Buy Sony Alpha A700 12.24MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)Sony Alpha A700 12.24MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) Product Description:
- 12.24-megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor captures enough detail for poster-size prints
- Body only; lenses sold separately
- In-camera image stabilization and anti-dust vibration systems; Eye-Start Autofocus system
- 3-inch LCD display; 11-point autofocus system; 40-segment multi-pattern honeycomb metering
- Powered by lithium-ion battery; stores images on CF I/II and Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo cards
Product Description
Sony Alpha A700 12.24MP Digital SLR Camera - Body Only
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
171 of 173 people found the following review helpful.
A700 Fun, Easy, Great Features
By K. Edwards
NOTES: I still Own this camera in Dec 2010. There are a lot of new cameras with exciting new features. But in my opion this is the LAST GREAT APS format still image DSLRs. And looking at Sony's unfornunate need to copy Nikon with things like cluttering the Shutter Button with a power switch on all new models the A700, A900 (which I have used) and A850 may be the last cameras that fit the hand and quick clean shooting experience. Since I wrote this review Sony did a major Firmware upgrade that improved image quality related to high ISO noise and allows users to show RAW with no noise reduction. On top of that Lightroom 3 fixes the problems Adobe had dealing with Sony RAW files. Both of these upgrades were for me were like getting a new camera. There are moments video would be nice, I would like the improvements in focusing Sony and others have created in the past 3 years. But I have to say.. there are cars with features and classic cars people love to drive.. The A700 is a camera that makes photography a joy and all the new features seem to only clutter that experience so someday I will add a new camera to my gear. I will never "upgrade the A700" I think it as a moment of magic for still photography before Video and more technology transformed the experience forever. There is a reason USED and NEW UNSOLD STOCK have held their price so well. If you own Sony / Minolta lenses this is a great camera to own even though it is one of the last cameras without Live View on LCD etc. If you want a photograpy tool that doesn't get in the way of your art with features.. think about this camera. It will be a classic.Original Review Soon after Buying A700 in 2007 -----------------For years I shot Canon SLRs and for a while I moved to Nikon and Canon smaller digicams. When I jumped back to the SLR format in digital I ended up with the Konica-Minolta 5D over the Canon and Nikon cameras in my budget because of great image quality and in camera stabilization which works very well.I recently upgraded my KM 5D to an A700. WOW!! This is by far the easiest camera I have ever used. Head and shoulders above traditional menus and tiny LCD Icons. The rear LCD shows you all the important settings at one time in a large easy to read format, sometimes with colors to alert you to what might be an unusual setting.When you need to change anything from Shutter Speed to White Balance you do it right on the settings screen either by pressing one of the several dedicate buttons or using the easy thumb joystick. For shooting I almost never have to go into a menu except to format the memory card.Auto Focus and Shutter:It is fast and quiet. The AF has been tested faster than the new Canon in most lighting situations, though lenses on both systems will affect speed.Both Sony and Now Sigma are coming out with quite focusing lenses that have built in motors so, Sony users will have lots new lens choices.KEY FEATURES I LIKE:Stabilization:The in body stabilization works well With my 18-250 I have pulled off some shots even at 1/10s while at 250mm That is over 5 stops of stabilization, Sony only claims 3.5 stops. This stabilization works on all Sony And Minolta format auto-focus lenses. Some systems like Canon do not offer stabilized lenses in key formats like primes(non zooms) that are used for close-up macro shots or portrait work. It also adds cost and weight to each lens, with this system if you can find a bargain on a lower cost lens or a used lens it is still stabalized.Example: Minolta made a 70-210 f4 lens often called a "beercan" that is legend in sharpness and image quality. It is often seen used here and on auction sites for $125-$175. It like all Sony compatible lenses becomes stabilized and would be like getting a $600 plus lens for $150.ISO:The Sony A700 offers ISO 100-3200 and up to 6400 as "extended ISO" but all ISO ranges are available at all times, no menu settings will enable or disable them like on the Canon 40D. It offers the ISO in 1/3 stop increments, but using the the front control wheel lets you jump a full stop at a time.Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO):Sony has several levels of DRO that do what used to take shooting in RAW format and working in tools like Photoshop. It automatically recovers overly bright areas and areas hidden in the shadows so your pictures look more like what your eye can see. Unlike some other cameras that just apply shadow recovery settings to the whole image, Sony has DRO levels that analyze and adjust the image by area to make the effect more natural and keep noise down.Wireless Flash:The built in flash is also a wireless trigger for the Sony Flashes and others including the old KM 5600hs and 3600HS, and some Sigma and Metz models. On some systems this is a $150 to $200 add on.Remote abilities included:For taking family shots etc. Sony has free wireless remote that lets you take trigger the camera or a 2 second delay then shoot. Plus tons of controls for showing and reviewing your images on a TV. If you hook up the camera to an HDMI TV and to a printer at the same time you can do a family slide show and tell it to print picture from the remote as people ask for copies.It also has remote control software for the computer so you can set it up like a studio and shoot and review images from the attached PC. Great for doing lots of portraits at events without more expensive software or accessories.It supports both Standard Video and HDMI output so you can see the images on your new HD TV.Memory Card Support:Unlike the 40D it supports the new UDMA 300x CF cards and memory stick pro HG so that you can take 25+ cRAW shots a 5 FPS before it needs to pause or an unlimited number of JPGS in any size. You can have both a CF card and Memory stick installed at the same time and switch over when one fills without stopping to open your bag and change memory cards.Body Seals:Its not splash proof but Sony has sealed all the doors and controls so dust and stray moisture will not hurt the camera. Some makers like Canon reserve full seals for more expensive cameras.IT JUST FEELS GOOD IN MY HAND:It was love at first touch.. a camera designed to fit in the hand.Unless there is a specific lens or very special accessory that you need on another camera brand, this camera should be #1 or near the top of the list for cameras you consider.Sony may be new to DSLRs, but they make sensors for lots other DSLRs like Nikon and when they bought the camera business they got most of the designers with years of experience from Minolta. Sony is building cameras for people who love photography and with features for people who like a camera to work with new technology like HD TVs. That makes it a fun camera to own.I looked at the Canon 30D, 40D, Pentax K10D and Nikon D300 before choosing this camera.BTW the Nikon D300, would be my second choice, but would cost much more, and still would have limited options on which lenses are stabalized.
