Sony A300 Major features:
10.2 MP CCD
Superb image quality gives you great DSLR shots right
from the start, with a large APS-size CCD imager developed by Sony to
expand dynamic range, and minimize noise more effectively for clear, sharp
photos even at high sensitivity setting (up to ISO 3200).
Live Preview of Your Subject
The DSLR-A300’s Live Preview mode links you and your
subject on a large 2.7”1
LCD screen, for a familiar point-and-shoot style -- with super-quick AF
response and accurate exposure control to help you catch the perfect
moment. In Live Preview mode, the camera bypasses the optical pentaprism
mirror to create a live “eye-to-eye” view of loved ones, children, pets
and fast-changing scenes.
Tiltable 2.7”1
Clear Photo LCD Plus™ Screen
A large built-in screen with 2-way angle tilt provides a
sharp, clear view of your subject and tilts up or down for low-angle or
high-angle monitoring in situations where you want a child-level or
overhead shot.
Continuous Shooting While Viewing
The DSLR-A300 lets you shoot continuously at up to 2
frames per second while you see your subject in the viewfinder2,
so you never lose track of the action. In JPEG mode, you can shoot up to
the limit of your flash memory card; in RAW Burst Mode you can capture up
to 6 shots, with intelligent buffer management to allow more shots to be
captured without waiting for the buffer to clear.
Smart Teleconverter 2X Zoom
At the touch of a button you can zoom in electronically
on your subject, reproducing pixels on a 1:1 basis with no degradation in
picture quality. One touch zooms in at 1.4X, the second touch advances to
2X zoom -- creating the 35mm equivalent of a 200mm telephoto effect with
the DSLR-A300’s standard 18-70mm zoom lens.
Expanded ISO Sensitivity
A broad sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200
enables the DSLR-A300 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.
Super SteadyShot® In-Camera Image Stabilization
Because image stabilization is built into the DSLR-A300,
every lens benefits by an advantage of from 2.5 to 3.5 exposure steps.
This allows you to shoot effectively with minimum blur even in low light
without flash -- or adjust exposure control for smaller lens aperture, to
increase depth of field and bring both foreground and background into
sharp focus.
Bionz™ Image Processor
The “brain” of the α (alpha) DSLR-A300 is the advanced
Sony Bionz™ Image Processor, using hardware-based Large Scale Integrated
(LSI) circuitry to enhance images with rich tonal reproduction, improved
white balance and exposure control, and expanded D-Range Optimizer
capabilities. With 2-channel data transfer from CCD to processor, your
camera can also respond faster.
1200-zone Evaluative Metering5
Exposure information from the image sensor dedicated to
Live View is divided into 1200 zones of luminance and RGB color
information. In addition D-Range Optimizer technology contributes to judge
the scene and then determine the optimum exposure to reproduce images with
a more natural look.
Dynamic Range Optimizer
To improve results with backlit subjects and recover
details hidden in shadows or lost in glare, the DSLR-A300 provides Dynamic
Range Optimizer at two levels: Normal DRO, to improve detail using
standard gamma curves for fast shot-to-shot response time, or Advanced DRO,
to adjust dynamic range area-by-area for the greatest precision.
Anti-Dust Technology
Changing lenses in a DSLR can allow dust to enter the
camera -- so to keep the CCD imager cleaner for better pictures, the
DSLR-A300 utilizes both static-free anti-dust coating on the CCD filter
and anti-dust vibration that automatically shakes the CCD to dislodge dust
each time the camera is shut off.
Auto Pop-Up Flash
The camera flash automatically pops up and fires when
needed, to help first-time DSLR photographers shoot more effectively. Auto
Pop-up works in Auto mode and some scene selection modes; Flash is
cancelled in Landscape, Sport or Sunset modes and in “Flash Off” position
on the Exposure Mode dial.
Eye-Start Autofocus System
It begins precision autofocus adjustments the moment you
raise the camera to your eye -- so unlike some DSLR cameras that don’t
start focusing until the shutter button is half-pressed, the Sony
DSLR-A300 never slows down your ability to catch fast action.
9-Point Center Cross AF Sensor
A fast focus motor and improved focus control help bring
images into sharp definition more quickly, with predictive focus control
that automatically calculates the position of a fast-moving subject.
Scene Selection Modes
Along with auto exposure, the DSLR-A300 gives you scene
selection modes to optimize camera performance for Portrait, Landscape,
Macro, Sports, Sunset and Night Portrait/Night View situations.
Creative Style Settings
To express your creativity and personal taste, you can
adjust contrast, saturation and sharpness settings for any of 8 finishing
styles -- including Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Night View,
Sunset, B & W and Adobe RGB modes.
Index and Slide Show Display
To quickly review your photos, the DSLR-A300 can display
4, 9 or 25-frame index views -- or present automatic slide shows with
fade-in/fade-out effect.
High-Resolution Thumbnails for PhotoTV HD Viewing4
The DSLR-A300 automatically creates high-resolution
thumbnail images for viewing on Sony’s BRAVIA® HDTV in optimized PhotoTV
HD mode, with image format adjustable for standard 3:2 or widescreen 16:9
display.
Function Guide Display
On-screen menus are intuitive and easy to use -- and a
simple Camera Function Display 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.
Stamina® Battery Power
In optical viewfinder mode, you can take up to 730 shots3
on a fully charged NP-FM500H InfoLITHIUM® battery -- and you’ll be able to
see about how much power remains in percentage increments, so you can keep
shooting in confidence.
