Sony Alpha SLTA55V DSLR with Translucent Mirror Technology and 3D Sweep Panorama (Camera Body only) (Black)

I've had a Panasonic FZ30 "bridge" camera for five years. It is the type of camera without interchangeable lenses and a small sensor. I've really enjoyed that camera as it had good ergonomics, a great 35mm to 420mm 12x zoom lens, shot video, a good set of features, and pretty good stills. However I found it limited me in three areas (there's always something right?):

1) I wanted better image quality.
2) I wanted better low light capability.
3) I wanted better video performance.

Not wanting to carry and change lenses I searched for another bridge mega-zoom type of camera but they all suffered from the same small sensors and limited low light capability. So I decided I had to make the leap to an interchangeable lens camera. I would search for one that had a sort of mega-zoom lens available so I could just have one lens.

I looked at DSLRs but they are so big, so expensive, and so heavy that I shyed away from them.

Recently several micro four-thirds size sensor cameras came on the market, all using a new set of lenses, but I wasn't impressed with them. I thought if the sensor had been the biggest problem in my FZ30 I didn't want just a step up, I wanted a large leap up in sensor size.

Then I saw Sony introduce the A33 and A55. Reading through the specification I was so excited to see it would likely meet all of my wants and then some.

I've had the A55 for just over a week and I am very happy with it. I have the one lens I wanted (sort of) which is the Sony SAL18250 with a 33mm equivalent of 27mm to 375mm, almost as much zoom as my FZ30. I do appreciate the wider 27mm and can crop on the PC to extend the zoom range. Photo quality with this camera/lens combination is a huge improvement, just what I was looking for.

This camera is small compared to most other DSLRs on the market, but it is competitive in photo quality, ahead in video quality, and has some great features not found on even much more expensive cameras.

The sensor used in the A55 is an ASP-C size used in many prosumer DSLR cameras. Sony has done a great job combining advanced features into a small and light body.

As for low light the FZ30 was limited to 400 ISO while the A55 goes up to a somewhat grainy 12,800 and can mimic 25,000 in one mode. So it far exceeds my needs for low light capability. There is little noise up to about 6,400.

The video quality is astounding at 1080i/60fps (captured at 30fps, recorded at 60fps). It is smooth, sharp, and the color is good even in low light. Check it out on youtube.com

There are lots of detailed professional reviews online so I won't go much deeper - and I'm not the one to do that anyway. I'm just an amateur photographer who wants to take good photos of my seven month old grand son, some videos of wake boarders behind our boat, and photos of family gatherings. This camera will do that and much more.

There are many complaints of low battery life but it is better than my FZ30 so I am happy. I have three batteries which should solve any low battery issues anyway. It depends a lot on your shooting conditions. Yesterday I took 700 photos with very little auto focus required; the battery level showed 75% after those 700 shots. This was just a test and the total duration was less than 15 minutes. I just offer it to say that your shooting conditions will dramatically alter battery life.

Pros:
- Light weight, small and easy to handle.
- Great photo quality
- Even better video quality than most.
- Very fast, continuous Auto Focus even during video.
- Level indicator on screen (I can't tell you how many images I've had to adjust photos on the PC for a crooked horizon)
- Fully articulated 2.9" LCD (I won't buy a camera without one of these)
- Very nice Electronic View Finder. Some see this as a "Con" if they've come from an OVF. I've only used EVF for 10 years so this is no big deal for me.
- Nice, sharp, 18-250 lens (an option I purchased separately.
- Panorama mode - take an auto-stitched sequence of photos in one quick motion. Awesome feature.
- High Dynamic Range - Take, for example, a photo indoors with a bright window in the background. HDR will properly expose both the inside of the room and the image outside the window - automatically in the camera.
- Hand Held Twilight mode - take a photo in very dark conditions. The camera will take 6 photos and combine them to achieve amazing 25,000 ISO equivalent photos.
- Night portrait - uses the flash for the person in the foreground but properly exposes the background too.
- Amazing Night View scene mode - take great city skyline photos at night.
- Built in pop-up flash
- Built in GPS records where you are in the photo data. Display on Google Earth
- Face detection
- Smile shutter
- 10 Frames Per Second - yes 10fps. You can't find that in any other camera in this price range. And it will focus during the burst!
- Sensor switches from LCD to EVF when you put your eye up to the EVF. Neat!
- I can have one lens and just leave it there. No carrying two or three lenses and having the frustration of having the wrong lens attached for a given situation. I did the three lens dance many years ago and don't ever want to do it again. With one lens there is no issue with cleaning the sensor if it gets dust on it because I'll never have the sensor exposed to the air.

