A 14.2 million pixel sensor, stabilization via movement of the sensor, 9 point autofocus, anti-dust system by vibration, dynamic range optimizer (DRO) and aiming via a movable LCD screen; the technical sheet of the new Sony Alpha 350 is beefed up while at the same time this camera remains relatively accessible at less than 750 Euros (just the body).

Handling

First contact with the Sony Alpha 350 can be surprising.  Construction of this reflex is actually a bit "light" and our first impression wasn’t too convincing; however, after a few minutes this is quickly overcome.  The camera’s good dimensions enable easy handling and a good grip.  Moreover, the interface is sober and efficient.  Of course, for the first few shots we tried out the LCD aiming, the Sony Alpha 350’s main characteristic.  The screen, which is mounted on a rotating joint, displays fluid images with good viewing angles.  It’s just too bad that movement isn’t entirely free, therefore limiting some of the possibilities.  With 230,000 pixels those familiar with compacts won’t be lost even if we would have liked to have seen a little more definition for more precise aiming.  In Live View mode, the autofocus is very fast and truly comfortable.  And in fact, it uses the same autofocus component as in optical aiming.  In the end, using the screen to aim the with the Alpha 350 is a real pleasure and the photographer is encouraged to use this mode in order to make more original photos.

We should point out, however, that this component isn’t perfect.  Actually, to place the second sensor, Sony engineers had to reduce the size of optical aiming.  The result is that the viewfinder is very narrow (although still sharp).  The second inconvenience is that the screen only provides 91% frame coverage. Finally, LCD aiming doesn’t mean silent shooting because raising the mirror is required.  Either way, the two autofocus modes proved to be efficient and reactive even in poorly lit conditions.  The flash can even lend a hand in focusing with its indiscreet lighting function.

Finally, in terms of speed despite the 14 million pixel sensor (up to 10 MB in Jpg and 20 MB in RAW), the Alpha 350 is reactive; however, the price of the supplementary megapixels weighs on the burst mode which doesn’t exceed 2.5 i/s for Jpg.

Image quality

With a 14 Mpix sensor, we could have feared for the worst concerning noise control.  Actually, this was unfounded because noise was less on the Alpha 350’s shots than those of the Alpha 200.  Image quality is very good up until 800 ISO, above which degradation is more significant.  On large format prints (A3+), the Alpha 350 produces better results than its little brother, the Alpha 200, because the higher definition means less "stretching" of the image.  At any rate, stabilization enables limiting the use (in certain cases) of higher sensitivities.

Colors are accurate and very attractive with a rather vivid default rendering.  Exposure is well controlled and the DRO (Dynamic Range Optimizer) function adds detail to darker and lighter zones in more delicate situations.  Photos shot with the flash are pleasant; however, this component isn’t very strong and with the zoom there can be shadows (a similar problem with the Alpha 200).

So who should we choose: Sony, Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Panasonic or Olympus ?

This is a big dilemma because each camera from these manufacturers has its advantages and downsides.  Clearly, the Sony Alpha 350 stresses its LCD aiming combined with a very reactive autofocus.  It’s a comfortable system which may be reassuring to photographers that are more used to bridges and compacts.  The 14 million pixel sensor is surely a fine point but definition needs can often be overestimated.  On the other hand, the extra megapixels can help if you want reframe certain areas and then blow them up. 

The Panasonic L10 also has a high performance autofocus with LCD aiming but the price is much higher.  The next comparison to the Sony A350 brings us to the attractive Pentax K200D, a more robust camera with a battle tested 10 Mpix sensor and moreover this is a reflex which we should hear more about in the future (integrated stabilization, anti-dust system, etc.).  Finally, we can’t forget about the two heavyweights in this area, Canon and Nikon. Nikon has its very easy to use D60 and superior photographic quality but without optical stabilization or direct aiming.  As for Canon, this company still proposes its EOS 400D for a very low price while waiting to release a promising 450D, which however still does not have internal stabilization.