pixels)
4272 x 2848
Image Size M (pixels)
3104 x 2064
Image Size S (pixels)
2128 x 1424
Still Image quality
RAW, RAW+JPEG, cRAW, cRAW+JEPG, Standard (JPEG), Fine (JPEG), Extra Fine (JPEG)
Noise Reduction (Long exp.NR)
On/Off, available at shutter speeds longer than 1 second
Noise Reduction (High ISO NR)
High/Normal/Low, available at the ISO set to 1600 or above
Delete Function
Single, multiple, or all frames in a folder / memory card can be deleted. Folders can be deleted in the File Browse mode
Color Space (sRGB)
YES
Color Space (Adobe RGB)
YES
Color mode/DEC/Creative styles
Standard, Vivid, Neutral, AdobeRGB, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night view, Autumn leaves, B/W, Sepia
Dynamic Range Optimizer
Off, Standard / Advanced / Advanced manual (5 lvl) / DRO Brancketing
Date/Time Print
With PictBridge
Playback/Edit
Information Display
YES
White/Black Out Alert
YES
Index Playback
YES (4,9 or 25 frames and folder browser function)
Enlarge (Maximum magnification)
x13(L) x10(M) x6.7(S)
Image Rotation
YES
Auto Image Rotation
YES
General
Battery Remaining Indicator
YES
Battery Remaining Time Indicator (InfoLITHIUM)
YES (in %)
Histogram Indicator
YES
Exif
2.21
Exif Print
YES
PictBridge
YES
Menu Language
English / French / German / Spanish / Italian / Portugese / Dutch / Russian / Swedish / Danish / Norwegian / Finish / Polish / Czech / Hungarian
Zone Matching
YES
Depth-of-Field Preview
YES
PRINT Image Matching III
YES
Remote Release Terminal
YES
IR Remote Control
YES; For shooting and viewing with TV (provided)
DPOF(Digital Print Order Format)
YES
Indicator of remaining memory space (CF)
YES
Beep Sound
On/Off selectable
File Number Memory
On/Off selectable
Folder Name Mode
Standard and Date
Operating Temperature (degrees C)
0 - 40
Jacks
Video Out
YES (PAL or NTSC)
HD/HDMI Out
YES, HDMI type C minijack 1920x1080i 59.94/50Hz , 1280x720p 59.94/50Hz, 720x480p 59.94Hz, 720x576p 50Hz
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
YES
USB Mode
Mass Strage (PC connection) / PTP(PictBridge) / PC Remote
Power/Others
Battery System
NP-FM500H
Supplied Battery
NP-FM500H
Stamina (battery life in CIPA condition)
650
Weight (g)
Approx. 690g
Dimensions
Width (mm)
141.7
Height (mm)
104.8
Depth (mm)
79.7
DIWA
organisation. Our test results for the Sony A700 have been submitted to DIWA
for comparison with test results for different samples of
the same camera model supplied by other DIWA
member sites.
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