Cons:
- With the 18-250 lens the camera and lens weight about 2 lbs. That is about 1/2 lb. heavier than my FZ30 and I notice it.
- Lots of shooting, especially long video with the image stabilizer on, can result in an over heat shutdown. I've only had this happen once. Most of my videos are 1-3 minutes, well inside the overheat warning.
- To me the grip is uncomfortable and too small. I have average size hands for a man. After doing some research though I've learned I've been spoiled by my Panasonic FZ30 which had a very nice grip. I've tried a number of DSLRs and it seems many of them have grips that are not as comfortable for me as the FZ30.

If you are the owner of a larger, more expensive, DSLR you may find some things of this camera to fall a little short for your needs. One big issue is the lack of an OVF, another might be battery life. You may find, though, that the Sony A55 is a good addition to your camera inventory that is much smaller and lighter as a carry-around but still has great image quality and features. For you there are a lot of great Alpha lenses available for this camera.

If you are the owner of anything less than a DSLR I suspect you'll find this to be a gem of a camera. It has a lot of features that you can take your time to learn, but it also has several auto modes so you can treat it as a point-n-shoot. My wife picked it up this morning and took several photos without ever having touched it before. She took the lens cap off, turned it on, popped up the flash and took several great photos of me with my grand son.

Don't be scared away by those that tell you Canon and Nikon are the only good digital camera manufacturers. Sony makes sensors for Nikon.

June 2012
I use this camera almost every day and I'm still very happy with it. I purchased a third party manual on Amazon.com which taught me a few things about the camera that I didn't know. The camera is still teaching me how to be a better photographer.

I also added an expensive, heavy, large second lens (the Sigma f/2.8 70-200) which I will use occasionally but the 18-250 is still my primary lens. The Sigma takes sharper photos, and allows for better low light photos without a flash (like a wedding reception for example). The good news is if you don't mind changing lenses this camera is still a good choice because there are some great lenses available for the Sony Alpha line.

I still don't change lenses. When I leave the house I have a target photo shoot in mind and attach either one or the other lens for the day.

I'm going to attach a photo of my 28 month old grandson in the pool with my wife that I took with the A55 and the Sigma lens so you can see how sharp it is. That photo is right out of the camera, unedited in any way on my computer.
The a55 makes it easy to shoot great photos in very challenging lighting conditions. The Auto-HDR (digh dynamic range) takes 3 photos and combines them perfectly into one photo, so that very bright sky and darker landscape both are exposed properly in the final photo. The camera also uses a similar process for doing low light situations (where subject movement would cause a blur if no flash was used). These are in-camera processing features that only Sony is offering at this point.

The continuous auto-focus during video is also a first for inter-changeable lens cameras. Overall, it's a great photographic tool.

By the way, one reviewer compared the a55 to his Canon 7D. That's a $1,600 camera, body only, while this is $750 body only. In a way, it's a compliment that a camera costing so little has to be compared not to others in its price class, but to a camera double the price.

William 
This camera is probably the best compact DSLR in its segment right now. Here's my summary:

Pros:

1. Extremely fast and accurate AF. It's as good and sometimes better than my Nikon D90!
2. Image quality from ISO 100-800 is good as my Nikon D90 and is as good or superior to anything near or in its segment! Images above ISO 800 are still very decent and competitive with anything with its class.
3. Images from the kit lens are sharp and vibrant.
4. EVF is accurate, detailed, and provides all the info. you need
5. Excellent quality HD (1080i) video.....better than most DSLR's in its class. Low light capability is excellent.
6. Best Live View of any DSLR around....w/very fast AF.
7. Excellent tilting LCD screen....vibrant and hi-res.
8. Light and compact body.....easy to travel with.
9. Tremendous value.....beats anything in its class (best bang-for-buck)
10. Received dpreview.com's coveted Gold Star award!

Cons:

1. Relatively short battery life
2. HD video limited to 9 min. with Steady Shot on (but 29 min. with it off). 3rd-party lenses with lens OIS may be a work-around.
3. Limited manual controls with video.
4. Camera might be too small for users with big hands (be sure to handle it in person if possible)

Sony Alpha SLT-A37K 16.1 MP Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor DSLR with Translucent Mirror Technology and 18-55mm Lens (Black)

Five years ago I sold my Sony DCS-F717 which was a great camera for an all in one and decided to get a DSLR. I bought the A100 because of the built in image stabilization and the ability to use Minolta lenses. Five years ago it was easy to find Minolta lenses for very low prices as no one was sure Sony would put such a great effort into making an entire line of DSLR's. I started with a 50 mm f1.7. Then I found a 24-85 mm f3.5/4.5 which has become my favorite lens because it's very sharp, relatively light and offers good range. Then I found the 100 mm f2.8 Macro which is a superb lens and was top rated (same rating as the Leica) by Colorfoto (a German magazine) which ran a test on various macro lenses.

