For me, a good camera is like a nice pair of heels. I'm willing to deal with a little discomfort if it makes me look good. So I didn't really mind that Sony's digital SLR Alpha 100 felt heavier around my neck than some other SLRs on the market. Sure, it's a big boy, weighing in at more than a pound without the lens. But, it also has a bunch of features and intuitive manual settings.

I asked for help testing the camera from a professional photographer friend. The 10.2-megapixel Alpha 100 is simple enough to make even a novice like me appear to know what they are doing. The reason: It can be controlled with little wheels located where the forefinger and thump naturally rest when holding the camera. The wheels are smart enough to automatically change their function, depending on what your are doing with the camera.

 

A wheel at the top of the camera lets users select from preset options tailored for a variety of photos, including landscapes, sunsets, portraits, nighttime scenes, objects in motion, and small images up close. Another bonus: Touching the menu button after selecting any of these settings brings up a full explanation of the shutter speed and aperture settings pertaining to each default. It's a cool feature for the photographer-in-training trying to learn the optimal setting for capturing clear images in different conditions. The same wheel also lets the photgrapher select between manual, aperture priority, and shutter priority settings. It's in manual mode that this camera really becomes fun. You can slow shutter speed all the way down to 30 seconds for night photos or pictures where you want to show a lot of movement. A person walking, for example, leaves long hazy streaks behind them. Movement becomes blur. The shutter can also be sped up to 1/4000th of a second for when the photographer wants to freeze every moment of action. At this speed--the "bulb" setting--it's possible to capture a kid in midjump without any blurring.

When playing around with slower shutter speeds, it's necessary to have some help steadying the camera. Luckily, Sony has a "SuperSteadyShot" image-stabilization feature that compensates for shaky hands. It's particularly necessary given the heft of the device, which after a while can make novices used to supersmall point-and-shoot cameras feel like they're hoisting a brick.

Consumer's choice
The camera also has several other features to make photos look good in difficult conditions. It has a high light sensitivity (ISO 1600) to reduce blur when taking pictures in dim settings, such as at dusk or in the rain. It has high-speed hardware, the Bionz Image Processor, which allows super-fast shooting and produces fine, clear images. It also has a setting to reduce red eye and so-called noise. Those specks that make a photo look like a pointillist painting.

Another nice addition is the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that com standard with the camera. On full charge, the camera can take up to 750 shots. Other cameras make you buy the preferred battery separately. However, it's possible you pay for the battery in other ways. The camera body alone is nearly $900. Add an 18- to 70-mm zoom lens, the cheapest listed on Sony's Web site, the camera will set you back a minimum of $1100. Other 10-megapixel cameras run for about $1000 with the lens.

Still, considering professional cameras cost four times that for the body alone, the consumer may find this camera a steal. The pictures look beautiful on the bright LCD screen and come out just as nice when you print them. But the best part is the design is simple enough to help you take your best photos.

BusinessWeek
October 6, 2006, Technology by Catherine Holahan

 

Make a sketch and explain the principles of SLR and Point-and-Shoot cameras.

What's the relation between shutter speed and aperture? What do the figures mean, say, 1/2000 s and f 1:2.8?

What are the advantages of the digital camera and why does it kill the film camera?

Read the article at the second link below. What type of sensors are used in digital cameras? Why are not all pixels used for the picture?

What's the size of a photosensor in square millimeters? Compare it to 35 mm film and 6x6 rollfilm.

Have you ever shot pictures with a film camera? What do you think of the film and digital camera?