SONY Alpha A700 DSLR Pro Kit

with Sony DT16-105mm Zoom Lens

       Sony is expanding its a (Alpha) digital SLR system with the introduction of the DSLR-A700 camera, which is aimed at photo enthusiasts or serious photo hobbyists.

The new model features advanced imaging technologies and ultra-responsive operation, as well as a lightweight, dust- and moisture-resistant, magnesium alloy construction common to enthusiast-class D-SLR cameras.

Like Sony’s mainstream DSLR-A100 model, the new A700 unit incorporates Super SteadyShotฎ Inside image stabilization in the camera body and is compatible with most Minolta Maxxumฎ mount lenses in addition to Sony lenses.

“Discerning photo enthusiasts will be impressed with the rugged construction and outstanding performance of the A700, said Phil Lubell, director of marketing for digital cameras at Sony Electronics. “We also expect that this new camera will re-define the post-capture experience with HDMI™ output for high-quality playback of images on high-definition televisions.”

Picture Quality

The camera’s new 12.2-megapixel Exmor™ CMOS sensor conducts analog-to-digital (A/D) signal conversion and dual noise reduction right on the sensor itself. Noise reduction is applied to analog signals before A/D conversion and the resulting digital signals are then subject to a second round of noise reduction.

According to Lubell, “These digital signals are virtually immune to external noise and interference.”

Clean, noise-free digital signals are then sent to the newly developed BIONZ™ processing engine. Lubell said this engine has been optimized to process data-rich picture information at high speeds, and to reduce picture noise in the RAW data stage before final image compression and encoding. The results are high-resolution, detailed images with rich tonal reproduction.

Extraordinary Responsiveness

The A700 camera is engineered to be fast and ultra-responsive so as to become “a virtual extension of your own senses,” Lubell said, “capturing fleeting moments as you see them.”

A newly developed, auto-focus system features 11 wide-area sensors, including a center dual cross sensor comprised of two horizontal and two vertical line sensors for exceptional AF precision.  An F2.8 line sensor leverages the brightness of fast aperture lenses for even greater precision.  Lubell said that extraordinary focusing speed has been realized through improved algorithms and a high-torque focusing drive motor.

The large, bright, viewfinder uses a precision-ground optical glass pentaprism and a high refractive index eyepiece lens to provide 0.9x viewfinder magnification and 95 percent frame coverage.  Manual focusing is aided by an interchangeable spherical acute matte focusing screen.

The camera has a high-performance vertical traverse shutter with a maximum shutter speed of 1/8,000th of a second to freeze fast-moving action. A high-power coreless motor charges the shutter and mirror mechanism, allowing continuous shooting at up to five frames per second. In JPEG fine or standard mode, continuous shooting is limited only by the capacity of the media card (sold separately), while up to 18 frames can be captured in RAW.

Expanded Creativity

The new camera features fourteen creative styles, including night view, autumn leaves or vivid, which can be selected to enhance images. These effects can then be fine-tuned by customizing contrast, sharpness, zone matching and other parameters.

Sony’s Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO) function has been updated on this model so users can choose the desired level of detail recovered in areas of shadow. The advanced mode offers the option of five levels of user selectable correction. Additionally, DRO bracketing creates three images from a single capture with three different levels of DRO.

There is an extensive array of customization options to personalize the camera to match shooting styles. The unit’s quick navigation interface can be accessed instantly with the four-way multi-selector, and selected parameters can be adjusted directly by control dials.

Up to 28 camera settings can be stored in one of three user memories for instant recall. The unit’s custom function button can be assigned to 15 frequently-accessed functions.

With the supplied remote capture application, the camera can be controlled from a compatible PC via USB without even touching the camera, and files can be stored on the computer instead of the media card.

High-Quality Pictures on an HDTV

The A700 model features an HDMI output for connection to HDTV sets, putting a high-resolution spin on the conventional photo slideshow.

