Not as good as its predecesor, but Sony's A380 still shines.
Written: Jul 23 '09 (Updated Sep 30 '09)
Product Rating:
Ease of Use:
Durability:
Battery Life:
Photo Quality:
Shutter Lag
Pros: Superb quality CCD sensor, useful live view, fast focus, accepts Minolta lenses, low weight.
Cons: Grip too small, reduced battery life, exposure locked with focus lock in multi-segment metering mode.
The Bottom Line: Easy to recommend to first time DSLR owners and advanced amateurs alike. Extremely easy to use and transport, with the best overall image quality in its price range.
jvandegr's Full Review: Sony Alpha DSLR-A380L Digital Camera with 18-55mm ...
Introduction
My experience with Sony's older A350 has been nothing but positive - I've had fewer issues with this camera than cameras costing three times as much. When Sony announced the A350's successor, I was excited because I was hoping they would address some of the minor issues I had with the A350 so I took the plunge and preparred to sell my A350. Unfortunately, the A380 has not really improved on the A350 and in some ways, takes a few steps backward. However, the A380 is still the best camera in its price range because it provides a better overall photographic experience than any other camera under $900.
Features
The following long list of features is provided by Sony on the A380's USA website:
- 2.7” (diag.) Clear Photo LCD Plus™ featuring Live View with Quick Auto Focus: A large 2.7” (diag.) Clear Photo LCD Plus™ display features Live View with Quick Auto Focus, which lets you compose and shoot pictures in real-time using the LCD, just as you would with a point-and-shoot camera. In addition, the LCD display tilts up or down for low or high-angle shooting situations, such as capturing a child’s first steps or shooting over a crowd.
- SteadyShot INSIDE™ in-camera image stabilization: SteadyShot INSIDE™ in-camera image stabilization is built into each camera body, so every a-mount lens benefits from the ability to minimize blur due to camera shake.
- 14.2 megapixel resolution for ultra-fine detail: A 14.2 megapixel APS-size CCD image sensor captures your images in spectacular, high-resolution detail, giving you the freedom to make large prints and tight crops without sacrificing quality.
- Lightweight and stylish body: The DSLR-A380 features a stylish, modern design with an intuitive button layout for easier operation. In addition, the lightweight body and revised grip make the camera more comfortable to hold and carry.
- Integrated on-screen Help Guide and Graphic Display: An integrated on-screen Help Guide and Graphic Display help take the complexity out of DSLR photography. The Help Guide offers clear, concise explanations of various modes and settings, while the Graphic Display helps you understand the relationship between aperture and shutter speed, as well as the effect each has on photographic results.
- HDMI™ terminal and BRAVIA® Sync™ compatibility: An HDMI™ terminal gives you the option of connecting your camera to a compatible HDTV and playing back your images in stunning high definition quality(HDMI cable required, sold separately). In addition, BRAVIA® Sync™ works with compatible Sony® BRAVIA HDTVs to let you control camera playback using the television’s remote (HDMI cable and BRAVIA Sync capable HDTV required, sold separately).
- High sensitivity (ISO 3200) for superior noise reduction: A broad sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200 enables you to capture beautiful color images even in very dim light -- with High ISO Noise Reduction technology that reduces picture noise artifacts at high-sensitivity ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 settings by eliminating noise from RAW data after analog-to-digital conversion.
- Eye-Start Autofocus: Eye-Start Autofocus System begins precision autofocus adjustments the moment you raise the camera to your eye, so the camera is ready to catch the perfect moment.
- 9-Point AF Sensor: 9-Point Center Cross AF Sensor with improved focus control to help bring images into sharp definition more quickly, and predictive focus control automatically calculates the position of fast-moving subjects.
- Up to 2.5 fps continuous shooting: Continuous Shooting lets you shoot at up to 2.5 fps (frames per second) while viewing your subject through the optical viewfinder so you never lose track of the action.
