The A350 measures 131x99x75mm which makes it the same width and height as the Alpha A200, but 4mm thicker as you’d expect to accommodate the tilting screen at 582g for the body alone, it also weigh 50g more. We’ve pictured the A350 above, alongside what’s likely to be its biggest rival, the Canon EOS 450D / Rebel XSi. So viewed from the front, only the badges can really tell Sony’s latest three DSLRs apart. The Alpha A300 looks identical to the A350 from the outside other than the labelling. Stand both models side-by-side though and you’ll also notice the A350 has a differently-styled grip, a slightly different finish, and two additional controls dedicated to Live View but otherwise that’s it. There may be some external similarities but the A350 shrugs off the Dynax 5D heritage that defined the A100.The Sony Alpha DSLR-A350 shares essentially the same body design as the entry-level A200, with the only major difference being the tiltable screen on the back.
![sony a350 dslr sony a350 dslr](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wM8AAOSwDjVfT8H2/s-l640.jpg)
The A350 is a very different camera to the A100 that it (along with the A200 and A300), replaces. Unfortunately, because it does not rotate at all, the screen isn't terribly useful for taking photos in portrait orientation (though that would engender still more mechanical bulk). It's also quite pleasant when using the camera on a tripod where you can use it a bit like a medium format camera with a waist-level finder and pretend to be David Hemmings in Blow Up. The screen can be folded out to 90 degrees upwards and tilted downwards at 45 degrees to provide for waist-level or overhead shooting. And, despite boasting an anti-reflective coating, the screen is very prone to smearing, and struggles more than most in daylight on even moderately bright days. Even so, the screen does stick out a considerable distance from the back of the camera which makes getting near the viewfinder pretty tricky. The screen has been well designed so that the articulation mechanism is as discreet as possible. The A350's live view system wouldn't be nearly so useful were it not for its tilting LCD.
![sony a350 dslr sony a350 dslr](https://servicemanuals.us/disk/sony/digital-camera/dslr-a350k/screenshots/985227412.jpg)
The addition of the secondary imaging sensor impinges on the viewfinder's space, leaving the A350 with a 0.74x magnification viewfinder that's hard to get your eye to (because of the articulated screen). Unfortunately, these previewing abilities are offered to the detriment of the optical viewfinder. The Sony system offers an excellent level of responsiveness but gives up the precision that macro and studio shooters are likely to need.Īs well as providing a large preview that can be viewed from many angles, thanks to its tilt/flip LCD, the A350's Live View implementation offers the ability to preview the exposure and white balance of the shot you're about to take (though there's no option to stop the aperture down and preview the depth-of-field).
SONY A350 DSLR MANUAL
Access to the main sensor also allows a very fine resolution preview for manual focus confirmation. Using the main imaging sensor allows the use of the potentially more accurate and flexible contrast-detection autofocus system. Although this mirror flapping makes it slower, using the main imaging sensor offers other advantages. Taking a photo requires dropping the mirror again to focus or meter, then lift it again to take the actual exposure. The result is to give the most responsive Live View mode on any contemporary camera meaning that essentially you get the convenience of a compact camera with the speed of focus of a conventional DSLR.Īll other current systems have to flip the mirror up so that the main sensor can produce the live view image. This means it behaves just like a conventional DSLR when in Live view mode, only flipping the mirror out of the way when you press the shutter button to take the photograph. The advantage of this layout is that, unlike any other current Live View system, the camera can offer live view with the reflex mirror down. Roll your mouse over the above images to see how the light path is redirected between the viewfinder and live view sensor