All of these lenses only cost me a few hundred dollars so buying into the Minolta/Sony A-Mount system is a real bargain compared to Canon/Nikon lenses. I also have the Sony 75-300 mm f4.5/5.6 which is a copy of the Minolta lens. Over the course of the last five years I've discovered that the A100 is too large and heavy to drag around for casual shooting and it's low light performance was limited. Also it doesn't shoot video so I used a Sanyo Xacti HD-1010 as my video camera. I had to decide which was more important. Video with poor quality stills on the Sanyo or high quality stills but no video on the Sony.

All of these lenses only cost me a few hundred dollars so buying into the Minolta/Sony A-Mount system is a real bargain compared to Canon/Nikon lenses. I also have the Sony 75-300 mm f4.5/5.6 which is a copy of the Minolta lens. Over the course of the last five years I've discovered that the A100 is too large and heavy to drag around for casual shooting and it's low light performance was limited. Also it doesn't shoot video so I used a Sanyo Xacti HD-1010 as my video camera. I had to decide which was more important. Video with poor quality stills on the Sanyo or high quality stills but no video on the Sony.

Recently I started investigating the options. After much research I was all set to buy the new Sony NEX F3. Then I went to look at it and immediately I struggled to read the tiny font and icons. Just about everyone will eventually suffer from Presbyopia which a difficulty to focus on close up objects. This can be easily corrected with reading glasses but I don't want to carry around a set of glasses to take photos. Moreover it means constantly looking up to see distant objects in focus. That's when I decided I still wanted a camera with a viewfinder. But I was still attracted to the size of the Nex which I could use if I bought the optional viewfinder. When shooting videos I loved the accessory microphone input on the Sanyo. Unfortunately the Nex cameras require you to buy one specific Sony microphone. Also NEX cameras use a new E mount lens which means you need an adapter to use A mount lenses. So by the time you buy the viewfinder, the microphone and the mount adapter you've spent twice the price of the camera. Way more than was in my budget. My goal was to sell the A100 and the Sanyo and use the proceeds to buy a new camera.

Enter the Sony A37 with Single lens Translucent technology.

This is really a huge advance over using a camera with a flip up mirror which was invented in 1949. For the first time Sony has also included all of the features of the higher end cameras in their entry level A37. The A37 is a NEX-F3 in an Alpha SLT format.

The size of the A37 is perfect for me. The grip on the A37 has been improved with a deeper groove for your fingers. I tried out the A57. It's much bigger and heavier than the A37. I have to grip really hard to hold it one handed (just like I did with the A100.) The A37 is much lighter and smaller which means that it fits perfectly in a small camera bag together with a couple of spare lenses. The camera and the 18-55 mm lens weighs just a pound and a half.

I mostly use the EVF (which includes diopter correction) but when I need the LCD I have no issues at all with it. Of course, I don't review photos on it. No camera LCD is good enough to reliably do that. The tilt mechanism makes it easy to compose shots that require you to hold the camera above or below you. If you don't use the EVF as your primary composing tool then I would suggest you look at the NEX F3 as it's an otherwise great camera that just lacks the things I want such a built in EVF and support for A mount lenses without an adapter.

For $600 my new A37 does everything I want it to do. Great images and videos are just as good as more expensive cameras. I only shoot mp4 videos so the lack of 1080p AVCHD won't be missed. Standard h264 mp4 video is so much easier to edit than AVCHD.

The A37 has the 3rd generation of the Bionz processor which is also used in all of the current generation of SLT and NEX cameras including the flagship model the A77.
This new processor allows for better low light shot with an ISO range from 100 to 16,000.

In addition the new processor makes possible continuous 15 point phase detection auto focus, 5.5 fps shooting at full resolution and full HD video recording.

Together with a 16mp sensor and a good lens such as the 18-55 you have everything you need to take great photos. Features such as clear image zoom that can digitally extend the range of any lens and a viewfinder with 100% coverage are wonderful.
Anyone can operate this camera which now has two auto settings; intelligent auto and superior auto which makes it possible for even a beginner to take great photos.
Let me know if you have questions and thanks for watching.

I'm not a beginner. I've been a photographer for 4 decades and this is the best camera I've ever owned. The A37 is a major upgrade from my previous camera both in image quality and in handling.