- Creative Style settings: Creative Style settings give you control over how the camera processes your images. Choose from 8 finishing styles, including Standard, Vivid, Potrait, Landscape, Night View, Sunset, B&W, and Adobe RGB, and fine tune them to your personal taste with the ability to adjust contrast, saturation, and sharpness settings.
- Dynamic Range Optimizer: Dynamic Range Optimizer provides two levels - Standard/Plus to improve results with backlit subjects and recover details hidden in shadows or lost in glare. Normal DRO improves detail using standard gamma curves for fast shot-to-shot response time, while Advanced DRO adjusts dynamic range area-by-area for greater accuracy.
- Built-in Pop-Up Flash: The Auto Pop-Up Flash automatically pops up and fires as needed when the camera is set to certain scene selection modes, helping first-time DSLR photographers shoot more effectively. In addition, the α380 features an integrated hot shoe, which lets you expand your lighting options with a range of accessory flashes (sold separately).
- Anti-Dust Technology: Anti-Dust Technology helps keep the CCD imager clean, resulting in consistently better pictures, by utilizing a static-free anti-dust coating on the CCD filter, as well as an anti-dust vibration that automatically shakes the CCD to help dislodge dust each time the camera is shut off.
- Stamina® Battery power: Stamina® Battery power allows you to take up to 500 shots on a fully charged NP-FM50 InfoLITHIUM® battery when using the optical viewfinder mode, and you’ll be able to see how much power remains in percentage increments, so you can keep shooting in confidence.
- Smart Teleconverter 2X Digital Zoom: Smart Teleconverter 2X Digital Zoom lets you zoom in electronically on your subject and reproduces pixels on a 1:1 basis so there’s no degradation in picture quality. One touch zooms in at 1.4X, while the second touch advances to 2X zoom -- creating the 35mm equivalent of a telephoto effect with the camera’s standard 18-55mm optical zoom lens.
- BIONZ™ image processor: The advanced BIONZ™ image processor uses hardware-based Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuitry to enhance images with rich tonal reproduction, reduced noise, and improved white balance and exposure control, for clear, sharp photos even at high sensitivity settings.
- PhotoTV HD compatibility: PhotoTV HD compatibility lets you automatically create high-resolution thumbnails optimized for viewing on a compatible Sony® BRAVIA® HDTV.
- Scene Selection Modes: Scene Selection Modes optimize camera settings for different shooting situations. Just turn the Mode Dial to select from Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports, Sunset, and Night View modes.
- Index and Slide Show Display: Index and Slide Show Display enable you to quickly review your photos using 4, 9 or 25-frame index views, or as an automatic slide show with fade-in/fade-out effect.
- Function Guide Display: Function Guide Display provides intuitive and easy to use on-screen menus that can be activated and operated with one hand using the Fn (Function) button and controller button to adjust Flash mode, Autofocus mode, White Balance, Metering mode, AF area and D-Range Optimizer.
- Dual slot Compatiblity for Memory Stick® and SD media: Compatible with high-capacity Memory Stick PRO Duo™, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ and SD/SDHC media (sold separately) for convenient storage and sharing of your images.
Ergonomics
This is a very compact DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera, which makes it easy to transport. However, smaller is not usually better when image quality is paramount. Larger cameras usually allow for better grip, which helps steady the camera and can yield sharper images. Larger cameras also tend to have more weight, which can help balance the weight of the lens and also yield sharper images. To counter the balance problems of smaller and lighter cameras, manufacturers need to provide good ergonomics. This is usually done by providing a deep grip for the shooter's fingers and a substantial thumb grip. The A350 already had less than desirable ergonomics in terms of its relatively small grips and unfortunately, the A380 takes another step backward. The small finger grip makes this camera somewhat insecure in the shooter's hands while also increasing hand fatigue. However, the grip is covered with a good quality sticky rubber that makes up for some of the loss of grip size. The thumb grip is improved over the A350 and I'm happy to see that Sony addressed this issue, but the front finger grip is more important. If you have large hands, you may want to consider buying the A350 instead of the A380. One additional note about camera stability - Sony is doing a great job of making light weight yet sharp and durable lenses, probably more so than any other camera manufacturer. This being the case, the reduced mass of the A380 becomes less of a problem.
