I bought my first real digital SLR camera, the Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 (Sony DSLR-A200), when it was introduced in 2008, and passed the camera to my son as I stayed on with my film photography interests with other Minolta 35mm SLR film cameras and the collection of Minolta AF lenses that I already have. Sixteen years on, I have moved on to the CCD genre (mainly for economics and timeline efficiency of doing film) and was looking back to the nostalgia of Sony's CCD sensor imagery which I needed to be more conscious about when I first bought into the brand.
My wish to have another Sony DSLR from the genre fruited when I settled for a very excitable and enjoyable 14.2MP CCD Sony DSLR-A350 body with a non-working flash, listed at a price lower than listings for the more favored A200s. Since I seldom use, if ever, the built-in flash on the cameras that I have, having a non-working one is easy for me. The A350, over the A200, was Sony's top-tier consumer SLR for 2008, and came with the second-highest pixel count for an APS-C format DSLR at the time of its launch, after the Pentax K20D, which has a 14.6MP CMOS sensor.
Aside from the 14.2MP sensor, the A350 came with a Live View mode that no one else has, pop-up flash, and an articulating LCD screen (as also available on the A300) that pulls out to an angle of about 40 degrees for overhead shots and hinges up through about 130 degrees for waist-level shots. A Dynamic Range Optimization function deals with the extremes of highlights and shadow details, while Super SteadyShot with sensor-shift image stabilization (up to 3.5 stops as claimed by Sony) works for clearer images. In most cases, the Eye-start Autofocus, as seen in the A100, will set the AF mode even before the viewfinder reaches your eye.
The camera (which I am recommending to every CCD enthusiast out there), from a seller in South Korea, came in through the mail as fast as I paid for it (a very efficient seller), spick and span in an almost unused condition, and as listed, complete with a fully charged battery, an aftermarket charger, and a strap. There is not much to do next, aside from mounting a Minolta AF 50mm 1:2.8 Macro which I already have, setting the Time and Date, and a dash out of the door to come back with these shots. The camera worked flawlessly and I couldn't be happier with the selection that I have made.
Tech Brief
The Sony DSLR-A350 is fitted with a 14.2MP APS-C CCD sensor, an electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane shutter with a speed range from 30 to 1/4000 second, plus B. Flash sync speed is 1/160 second. ISO sensitivity is from 100 to 3200. LCD size and resolution is 2.7 inches at 230,400 pixels. Metering is Multi-segment, Center-Weighted, and Spot. The A350 is specific in that it uses only the NP-FM500H battery pack, rated by CIPA for approximately 730 shots (OVF) and 410 shots with Live View.
When powered up, the A350 is automatically placed in Record mode. Exposure modes on the A350 are PASM orientated with an additional Full Auto (Green) and a selection of scene modes (Night Portrait/View, Sunset, Sports Action, Macro, Landscape, Portrait, and Flash Off). The whole Menu System for the A350 is accessible via the Menu Button. The Fn (function) button will call up a function menu containing frequently used functions, while Playback and DISP (Display) modes cycle images to the histogram and thumbnail views.
The camera has a body weight of 582 grams without battery and memory card and comes with a solid, rubbery grip that's very comfortable to hold.
The Live-View Mode
The live-view mode operates when the slider switches on the top panel is set to the Live View position. The function blocks off the optical viewfinder and a tilting mirror in the pentamirror housing directs the light path to a secondary sensor above the optical viewfinder, which in turn, provides the image for the LCD, and the AF sensor below the mirror chamber, without the need for the mirror to be raised. The image, however, is only about 90% of the sensor’s field, slightly less than the camera’s viewfinder.
The live view is also integrated with the on-screen information displays with indicators showing, among others, the AF points selected. Live View also allows you to recompose shots or adjust lens apertures, select different shooting modes, and see the settings picked with the subject displayed in the background. A Smart Teleconverter function is also available (only in Live View mode), accessed via a button on the top right corner of the rear panel, to magnify images by an equivalent of 1.4x or 2x.
Metering on Live View is on an advanced 1200-zone metering system, which uses the dedicated live view sensor to evaluate light levels and color distribution. Reviews indicated that the accuracy of the metering system is exceptional.
