A simply fantastic camera

My first DSLR was the Sony A100 (I have since upgraded to the A700). I find myself constantly amazed that people shopping for their first DSRL, people who don't have existing lenses they have to match, pass over the Sony cameras in favor of a Canon or Nikon of equal price. Sony is the only one that has image stabilization built in, which is important since the other two manufacturers charge more for lenses that must include it. Sony DSLR cameras invariably get good reviews from professionals and consumers. This is a fantastic camera. There are a wide selection of lenses available for it and more are coming. It's my understanding that some Nikon cameras use Sony CMOS sensors. If you are reading this as a consumer considering your first DSLR camera, do your homework, read the comparison reviews of similar cameras by Canon and Nikon, and make your decision based on the camera, not the name.

Great Camera, Great Service

I have been using a Minolta Maxxum for years so when itfinally malfunctioned recently I was cornered into getting aMinolta product because of the array of lens & accessories Iown. This camera however renews my faith in Minolta/Sonyproducts, this is the first DSLR I have purchased and what adifference this unit makes over film based SLRs, the featureI personally fell in love with was the one touch ability toshift ISO from 100 to 1600 instantly. other wonderful gemsinclude the meta data feature during playback of yourimages, while playing back your images press up on thecontrol pad and you will see all the details of the photo,shutter speed, aperture, ISO ect.. I could hardly believe it. This camera works very smoothly and is very easy to learnall of the features, having never touched any of the earlierMinolta DSLRs I still found the learning period for thisdevice to be very rapid. B&H;s service is also a welcomedrelief, I had found this unit on several other sites forless but their reviews  more

One of the best cameras in the market

I own a photo studio in NY, I have been a wedding photographer since 1984- 23 years in the field.I own 2- Canon 20d and a 5d camera, I purchased the Sony A100 as back up and because I owned a lot of lenses for Minolta Maxxum. Ended up using my Minolta for all the portraits and formals, the color reproduction even on JPEG are much better than the canon's I own, hey you will have to manual balance the camera with a gray card and that will be all. Clarity and sharpness is a plus. The whites are kept intact as long as you are within a range of 3/4 to 1 stop over, for my canon this is tight, 1/2 a top the most and you will loose the whites. The camera is slower focusing than the canon but not for much, nevertheless action shots will be better taking with the canon.The LCD Screen can be seen even in bright light without the need of a hood. For manual pc flash, you will need to purchase an adapter that fits the camera special design hot show and will convert it to a regular hot show with also  more

Great camera but some issues with white balance

It is a great camera, even better than Canon 400D Nikon 200 as it's easier to operate by any one who has once tried any other camera (much more easier if used Minolta), surprisingly all my Minolta lenses, flash and other gadgets (like remote release cable etc) work, but this is not the only reason I liked it. It is sturdy, great feel while holding it but the reason I enjoy it more as its features and operation comforts.. Battery life is too long and best for wildlife shoots when we dont get charging opportunities.

Great entry level Dslr

The Sony A100 is a superb entry level dslr, with features not found in other cameras in its class.The main reason I chose the A100 over a Canon rebel xt or a Nikon D40x was the design and construction of the body. The A100 is slightly larger than the other two, which gives it an advantage for anyone with hands larger than a child. The Sony also feels more robust when you hold it, compared to the light and plasticky Canon and Nikon which feel almost toyish. Another great feature that sets the Sony apart from the d40x and rebel xt is the super steady shot shake reduction. Although it isn't as effective as IS lenses, it does help make photos shake free at slower shutter speeds. It is also great to have it in camera, because it means that all lenses purchased will be stabilized (though it is not very effective over 100mm focal lengths). At this price range I doubt that many people would be able to afford an IS lens kit anyway. Controls are more a preference thing, and I prefer the Layout on  more

Excellent Camera

I've used my Sony A100 for a little over a year now. I findI use it more than my Canon 5D and Canon L lenses. I own the Sony/Zeiss Vario-Sonnar it is an outstanding lensand does almost everything I need to do and does it betterthan most other lenses can do. One of the real advantagesof this camera is its ability to use older Minolta lenses. I managed to buy an excellent quality 79-210 BeercanMinolta lens, which does what I need in the over 80mm range. I recommend the Sony A100 and Zeiss Vario-Sonnar to one andall.

Awesome Camera, great for beginners

Overall I am very impressed with this camera. If you do lots of out door shooting, or flash based shooting, this camera does a great job capturing vivid colors. The auto setting works for most situations. If you are shooting in low light ( night clubs ) and want to capture the people and the lights to give a really lively effect, you will need to purchase a different lense. f1.4 or f1.7 would be ideal. expensive but they will make a huge difference in the quality of the pictures. The only downfall to this camera is its new, and there are not a ton of lenses available for it. On the other hand the Cannon EOS you can find plenty of new and used lenses at great prices. I shoot over 600 photos in a single night with this camera, and it worked great. This camera is capable of shooting up to 3 pics / second. If you are using the buildin flash you will have to wait longer for the flash to recharge. This got annoying as I found myself missing shots because the flash wasn't ready to go  more

Great but could be better

I get great results from this camera, I have had it for about 4 months now. I shoot mainly interiors for a real estate company. I am self taught more or less and could probably benefit with a little more training. But I get great shots with this camera. I love the iso adjustments, you can control natural light blowing out the windows by using the hi80 or hi 200 depending.

