Sony's Altogether Smart Alpha

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For me, a good camera is like a nice pair of heels. I'm willing to deal with a little discomfort if it makes me look good. So I didn't really mind that Sony's (SNE) digital SLR Alpha100 felt heavier around my neck than some of the other SLRs on the market. Sure, it's a big boy, weighing in at more than a pound without the lens. But, it also has a bunch of features and intuitive manual settings that kept me from fumbling around too much and appearing hopelessly confused.



I should preface any review with the admission that hopelessly confused -- and somewhat scared -- is how I often look when fidgeting with most devices other than my cell phone and iPod. If it doesn't have a keypad or a click wheel, I'm pretty much lost. I should also mention that I asked for help testing the camera from a professional photographer friend who looks completely relaxed and happy around all electronic devices, particularly the picture-taking kind.



That said, the 10.2-megapixel Alpha100 is simple enough to make even a novice like me appear to know what they are doing. The reason: It can be controlled with little wheels located where the forefinger and thumb naturally rest when holding the camera. The wheels are smart enough to automatically change their function, depending on what you are doing with the camera. When you are taking pictures on the manual setting, for example, the wheel controls the shutter speed. When viewing pictures on the camera's bright, 2.5-in. LCD screen, the wheel lets you quickly scroll through shots.



FUN MANUAL MODE.

Another wheel at the top of the camera lets users select from preset options tailored for a variety of photos, including landscapes, sunsets, portraits, nighttime scenes, objects in motion, and small images up close. Another bonus: Touching the menu button after selecting any of these settings brings up a full explanation of the shutter speed and aperture settings pertaining to each default. It's a cool feature for the photographer-in-training trying to learn the optimal setting for capturing clear images in different conditions.



The same wheel also lets the photographer select between manual, aperture priority, and shutter priority settings. It's in manual that this camera really becomes fun. You can slow shutter speed all the way down to 30 seconds for night photos or pictures where you want to show a lot of movement. A person walking, for example, leaves long hazy streaks behind them. Movement becomes blur. The shutter can also be sped up to 1/4,000th of a second for when the photographer wants to freeze every moment of action. At this speed -- the "bulb" setting -- it's possible to capture a kid in midjump without any blurring.



When playing around with slower shutter speeds, it's necessary to have some help steadying the camera. Luckily, Sony has a "Super SteadyShot" image-stabilization feature that compensates for shaky hands. It's particularly necessary given the heft of the device, which after a while can make novices used to super-small point-and-shoot cameras feel like they're hoisting a brick.



PROSUMER'S CHOICE.

The camera also has several other features to make photos look good in difficult conditions. It has a high light sensitivity [ISO 1600] to reduce blur when taking pictures in dim settings, such as at dusk or in the rain. It has high-speed hardware, the Bionz Image Processor, which allows super-fast shooting and produces fine, clear images. It also has a setting to reduce red eye and so-called noise -- you know, those specks that make a photo look like a pointillist painting.



Another nice addition is the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that come standard with the camera. On full charge, the camera can take up to 750 shots. Other cameras make you buy the preferred battery separately. However, it's possible you pay for the battery in other ways. The camera body alone is nearly $900. Add an 18- to 70-mm zoom lens, the cheapest listed on Sony's Web site, and the camera will set you back a minimum of $1,100. Other 10-megapixel cameras run for about $1,000 with the lens.



Still, considering professional cameras cost four times that for the body alone, the prosumer may find this camera a steal. The pictures look beautiful on the bright LCD screen and come out just as nice when you print them from a PC. But the best part is the design is simple enough to help you take your best photos. After an hour of shooting vibrant photos of a water fountain on a cloudy day with my friend, a stranger approached and asked if I was a photographer.



"No," I said. "I'm an amateur. I barely can use a point and shoot."



"Well, you looked like a professional," he said.



With this camera, I almost felt like one.