High-Capacity Media Options
For conveniently storing and sharing your images, the
DSLR-A300 accepts CompactFlash™ Type I/II and Memory Stick Duo™, PRO Duo™,
PRO-HG Duo™ media6.
Advanced Lenses and System Accessories
Sony’s α (alpha) system gives you everything you need to
expand your creativity in DSLR photography: precision Sony DT zoom lenses
and specialty lenses, Sony “G” Series lenses with advanced motorized
autofocusing, amazingly bright Carl Zeiss® lens designs,
professional-quality flash units, and over 16 million Minolta a-mount
lenses sold worldwide.
Sony A300 specifications
| |
A300 |
| Body color |
Black
 |
| Sensor |
• 10.2 million effective pixels
• 23.6 x 15.8 mm CCD sensor
• 1.5x FOV crop
• RGB primary color filter |
| Anti-dust measures |
• Sensor shake system
• Static-free anti-dust coating |
| Anti-shake |
• Super-steady shot in-camera
stabilization
 |
| Image sizes |
• 3872 x 2592 (Large, 10.0 MP)
• 2896 x 1936 (Medium, 5.6 MP)
• 1920 x 1280 (Small, 2.5 MP)
• 3872 x 2176 (Large, 8.4 MP, 16:9)
• 2896 x 1632 (Medium, 4.7 MP, 16:9)
• 1920 x 1088 (Small, 2.1 MP, 16:9)
|
| Image quality |
• RAW
• RAW + JPEG
• JPEG Fine
• JPEG Normal |
| Color space |
• sRGB
• Adobe RGB |
| Lens mount |
• Sony Alpha lenses
(also compatible with Minolta A-type bayonet mount lenses) |
| Autofocus |
• 9-point AF with center cross
|
| Lens servo |
• Single-servo AF (AF-S)
• Continuous-servo AF (AF-C)
• Automatic AF-S/AF-C (AF-A)
• Manual focus (M) |
| AF Area mode |
• Wide
• Spot
• Local |
| AF Assist |
Pop-up flash strobes |
| Exposure mode |
• Programmed auto (P) with flexible
program
• Shutter-priority auto (S)
• Aperture priority auto (A)
• Manual (M)
• Auto and 7 scene selection modes
|
| Metering |
Multi-pattern metering:
• 40 Segment
• Center weighted
• Spot

|
| Exposure compensation |
• +/- 2.0 EV
• 1/3 EV steps |
| AE Lock |
Exposure locked at detected value
with AEL button |
| AE Bracketing |
+/- 1/3EV or +/- 2/3EV |
| Sensitivity |
• Auto
• ISO 100
• ISO 200
• ISO 400
• ISO 800
• ISO 1600
• ISO 3200 |
| Shutter |
• 30 to 1/4000 sec (1/3 EV steps)
|
| White balance |
• Auto
• Seven manual modes with 7-step fine-tuning
• Daylight
• Shade
• Cloudy
• Tungsten
• Fluorescent
• Flash
• Color temperature/color filter
• Preset white balance |
| WB fine tuning |
Yes
 |
| Image parameters |
• Preset modes: Standard, Vivid,
Portrait, Landscape, Night view, Sunset, B&W, Adobe RGB (All others
are sRGB) |
| Viewfinder |
• Optical fixed eye-level
• Pentamirror type
• Frame coverage 95% (approx.)
• Viewfinder magnification approx. 0.74x with 50mm lens at infinity;
-1.0 m-1
• Spherical Acute Matte focusing screen |
| LCD monitor |
• 2.7" tilting TFT LCD
• 230,000 pixel
• Features automatic defeat via Eye Sensor |
| Built-in flash |
• Auto pop-up in Auto, Vari-program
modes
• Manual pop-up in P, S, A or M modes
• Guide number approx. 12 at ISO 100 |
| Flash mode |
• Auto
• Fill-flash
• Rear flash sync
• Slow sync
• High speed sync
• Wireless off-camera flash (with HVL-F56AM or HVL-F36AM) |
| Shooting modes |
• Single frame shooting (S) mode
• Continuous (C) mode: approx. 3.0 frames per second
• Bracket single (press shutter 3 times)
• Bracket continuous (hold shutter = 3 shots)
• WB bracket, Lo/Hi |
| Continuous buffer |
• JPEG: Limited only by storage
• RAW: Approx. 6 frames (shooting continues at a slower rate)
• RAW+JPEG: Approx. 3 frames (shooting continues at a slower rate) |
| Self-timer |
2 or 10 sec |
| Video output |
NTSC or PAL selectable |
| Connectivity |
• USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed)
• Video |
| Power |
Lithium-Ion battery pack NP-FM500H
(7.2 V, 1600 mAh) |
| Battery life |
Approx. 740 shots (CIPA standard) |
| Dimensions |
130.8 x 98.5 x 74.7 mm (5.2 x 3.9 x
2.9 in) |
Weight
(no batt) |
582 g (1.28 lb) |
| Supplied accessories
|
• Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
NP-FM500H
• BC-VM10 battery charger
• Video and USB cables
• Shoulder strap with eyepiece cap and Remote Commander clip
• Body cap
• Software/USB driver |
| Optional accessories |
• CompactFlash card (NCFB1G)
• External flash (HVL-F56AM)
• External flash (HVL-F36AM)
• Vertical grip (VG-B30AM)
• AC adaptor/charger (AC-VQ900AM) |
Additional images
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