When connected to a Sony BRAVIAฎ LCD HD television, photos are optimized for viewing with the new “PhotoTV HD” mode. This mode brings the look of actual printed photography to the television, reproducing high-quality digital photos by fine-tuning such image parameters as sharpness, gradation and color specifically for photographs.

The exceptional viewing experience of this camera also extends to viewing photos on its 3-inch LCD screen. The screen’s size and ultra-sharp resolution (921K) makes it possible to check focus and image quality with much greater accuracy.

 

Body material *	Magnesium Alloy chassis, high grade plastic exterior
Sensor *	• 23.5 x 15.6 mm CMOS sensor 'Exmor' • RGB Color Filter Array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter • 13.05 million total pixels • 12.25 million effective pixels • On-chip Column A/D Conversion & NR
Image sizes *	• 4288 x 2856 (L RAW ) • 4272 x 2848 (L) • 3104 x 2064 (M) • 2128 x 1424 (S) • 4272 x 2400 (L) 16:9 • 2128 x 1200 (S) 16:9
File qualities / formats *	• RAW (.ARW 2.0) • Compressed or uncompressed RAW option • RAW + JPEG Fine • JPEG Extra Fine • JPEG Fine • JPEG Standard
Dust reduction	• Static-resistant anti-dust coating • CCD-shift dust reduction mechanism
Lenses	• Sony Alpha lenses (also compatible with Minolta A-type bayonet mount lenses)
FOV crop	1.5x
Super SteadyShot	• CCD-Shift 'Super SteadyShot' system • Five level LED shake indicator in viewfinder • Claimed equivalent to 2.5 – 4 steps in shutter speed *
Auto Focus *	• TTL CCD line sensors (11-points, 10 lines with center dual cross sensor) • EV 0 to 18 (ISO 100) detection range • Predictive focus control for moving subjects
AF area selection	• Wide AF area • Spot AF area (center) • Focus area selection (any of 11)
Focus modes	• Single-shot AF • Direct Manual Focus • Continuous AF • Automatic AF • Manual focus
AF assist illuminator *	• Yes (built-in LED lamp) • Range approx 1m - 7m
Eye-start AF	Yes, selectable from menu (optionally with grip sensor trigger*)
Shooting modes	• Auto • Programmed AE (with shift) • Aperture priority AE • Shutter priority AE • Manual • MR (memory recall) / Custom • Scene modes (below)
Scene modes	• Portrait • Landscape • Macro • Sports Action • Sunset • Night view/portrait
Sensitivity	• Auto (200 - 1600) - upper/lower limit selectable * • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600 • Up to ISO 6400 (expanded range) *
Metering modes	• Multi-segment (40 segment Honeycomb pattern) • Center-weighted • Spot
Metering range	• EV 0 to 20 (Multi-segment / Center-weighted) * • EV 2 to 20 (Spot metering) * (at ISO 100 with F1.4 lens)
AE Lock	• AEL button (customizable) • Half-press shutter release
AE Bracketing	• Single or continuous bracketing • 3 or 5 frames • 0.3, 0.5 or 0.7 EV steps *
Exposure compen.	• -3.0 to +3.0 EV * • 0.3 or 0.5 EV steps *
Shutter	Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane Shutter
Shutter Speed *	• 30 to 1/8000 sec • Bulb
Flash X-sync *	• 1/250 sec • 1/200 sec (with Super SteadyShot on)
Aperture values	Depends on lens, 0.3 EV steps
DOF preview	Yes, dedicated button
White balance	• Auto • Daylight • Shade • Cloudy • Tungsten • Fluorescent • Flash • Color temperature (2500 - 9900 K) • Manual (Custom) - 3 memories *
White balance fine tuning	• Auto (none) • Preset WB: -3 to +3 • Fluorescent WB: -2 to +4 • Color temperature WB: G9 to M9 (Magenta to Green)