78 of 82 people found the following review helpful.
Sony's First True Professional Grade Digital SLR
By John Kwok
Late last month I had the good fortune to try the Sony Alpha 700 camera at Sony's Photo Plus East booth. I found the camera easy to use, with the controls well-laid out from an ergonomic perspective. I was surprised that I could activate autofocusing via my eye movement. I was also quite impressed with the camera's built-in image stabilizer. And yet, what impressed me most was how well the camera performed with two Zeiss lenses I borrowed; a zoom lens and the Zeiss 85mm f1.4 Planar (Both lenses, along with the 135mm Sonnar, are built in Japan by Sony using not only Zeiss designs, but also stringent Zeiss quality control. As an aside, I heard incorrectly from a Sony representative that Zeiss doesn't build its own lenses, but allows others to manufacture them under the Zeiss name. This is an incorrect statement since Zeiss builds several lenses for its ZM rangefinder camera system and the Hasselblad V series medium format cameras at its Oberkochen, Germany factory.). Both lenses produced crisp, high contrast images of the kind I've come to expect from Zeiss lenses, having used both discontinued Contax/Yashica SLR Zeiss lenses and Zeiss Ikon ZM rangefinder Zeiss lenses recently.The Sony Alpha 700 is a true professional grade digital SLR, built to similar exacting standards as those from its key competitors; Canon and Nikon. While the camera reminds me most of an updgraded version of late, lamented Minolta Maxxum flagship professional digital SLR cameras, there are ample new features built within the camera that demonstrate Sony's commitment to technical innovation, beginning with the built-in image stabilizer. Therefore, this new digital SLR will appeal to those who are either advanced amateur or professional photographers, especially those who are familiar with the Minolta Maxxum system (However, I predict that Sony's new innovations, including its autofocusing Zeiss lenses, will draw some interest from photographers who might otherwise consider only Canon or Nikon digital SLRs.). Believe the hype about this camera which you may have read in Popular Photography, American Photo or Shutterbug. It is hype that is indeed well-earned.
46 of 47 people found the following review helpful.
Excellent, class leading DSLR, but not perfect (what is?)
