Sony A700 Review

Review Date: January 17th 2008
Author: Mark Goldstein

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Page 1
Introduction / Ease of Use
Page 2
Image Quality
Page 3
Sample Images
Page 4
Design
Page 5
Specifications
Page 6
Conclusion

Specifications

Lens Mount

Sony ? mount YES
Compatibility with A-Mount bayonet lenses from Minolta and Konica Minolta YES

Lens Compatibility

All types of Sony ? lenses YES
Minolta & Konica Minolta ?/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
Page 1
Introduction / Ease of Use
Page 2
Image Quality
Page 3
Sample Images
Page 4
Design
Page 5
Specifications
Page 6
Conclusion

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