The 3 things to consider are the processor, the image sensor and the lens. I own 3 Minolta lenses and 2 Sony lenses. They are all good to excellent and that includes the 18-55 'kit' lens. With a new 3rd generation Bionz processor, a 16mp sensor and the 18-55 lens you will have everything you need to take excellent photos.

The specs are awesome because this is one awesome camera. Sure Sony has to offer some 'step up' features in other models but they are really nothing essential.
You will also have spent less which you can use to buy accessories such as an extra battery, a fast SDHC card and some great used Minolta lenses.
These reviews are helpful; [...] Rated Essential.
[...]First place.
[...] 'I know it seems like I'm "Mr. Sony is perfect" but honestly there is very little not to like about this camera at its price point. It is so exciting to watch Sony announce cameras that trounce the competition.'
[...] Editors Choice. 'The camera's small size works in its favour as well by making the camera easy to pick up and take with you.' 

I recently had the opportunity to test the Sony Alpha A37 (SLT-A37) with the Sony 18-55mm lens. As an avid life-long Nikon Shooter, I welcomed the opportunity to try another "non-pro" brand, specifically the Sony Alpha series, which seems highly regarded by amateurs and even advanced amateurs. My review and rating of the A37 is based on the camera within its own class as opposed to an unfair comparison to a Nikon D300s or D800 for example, which are priced much higher and target a different shooter group with different needs. Please note Sony's designation of SLT indicates replacement of the optical viewfinder with an electronic one and relies upon a translucent mirror. This is a major differentiation to DSLR's.

The Sony Alpha A37 is best described as an advanced entry level DSLR camera. At $600 (I expect a minor 5% price drop in the future) with the Sony 18-55mm lens, it represents a great way for shooters to enter into the DSLR range or expand from lower ranked DSLR camera and is priced lowest in the Sony Alpha line. But, as with most brands, you are committing to specific branded lenses; in this case, Sony and Minolta "A-mount" lenses. This is not necessarily bad because you will save thousands of dollars when compared to Nikon or Canon. I am not aware of any converters allowing use of Nikon or Canon branded lenses. But, out of the box, you get everything you need including the 18-55mm lens, which would provide most people most of the focal length they need in day to day use, as well as on-camera flash, charger (wall type), battery, strap, and Sony Software. At the wide end of the included 18-55mm lens, the end most used by casual shooters, you have the ability to get creative out of the box- a big plus in today's economy.

Highlights of the A-37 Feature Set

-New 16.1 mp CMOS Sensor
-100% viewfinder coverage
-Intelligent pixel upscaling
-ISO 100-16000
-Onboard picture effects processing
-1080p 24/60i HD AVCHD format video
-Dedicated stereo microphone and mic input
-7 frames per second burst rate (reduced 8.4mp resolution rate)
-On camera stabilization

For prior Sony A35 shooters, Dpreview notes: "the changes are subtle - the A37 gains the A57's improved viewfinder optics, and it becomes the only SLT not to shoot 60p video - instead offering 60i and 24p as its highest frame rate options, both at 24Mbps. The A35's continuous shooting rates are unchanged, with the camera offering 7 frame-per-second bursts at reduced resolution (8.4MP) in a mainly automated mode." I felt it important to include this information as I did not own any other Sony Alpha cameras for comparison."

I tested the camera in controlled indoor conditions as I first test all my Nikon cameras prior to field use. To say I was impressed would be an understatement. I found the camera very ergonomic and well balanced, thus easy to hold at about a combined 25 ounces with the 18-55 attached. Of course, it does not have the build quality of a Nikon D300s or D700. But, that's not the point at a $1,200 to $2,200 difference. Of particular note to existing Sony Alpha line shooters is the significant size difference between the much larger A57 ($800) and the A37. This lends the A37 more ergonomic to women with smaller hands. The manual controls on the camera, primarily within range of the right thumb when shooting, are mostly easily accessible and intuitive, providing a higher degree of non-menu driven manual exposure control.

Impressive with this camera is the 100% electronic viewfinder coverage at 1.09 magnification, a differentiation among pros-level cameras as I know very few serious shooters willing to shoot with less than 100% viewfinder coverage, myself included. Live-view (no virtual horizon on this model), available on the Sony A37, is a much hyped feature. However, as a portrait photographer, I never found practical use for it on any of my Nikons though landscape and macro shooters will undoubtedly use such a feature. The camera's 15-point autofocus system is arranged towards the center in sharp comparison to my Nikon usage. The autofocus system can be set to single, continuous or automatic - a hybrid of the two that responds only when it senses subject movement. Thanks to the design focusing is very fast, especially for an entry level camera at this price point. On continuous autofocus, the A37 really shines. Image quality is superb with adequate detail in shadows. Of incredible importance, though understated in the literature is the RAW shooting ability of the camera that translates will with Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) if needed. The A37's ISO 100-16,000 equivalent range is exceptional at lower ISO settings and still good OK at ISO 1600. At ISO 6400 detail becomes smudged and process-sharpened edges show as artifacts. ISO 12,800-16,000 do not have practical use in my opinion except for emergency situations with no other alternative.