Sony made some significant changes to the controls of the A380 from the A350. First, they moved the control dial to the front of the camera, rather than keeping it on the top. It is still designed to be operated with the index finger, but now more movement of my finger is required to activate the shutter release button. Most of Nikon's cameras are designed this way and it never made much sense to me. I'll call this a small step in the wrong direction. The second noticeable change is to the mode dial. Sony's designers recessed the front side of the dial to make it flush with the body, but kept the rear open. I guess they intend it to be operated with one finger only, and this is certainly possible. However, I always find the A350's non-recessed dial more precise because it can be operated with two fingers. Again, for the average weekend amateur photographer, this is likely not a big deal and I'm probably being too critical. Finally, Sony removed the impossibly small playback, delete, and menu buttons from the left side of the LCD screen on the A350 and relocated them to other parts of the camera body on the A380. I could usually only operate these buttons with a fingernail, so this is a good move. It hasn't taken me long to adjust to the new locations, and the buttons are definitely easier to operate.
Sony's Live View feature noticeably improves the ergonomics of this camera over all others. In Live View mode, the optical viewfinder is closed and the scene appears only on the LCD. Because autofocus is always operable while using Live View, and because the LCD screen tilts, you can place the camera in nearly any position and still compose and focus your shot. The A350's screen also tilted, but Sony increased the angle of tilt on the A380 to make it even more useful. For extreme low-angle shooting or shooting around obstacles, this combination of Live View autofocus and a tilting LCD screen can't be beat. I've been able to get difficult shots in just a few seconds that would have otherwise required minutes of tripod setup and some very uncomfortable shooting positions. With Sony's SteadyShot feature (formerly known as Super Steady Shot) built into the camera body, camera shake is greatly reduced in these low-angle shots. From 11mm to 200mm, I'm consistently able to shoot three stops slower than I would without SteadyShot. Putting all this together, as a photojournalist, I much prefer to leave the tripod at home and this camera helps me do just that. Unfortunately, this Live View system only covers 90% of the scene, so a quick playback is sometimes necessary to ensure critical framing (playback shows 100% of the captured image). The optical viewfinder shows 95% of the scene, which is still less than desirable.
Build Quality
The A380's build quality is not going to be one of its best selling points, but it isn't bad either. The all plastic body can take a few bumps without any trouble, but Sony didn't intend this camera to suffer professional abuse. There is no environmental sealing and the plastic feels just a little less substantial than that of the A350. Amateur photographers shouldn't have any problems, at least based on my A350's track record - this camera has proven impressively durable in some very tough shooting conditions. So far, I've had no problems whatsoever with the A380. So, my initial impression of the A380's build quality is that it is at least average, but this is something that must be assessed over much longer periods of time. I'll update this part of my review as needed.
Autofocus Performance
Like the A350, the A380's autofocus speed is as fast as any DSLR camera, including the $7000 professional models. When using the center focus point, I have yet to find a faster focusing camera. Of course, autofocus speed is much more a product of lens performance these days. Using Sony's 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 lens, the A380 is a rocket. With older Minolta fixed focal length lenses (called "prime" lenses), the same is true. In short, focus speed is absolutely not an issue with this camera. The focus points are better illuminated in the A380 than the A350, which is good - in bright light conditions, I sometimes had trouble identifying my focus point selection in the A350. However, I'd like them to be brighter still. Focus accuracy is also very good, especially when using the center focus point. This is true of almost any DSLR camera. The corner focus points can struggle slightly in low light conditions, and this is where I would like to Sony make some improvements as the same was true on the A350. Of course, I can always just use the center focus point, keep my the shutter release button depressed half way to maintain the focus lock, and recompose. Except for one big problem - Sony insists on locking the exposure with the the focus lock in multi-segment metering mode, which means my recomposed shot is likely not exposed properly. Which brings me to...
