Sony Alpha DSLR-A900 Review

Sony’s Alpha DSLR-A900 feels like it’s been with us for a long time – after all, the prototype was first shown back in March 2007 and its sensor unveiled in January 2008. So unlike its rivals which are often sprung with little notice, we’ve long-known what Sony’s flagship DSLR would look like and speculated how its new 24 Megapixel full-frame sensor may perform in practice.

Despite this advance information though, using the A900 in person is still quite a surprise in a number of respects. First, it’s larger and heavier than it looks, and once equipped with a quality lens like the Carl Zeiss 24-70mm f2.8, you certainly know you’re carrying it around. This is not a combination for anyone who wants to travel light, but it does feel well-balanced in your hands and like most heavier cameras, this heft instils a degree of confidence. It should also be said, the A900’s very distinct styling comes across better in the flesh than in photographs – it’s a unique but smart-looking camera.

The second surprise is the optical viewfinder, which is one of the largest, brightest and most enjoyable we’ve used in a long time; even in full-frame terms, it’s of a very high standard. Rather than feeling you’re looking down a tunnel at a framed view, you actually find yourself looking around the A900’s viewfinder image.

The third surprise is the speed of handling and operation. 24.6 Megapixels is a great deal of data to process, but the A900 rarely feels like its breaking a sweat. It’s very responsive and attacks continuous shooting, firing at only a fraction below 5fps in our tests – remember Nikon’s D700 may also offer 5fps, but is only handling 12.1 Megapixel images, while Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II shoots at a relatively modest 3.9fps.

Fourth is the resolution. It comes as no surprise to discover 24.6 Megapixels can potentially capture a lot of detail, but taken under the right conditions, the A900’s images still have the ability to impress with how far you can zoom-in before reaching a 100% view.

Gordon Laing

more : cameralabs