White balance bracketing	• 3 frames • Hi or Lo steps
Dynamic range optimizer	• Off • Standard • Advanced Auto * • Advanced • DRO advanced bracketing (3 frames, High/Low selectable) *
Color space	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Color modes	• Standard • Vivid • Neutral * • Clear * • Deep * • Light * • Portrait • Landscape • Sunset • Night view • Autumn Leaves * • B&W • Sepia * • Adobe RGB
Image parameters *	• Contrast (-3 to +3) • Saturation (-3 to +3) • Sharpness (-3 to +3) • Zone Matching (-1 to +2 steps) • Brightness (-3 to +3 steps) (Available in all color modes)
Noise reduction *	• Long exposure for exposures longer than 1 second • High ISO NR High/Normal/Low at ISO 1600 or higher • User controllable: On / Off
Viewfinder *	• Eye-level fixed optical glass pentaprism • Spherical Acute Matte focusing screen (interchangeable) • Magnification approx. 0.9x • 95% frame coverage • Dioptric adjustment (-3 to +1.0) • Eye-relief 25 mm from eyepiece, 21 mm from frame • Eyepiece cup removable • Viewfinder info bar
LCD monitor *	• 3.0 " 'Xtra Fine' TFT LCD • 920,000 pixels (640 x 480 x 3 (RGB)) • 270 ppi • Anti-reflective coating
Flash	• Built-in pop-up flash (manual release) • Metering: ADI, Pre-flash TTL, Manual flash control • Guide number 12 (ISO 100/m) • Angle of coverage 24 mm (35 mm equiv.) • Flash sync 1/250 sec, 1/200 sec (SteadyShot on) *
Flash modes	• Auto • Fill Flash • Rear Sync • Slow sync • Manual Flash • Red-eye Reduction (pre-flash) • Wireless/Remote Off-camera Flash • High Speed Sync.
Flash compensation *	-3.0 to +3.0 EV in 0.3 or 0.5 EV steps
External flash (optional)	• Sony HVL-F56M (guide no. 56) • Sony HVL-F36M (guide no. 36) • Macro Twin Flash Kit HVL-MT24AM • Ring Light HVL-RLAM • Off camera flash shoe FA-CS1 AM
Drive modes	• Single-frame • Continuous (H/L selectable) * • Self-timer (10 or 2 sec) • Continuous bracket • Single-frame bracket • White balance bracket • DRO bracket *
Continuous shooting *	• H: Approx 5fps max • L: Approx 3fps max • RAW: Up to 18 frames • cRAW (compressed): Up to 25 frames • RAW+JPEG: Up to 12 frames • JPEG (XFINE): Up to 16 frames • JPEG (STD/FINE): Unlimited (to card capacity)
Self-timer	• 10 sec • 2 sec • Mirror up function (optional)*
Orientation sensor	Yes, for shooting, playback and control panel display
Connectivity *	• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (mass storage, Multi-LUN or PTP) • Video out (NTSC or PAL) • HDMI type C mini jack • DC-IN • Remote terminal • PC control (with supplied software)
Remote control *	• Wired: with optional RM-S1AM or RM-L1AM • Wireless: with included remote control
Video out	• AV (Selectable NTSC or PAL) • HDMI (1920 x 1080i, 1280 x 720p, 720 x 580p, 720 x 576p) • 'PhotoTV' HD settings applied with BRAVIA.
Storage *	• Compact Flash Type I/II • Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo • Supports FAT12 / FAT16 / FAT32
Power *	• NP-FM500H Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (1650 mAh) • Battery charger included • Optional AC adapter • Batter life Approx 650 shots (CIPA standard)
Vertical grip *	• Vertical Grip VG-C70AM • One or Two NP-FM500H batteries with auto switchover for power (additional battery is optional).
Dimensions	141.7 x 104.8 x 79.7 mm (5.6 x 4.25 x 3.25 in)
Weight (body)	• No battery: 690 g (1.5 lb) • With battery: 768 g (1.7 lb)