Camera Functionalities
Accessing the various camera functions, which are logically located is essentially the same between the A350 and the A200. With the straightforward functional layout design, direct-access controls for ISO sensitivity, exposure compensation, and drive/bracketing/self-timer modes conveniently located on the right top plane of the camera within easy reach of the index finger, while flash, AF, white balance, AF area, and D-Range Optimizer settings are grouped under a screen pulled up by the Fn button.
Though the function is still very usable, using the viewfinder eyepiece for focusing and framing images is slightly inconvenienced by the hinged LCD panel which protrudes and adds to the overall thickness of the camera body.
Interestingly, the adjustable LCD plus live viewing display works equally well with the camera held horizontally or vertically. Excellent though, is its speed. There’s no delay for mirror flip-up or AF while the screen blanks out. There is hardly any capture lag.
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Minolta AF A-Mount Lenses
Minolta AF A-mount lenses, completely compatible and can be used interchangeably with Sony Alpha DSLR series cameras, was introduced with the Minolta 7000 35mm AF SLR film camera, the first camera to feature both integrated autofocus (AF) and motorized film advance. The lenses, sold as Maxxum in the US and α in Japan, were rebranded and sold as Sony-based products when the KonicaMinolta Camera franchise was taken over by Sony.
The range comprises 12 lenses, expanded with 6 new designs and 2 teleconverters. These include the 16mm f/2.8, 20mm f/2.8, 28mm f/2.8, 35mm f/1.4 G (new), 50mm f/1.4, 50mm f/2.8 Macro, 85mm f/1.4 Zeiss (new), 100mm f/2.8 Macro, 135mm f/1.8 Zeiss (new), 135mm f/2.8 STF, 300mm f/2.8 G (new), 500mm f/8 Reflex, 11–18mm f/4.5–5.6, 16–80mm f/3.5–4.5 Zeiss (new), 18–70mm f/3.5–5.6, 18–200mm f/3.5–6.3, 70–200mm f/2.8 G (new), 75–300mm f/4.5–5.6, 1.4× Teleconverter, and 2.0× Teleconverter.
Image Capture
Unlike Sony’s other DSLR cameras, the A350 supports two aspect ratios for image recording: the standard 3:2 and an additional 16:9 format for images viewed on a widescreen TV or computer monitor.
When the camera is set for 16:9 shooting, the top and bottom of the frame are cropped and blacked out in both the viewfinder and the live view screen, allowing you to see what the shot will look like. The Sony A350 uses a compact flash card for memory storage. Image formats supported are RAW, JPEG, and RAW+JPEG.
The A350 is also equipped with Sony’s D-Range Optimiser feature which can adjust the tonal range as you record the image, the same three as the A200: D-R Off, D-R Standard, and D-R+. The A350 applies noise reduction in the RAW file at both ISO 1,600 and 3,200, and according to Sony, applies it again after the usual image processing.
Two types of noise reduction processing are provided, one covering long exposures and the other high ISO settings. Long-exposure NR, available for exposures longer than one second, uses the dark-frame subtraction method, which roughly doubles image processing times.
Working with the Minolta AF 50mm 1:2.8 Macro, a highly acknowledged lens, sharp both as macro and a standard normal, is what 'Minolta Colors' and bokeh are all about. Focussing causes the lens's front element to extend some 48mm forward, and with the closest focus distance of 20cm, it is only about 30mm from the subject at 1:1 magnification. The motor, however, is rather noisy and is not particularly fast
Choice and Selectability
While CCD enthusiasts may still ponder the choice between the 10MP CCD A200 and the 14.2MP CCD A350, with the A200 having the advantage of a lower price point and a larger optical viewfinder, the 14.2 MP CCD A350, on the other hand, has a very fast AF in its unique Live View mode and comes with a very flexible tilting LCD screen. Camera functionalities, physical features, body, and size, sans the Live View, Tilting Screen, and Pop Up Flash of the A350, are almost similar and identical between the two.
No matter which way you look, the fact remains that Minolta AF A-mount lenses, which are completely compatible and can be used interchangeably with Sony Alpha DSLR series cameras, are easily available on auction listings and even in brick-and-mortar stores, some with prices for the asking, and the chance for you to enjoy and experience the nostalgia of 'Minolta Colors.'
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