Exposure (metering) Performance
Exposure accuracy of the A380 in multi-segment mode seems to rival that of the A350, which is great. Both of the these cameras have some of the highest exposure accuracy I have seen. In fact, they are more consistently reliable than cameras costing twice as much, such as the Nikon D300. Spot metering is also very good and I've only been able to fool it on a couple of occasions. The A380 registers changing light conditions almost immediately, so no problems here. My biggest problem with the A380 overall relates to exposure locking. As mentioned earlier, locking the exposure with the focus lock in multi-segment metering mode makes absolutely no sense. The number one reason to focus lock is to recompose, in which case the camera needs to be allowed to re-meter the new scene. The A380 won't allow this to happen. This means that the photographer must rely on the fixed autofocus points, which isn't always possible. In spot metering mode or center-weighted metering mode, the expsoure does not lock with the focus lock. Thankfully, this means center-weighted can be used as a work-around and the exposure results are similar to those in mult-segment mode. On the other hand, I would actually prefer to have the exposure lock with focus lock in spot metering mode, but it does not. Sony needs to make some adjustments here.
Sensor Image Quality
Separating sensor image quality from lens optical quality is not easy to do. Sony's lower-end "kit" lenses (such as the 18-55mm) offer decent, but never great, optical quality, which may cause first time users to become unhappy with their camera. Twist a Sony or Minolta fixed focal length lens on this camera (such as the Sony 50mm 1.4) and the image quality of this CCD will take your breath away. Overall, this is the best digital imaging sensor available on the market today. It some regards, I even find it superior to Sony's professional 24 megapixel CMOS sensors. While CMOS sensors tend to provide lower noise at higher ISO settings, which is good for low light shooting, they can't match the color, contrast, and sharpness of most CCD sensors. Like the A350, the A380's 14.2 megapixel CCD is truly a gem of a sensor, and one that I hope will be around for a long time.
If you spend some time looking through digital camera review sites online, you'll notice a lot of discussion about high ISO performance in DSLR cameras. In short, a lot of amateur photographers spend a lot of time measuring their cameras instead of trying to improve their photography. Like the A350, the A380 has slightly more noise at high ISO settings than some other cameras. This means that you will see slightly more "grain" in the image at these settings. Since most photographers capture over 95% of their images between ISO 100 and 400, a camera's high (800 and above) ISO performance should be the least of a photographer's concerns. The exception to this is photojournalists who need to capture available light imagery (no flash) in low lighting conditions on a regular basis. Of course, the A380 was never designed for this type of photography. The A380 offers noise free performance at ISO 100 and 200, and just a little noise becomes apparent at ISO 400 if you really look hard. When I shoot at ISO 800, I notice a fair amount of noise when viewed at 100% on my computer monitor. When I show those same images to my agency or my clients, they never say anything about it because composition, focus, and exposure are all much more important.
One of the great aspects (literally) of the A350 is its ability to shoot 16:9 aspect ratio in addition to the traditional 3:2 aspect ratio. The A380 has retained this ability. I find this aspect ratio more suited to my shooting style than the 3:2 aspect ratio, and I'm very pleased that Sony is keeping this as an option on their cameras. (UPDATE: This corrects an error in my review that stated 16:9 was only available at a lower resolution - thanks to David Kilpatrick for catching this)
Point-and-shoot camera owners who are considering an upgrade to a DLSR might be wondering if the image quality of the A380 is that much better than a high-end point and shoot, such as the Canon G10. Without question, yes. The A380 has better overall image quality than some pro-oriented DSLRs so it's safe to say that even the best point-and-shoots are no match. If you only want to view small images on your computer monitor or print no larger than 4 X 6, you may not notice the difference in some shooting situations. In difficult shooting situations, or when larger images are desirable, the A380 is the way to go.