Another impressive feature that worked in my tests is the "Steady Shot INSIDE" (like Nikon VR or Canon IS on their respective lenses). Unlike the larger DLSR makers, Sony built stabilization inside the camera as opposed to lenses. This provides stabilization regardless of the lens type and ultimately at reduced cost. The A37 also incorporates Sony's proprietary Translucent Mirror Technology, eliminating the need to raise and lower the mirror, providing fast continuous shooting at speeds of up to 10 fps in Continuous Priority AE mode. This speed really pushes Sony out ahead in its class and price range.

Not impressive is the rear 2.7 inch screen at 230k resolution. While most pro's don't rely on the rear screen to check exposure, most amateurs do. Such a small screen at this resolution does not provide a good method in this regard. But to be honest, even checking a Nikon rear screen in broad daylight can be difficult. Also not impressive, though not unexpected, is Sony's continued reliance on its proprietary hot shoe and memory cards. Not a big deal if you stay vested in the line/ brand.

As for video performance, I will have to leave a detailed review to other reviewers since I rarely shoot video.

In conclusion, the Sony A37 hits the mark for the intended audience. It will provide good performance in typical shooting scenarios of amateurs. However, as you move into the creative realm of photography (think fashion and fine art), you will encounter some difficulty pushing the gear envelope. At higher ISO's you will experience significant noise and will need to move to prime or fast lenses and flash to get the ISO down. Frame rate bursts are reduced when shooting RAW and the rear screen leaves a lot to be desired in terms of resolution. The camera also tends to underexpose, which is no big deal really- except to die hard exposure fanatics. But once again, at this price point the camera is a very solid buy for amateurs and allows expansion into more advanced Sony Alpha cameras.

I have used this camera over the last 4 weeks and I am very impressed with the quality of the images.

Now, what sets this camera apart ?

PHOTOS
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[**] 16.1 MP images - the images come out crystal clear and mindblowing. Tried to print them on a 13x19 sheet and it looks even better.
[**] Low light sensitivity - I shot a couple of images inside a home and they came out very good without using flash. I try to minimize the use of flash since natural light photography is always good. If you are doing a lot of low light photography, I would suggest you to buy a 50mm lens which allows a lot of light to come through the lens:

[**] Shooting speed - The camera can shoot at the rate of 7 shots per seconds which is versatile for a variety of applications. Someone new to DSLR may wonder as to why this is important. To give you an example - if you are shooting a sports scene - it is humanly impossible to shoot the exact image that you are looking for. So what you do is to hold the shoot button and the camera keeps clicking the images continually. And finally you select one of them which best represents your action.

[**] Panorama & 3D Images - This is something which is really exciting and cant wait for my next hiking trip to shoot panoramic images. If you are looking at a mountain range and want to get the full scope of the mountains - so far there was no way to do it other than a video.

Now, with the Sony Alpha A 37 - you can continually shoot images with your camera and the camera will automatically stitch the images for you into a panoramic image. I tried this around my home and a local park and having been endless fun with it.

Similarly you can shoot 3D images - which I tried, but was not able to test it since I do not have a 3D TV.

VIDEOS
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If you are planning to buy this camera for videos - stay away and buy a Camcorder.

The quality of the images is really good, but there is a fundamental problem which is extremely annoying.

The earlier cameras which came out lacked a basic problem - the cameras could never autofocus while shooting video.

When I got the Sony Alpha A37 - it advertised itself as having continuous autofocus while shooting video. But it was a major disappointment ...

The feature works - it does do an autofocus while shooting video, but the sound of the focus motor gets recorded along with the video. Means if you are shooting a video of your kid playing, the video quality is awesome, your kid is always in focus and shot at Full HD mode, but you are going to have this humming sound of the autofocus motor as a background sound when you play back your video an it is predominant.

I have a Canon T2i DSLR and this has the same problem as the Sony alpha A37 where it records the autofocus sound on the video.

Summary
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Overall, I highly recommend this camera for photography, but not so much for videos - it is better than the Canon T2i - in terms of both features like Panoramic images, 7 FPS and low light sensitivity