By George Nada
I have a Canon 5D and although it produces impressive pictures, I found too many of my pictures were blurred and I found myself not carrying my 5D around as it was a heavy camera (front heavy and hard to hold still IMHO) with the 24-105mm lens attached (hence the blurred shots). I started to look for a smaller and lighter camera - comfort was a major issue as was the size of the viewfinder and quality of the LCD as the 5D's LCD is frankly poor - very hard to tell if something was sharply focused or the appropriate colour. I tried out the following:Pentax K20 - didn't like the focusing system or the LCD menu system, but otherwise impressed with the camera. Also, it's not a Nikon or Canon which is attractive given their saturation of the market - it's good not to go with the herd sometimes! Good range of lenses.Nikon D80 - uncomfortably ergonomics for me, as with the D300, the thumb rest digs right into the lower joint of my thumb making it hard to hold firmly, I also didn't like the reversal of the focus and zoom rings on their lenses (focus at the back, zoom at the front).Nikon D300 - very nice camera, but almost 100g heavier than the 5D!Canon 40D - very similar to the 5D in terms of size, weight and shape. Comfortable but bland ergonomics and still on the heavy side. Nice big viewfinder, very impressive large information in the viewfinder too, compatible with my existing lenses. But it's a Canon (I have an aversion to monopolies or duopolies - it's not good for consumers or innovation!) and with their quality 17-80 lens it was going to weigh little less than the 5D.Olympus 510 - brilliant size, weight and comfortable ergonomics, good kit lenses. I don't like the 4/3rds system (a smaller sensor just can't be better as I found with comparisons to the 5D and it makes the viewfinder very small) and their menu system is plain ugly. With a 900,000 pixel moveable screen and cleaner menu, Olympus would corner the small DSLR market.I decided to buy an A700 with a Carl Zeiss 16-80 lens and have used it for a couple of weeks and overall I am very happy - I use it far more than the 5D as it is light and small and easy to carry. On the downside, the picture quality is not as good as the 5D especially at high ISOs where the Sony is noticeably grainy. Amateur Photographer has a review in their current issue which shows that in terms of IQ, resolution and noise the 5D beats the D300 and 40D, so the A700 really can't compete. But there's no point having the best camera sitting at home gathering dust.Sony A700 Pros:- Lightweight and small compared to others in class.- Very nice ergonomics and comfort in the hand. Easy to hold very tight with very little camera wobble compared to the 5D which is front-heavy and less easy to hold still.- Brilliant LCD, easy to check colour accuracy and sharpness - don't even need to zoom to check focus. Sony and Nikon are miles ahead of Canon, Olympus and Pentax here.- Carl Zeiss lens is lightweight and small too, with a very useful range. Very sharp and colourful lens.- Very bright and large viewfinder - which is so important and put me off Canon's 20D and 30D a few year's ago which have small, pokey viewfinders.- Anti-shake device is superb, makes a huge difference and in my view is better than the lens version with Canon and Nikon. It applies to all lenses which is a major plus.- I love the shake level meter in the viewfinder window. It is brilliant and almost on its own has made me a convert to the A700. A little chart fluctuates depending on camera shake, so you wait until the chart drops and then take the picture - it is so helpful.- White balance settings have 7 variable settings (-3, 0, +3) which is very helpful.- Lovely clean menu system, easier and quicker than Canon and up there with Nikon's which is also lovely to use. Olympus and Pentax really needs to take note, as their menus are cluttered and not intuitive. The A700's menu is a pleasure to navigate.- Dedicated ISO, drive, WB and exposure buttons is very quick and useful, all are large and easy to press and can be used without even taking one's eye away from the viewfinder. Also a custom function button (NOT a direct printer button like Canon!). I don't miss the top LCD screen at all - big buttons are more helpful!- Compressed RAW looks as good as RAW but takes less space and time.- Outdoor shots are very sharp, very colourful and contrasty. I mainly take travel and outdoor pics so this camera really suits my style and needs.Sony A700 Cons:- Picture quality and resolution is not up to Canon 5D standards (but matches 40D and D80 etc). I appreciate they are not like-for-like cameras or in the same class, and the 5D is full frame etc, but it is 3+ years old. My experience is borne out by Amateur Photographer - full frame is best. I should add that at low ISOs (200 or below) and shooting RAW or cRAW the Sony output is almost as good as the Canon, which when coupled with the Sony's size, weight, LCD and anti-shake device is enough for me.- Where the Sony suffers is at higher ISOs. At 800 the 5D has almost zero grain or noise whereas the Sony, to me, is noisy in the shadows and darkers areas of the pic. If you mainly shoot indoors or in low light, this may not be the right camera for you.- Poor dedicated range of lenses. Not as many lenses as available for Canon and not the same quality either in terms of build and glass. Too many of the Sony lenses I have read about have had poor reviews. No problems if you have Minolta glass - but again, not the range or quality of Canon.- Too few Sony lenses have USM/HSM/SSM etc motors. The Zeiss lens is quick but not as quick as my Canon lenses with USM motors. More importantly the Zeiss lens is very "squeaky" in use - when going from completely out of focus to focus there is an audible whirr and squeak as it is not an SSM lens. Only the high-end telephotos have SSM. Also, many of the Sigma lenses don't have HSM while they do for Canon and Nikon mounts making them also loud and slower.- WB under incandescent light is poor - very orange cast and even with the parameters being changed, is still badly inaccurate.- There is no ISO reading in the viewfinder info bar which would be helpful and is standard at this level of DSLR.- The AEL button is very raised away from the body, as a result, when pressed, it is hard to keep my glasses close to the viewfinder and my view becomes distorted - this is actually quite annoying, but nevertheless not a deal breaker by any means.- The rubber grips on the lens are very fine and are a dust magnet. It's a really minor point, but after one week my Carl Zeiss lens looked shabby because any dust and dirt gets stuck in the fine rubber ridges and is really hard to clean.Overall:Overall the Sony A700 is a really excellent camera if you shoot at low ISOs (800 or under), mainly shoot outdoors and want something light and compact to carry all day. If you are coming from film where shooting higher than ISO 400 was virtually unheard of, this is a great camera. I give it 4 stars not 5 as it is not perfect (though arguably no camera is perfect, and this comes as close as any) - to me it is a bit too noisy from ISO 400 up, certainly compared to the D300 with which it shares a sensor. But, it doesn't matter 90% of the time. V Highly Recommended.
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