Interface
One significant improvement over the A350 for first time DSLR owners is the in-camera help guide. When the mode dial is rotated to a new selection, the help guide pops up and describes what the mode is best used for, a suggestion on how to get the most from that mode, and an example image. For the most experienced photographer, this very basic information is not likely to be helpful. First time users who have only used point-and-shoot cameras in the past will likely find it quite helpful. Perhaps most importantly, this is the first step toward in-camera instruction manuals, which have definite advantages over the paper manuals that most of use forget to bring along on our vacation. Overall, Sony's interface remains the most intutitive and easy to use of any camera manufacturer and that makes the A380 very easy to recommend to first time DSLR users.
Battery
Sony took another step backward in powering the A380. The A350's battery (the NP-FM500H) was one of the best in the industry and needed no improvement. The A380's battery has good power management features, but it has less life per charge. Sony claims approximately 510 shots using the optical viewfinder, and 230 shots in Live View mode (LCD only). With a mix of both, I was able to get 400 shots on one charge. Not bad, but nowhere near the 700 shots I could get from the A350's battery. Personally, I think this is a significant step backward. I suspect Sony realized that most weekend shooters don't need as much battery life, so they lightened the load a little. In this regard, it is probably okay for most photographers. If you're like me and push your gear a little bit, just get another battery and keep it in your pack. Unfortunately for me, this meant buying yet another battery because there is no backward compatibility.
Memory
The A380 accepts three types of memory: SD, SDHC, and Sony's Memory Stick PRO Duo. Gone is the CompactFlash option found on the A350. I prefer CompactFlash for its durability and larger physical size, but I haven't had any significant problems with SDHC cards yet. Once again, it seems that Sony is thinking smaller is better and in the marketing world, perhaps it is. With SDHC cards readily available in a variety of capacitites for not much expense, I think the average user will have no problems whatsoever. In the A380, it's the best option. The camera's 2.5 frames per second rate slows me down in street shooting before my SDHC card's write rate does, unless I hit the buffer limit which is about six shots in RAW mode. Sony 18-55mm lens
I prefer to buy cameras without kit lenses because kit lenses are generally poor. Sony's previous kit lens, the 18-70mm, was a good example of this problem. However, as of mid-summer 2009, it is almost impossible to find the A380 body without the kit lens. Surprisingly, the kit appears to have the same price tag as the body only, so I just went for it. I'm happy to report that this lens is a noticeable improvement over the Sony 18-70mm. Specifically, it is sharper at most apertures. Color rendition is good, but contrast could still be improved. Chromatic aberration is still present in some high contrast situations, especially near the limits of the zoom range. The build quality is improved slightly, but the range is more limited. I'd also like to see the zoom ring and manual focus ring be a little more dampened, but they're manageable and definitely better than some of the kit offerings from Nikon and Canon. Of course, it's very light and compact and makes an ideal travel lens in this regard. For first time DSLR users, this is a good starting lens, but one that you'll want to upgrade as your abilities develop.
Conclusions
At first, I was puzzled why Sony didn't improve the A350, and even more puzzled why they actually took a couple small steps backward in terms of ergonomics and battery life of the A380. The explanation will likely become more apparent in the next few months when Sony announces their mid-range DSLR cameras. The A380's more compact and stylish appearance, combined with its in-camera help guides, are meant to appeal to first-time DSLR owners and weekend landscape photographers. If this is you, I highly recommend this camera over any other in its price range. There are cheaper cameras available from Nikon and Canon, but you get what you pay for. So, to summarize:
What needs improvement: 1) exposure should not lock with focus lock 2) front grip needs to be much larger 3) battery life needs to be improved 4) live view only displays 90% of scene 5) no vertical grip is available What works great as it is: 1) possibly the best digital sensor available 2) very useful live view 3) very fast autofocus 4) low weight 5) all around intuitive operation
This review is copyright protected and may not be reproduced without written permission.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 800 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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