Well pleased

Had the camera for approximately one month now, and very pleased with it. B & H is always first rate to deal with, and knowledgeable. Compared pictures from it with my wife's Canon Digital Rebel XT and they are very close. I particularly like the handling. Bought it partly because of the Minolta lens I already own, but the camera stands on it's own merit. I also bought the Sony HVL-F56AM flash, using it on a Strobo-frame bracket with my existing cables. Works very well. Only wish the noise problem with the 800 setting is corrected.

Sony's Great New DSLR Camera --A-100

I am very pleased with this camera. I have been in photography for 55 years and I have a collection of 12 cameras, the last four of these are digital. I have a high end Nikon and a Cannon, but I think this is the best camera I have ever owned.

I am pleased beyond my highest expectations

My wife and I are pros. We photograph wildlife using handheld telephoto lenses. In my case I use my old Minolta's. They work much better on the Sony than they did on the Minolta.If you think photographing moving objects is difficult you aint got a Sony A100. I have been doing photography for over 60 years as a pro. I had to give up film processing because of lung problems. Digital changed that and Sony made digital photography easy but nothing is perfect. It comes close though.

Great Pictures

Wanted to update my previous review. I did receive my Mack Warranty which was taken out of the box prior to my opening the camera. Customer Service was ready to replace if necessary. I took pictures this weekend at a Pinewood Derby event (Lots of folks, cars made of wood, and a lot of activity) and the camera performed flawlessly. If you are thinking of buying a digital SLR buy the Sony Alpha. It will meet and exceed your expectations.

Having fun so far

After extensive research on the Sony Alpha 100 I purchased the body only, I owned Minolta lens from 19-300mm and was ready to make the change to Digital SLR. The order was placed on a Sunday afternoon, I received immediate confirmation, and began tracking my order on Monday morning. The order arrived on Wednesday afternoon via standard ground UPS shipping. Could not ask for better service. After charging my battery and inserting the 2Gb memory card I bought from a local dealer (only because I had some Christmas gift cards) I am now shooting pictures. All of my lens (28-50mm Sigma, 19-35mm Tokina, and 70-300mm Quanteray fit on the Sony body and worked perfect. More to come later.

Awesome

I bought it new when it first came out and it is an amazing camera. Now that the price has come down some it is also an incredible deal. Tremendous image quality. Very easy to use. I've made 13x19's that look awesome. The Super Steady Shake makes a huge difference in low light hand-held shots and saves a fortune in IS lens costs. The grip is worlds better than the Rebel grip. And I've been able to get a ton of old Minolta lenses cheap.

Super Camera

I am an advanced amature photographer and I have been using nothing but Minolta products for my 35 mm work for the past 36 years and I have to say after reading the book for about an hour it was like I was shooting with my 9xi. Its easy to use and the quality is great. I print nothing smaller than 8x10 prints and I use the RAW-Jpeg setting and it is fantastic. If you want some pop in the color use the vivid setting, WOW! the people who knock this camera are looking for a $3,000 dollar camera for under $1,000 and that's just wrong. It does everything it says and than some and all of my flashes and lenses work well with the A-100. There is no need to go and buy the very fast 2GB Sandisk Ultra, I bought the Kingston Elite 2GB and there is no slow down in the reading or writing it is just as fast as using a film camera and I saved about $100.00 in the process. I can't say enough about this camera, its fun and easy without a lot of extra stuff you don't need. ALSO, I DO NOT WORK FOR SONY!

Worth the change

I had my first Yashica TL-Electro SLR at 10, a Nikon 2020 by 20 yrs-old, now at 43 I am handing over the Nikon to my Son because I picked up a Sony A100. I am impressed with it. It is light, feels good in the hand, the controls are easy, the focus is fast and silent. I did not like the proximity focus feature because every time the camera swung around my neck it would start to focus. So I turned off this feature.I got mine with both zoom lens, I am thrilled with the package.Battery life is amazing. What else can I say. what a deal

Sony DSLR A100

Purchased this entry-level DSLR less than a month ago, instead of a similar Canon or Nikon, to take advantage of a sizeable Minolta lens collection. It has already been sent off for warranty repairs - the jog dial which controls aperture and shutter speed quit working. Very disappointing. I like the light weight and have no complaints so far about the quality of the photos, other than the color noise at high ISO's. I am pretty careful with my cameras - every digital I have ever owned still functions beautifully. Given my experience, I have reservations about the camera's reliability and durability for anyone who is more than an occasional point-and-shoot photographer - either I got a lemon or the controls just aren't made for more than minimal use.

What a value!

My good friend Sam bought the Nikon D200 earlier this year. I decided I couldn't live without one of my own. Then I read the announcement of the Sony A100. The three Minolta lenses I already own closed the deal. Great pictures that almost look 3D. I feel like I stole something. This was my 1st order with B&H and I was very pleased with the service.

Beats them all!

I am an advanced amatuer photographer, so I look for value vs. cost. Having owned many film and digital SLR camera systems over the years, I can truly say that this is the best so far.

The New Contender

Has the edge on any item within this price range, and even well exceeding some items which are twice the price. This is Sony's new entry into the slr market- targeted mostly to beginners and also intermediate level photographers. As a professional I was most impressed by its results- even in 11x14 prints. If this is the Sony entry level, I'm really looking forward to the more advanced models. Sony made a very good impression on their first model in this category; I'll be back for more!!