Sony Alpha 100
Sony α100 (DSLR-A100) is the first digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) marketed by Sony. It is the successor to the previous Konica Minolta DSLR models (primarily the Maxxum/Dynax 5D and 7D) through Sony's purchase of the Konica Minolta camera division. The α100 retains a similar body design and claimed improvements on Konica Minolta's Anti-Shake sensor-shifting image stabilization feature, renamed Super SteadyShot. It uses a 10.2 megapixel APS-C sized CCD sensor. Another notable feature inherited from Konica Minolta is Eyestart, which provides for automatic autofocus activation by detecting the presence of the photographer's eye on the viewfinder, thus quickening the camera's response.
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Type | Digital single-lens reflex camera |
| Lens | |
| Lens | interchangeable, Sony A-mount / Konica Minolta A-mount |
| Sensor/medium | |
| Sensor | 23.6 mm × 15.8 mm 10.2 effective megapixels CCD |
| Maximum resolution | 3872 × 2592 pixels (10.2 Megapixels) |
| ASA/ISO range | Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, Lo 80, Hi 200 |
| Storage | CompactFlash I/II, Memory Stick PRO (with adapter), Memory Stick PRO Duo (with included adapter) |
| Focusing | |
| Focus modes | manual focus point selection, Spot AF, Continuous AF and AF Lock |
| Focus areas | 9-points, 8 lines with center cross-hair sensor, TTL CCD line sensors |
| Exposure/metering | |
| Exposure modes | full manual, Program Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, ±2.0 EV, 1/3 EV Steps Exposure Compensation, 3 frames brcketting |
| Exposure metering | 40-segment honeycomb sensing system provides multi-pattern measuring |
| Metering modes | Multi-segment, Center-weighted, Spot |
| Flash | |
| Flash | Manual Pop-up: Auto, Fill-flash, Rear flash sync, Wireless off camera flash (with Flash HVL-F56AM, F36AM), GN12 at ISO 100 (39 feet/ 12 meters) |
| Shutter | |
| Shutter | electronically controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane Shutter |
| Shutter speed range | 30–1/4000 sec, with Bulb, 1/160 sec X-sync |
| Continuous shooting | 3 Frames Per Second, unlimited JPEG, up to 6 raw |
| Viewfinder | |
| Viewfinder | optical, spherical Acute Matte screen, 20mm eye relief, 0.83x magnification, dioptre adjustment, 95% frame coverage, pentamirror |
| Image processing | |
| Custom WB | Auto, daylight, shade, cloudy, tungsten, fluorescent, flash, color temperature, custom |
| WB bracketing | 3 frames |
| General | |
| Rear LCD monitor | 230k pixel, 2.5-inch TFT LCD |
| Battery | 7.2 V, 1600 mAh |
| Weight | 545 g (19.2 oz) |
Another notable feature is an automatically vibrating CCD to remove dust each time the camera is shut off. The α100 shipped from Sony and resellers by the end of July 2006 with MSRP prices of US$1000 with the 18–70 mm f/3.5–f/5.6 kit lens and US$900 for the body only. The camera retains the same autofocus lens mount that was introduced with the Minolta Maxxum 7000 in 1985, allowing the continued use of the millions of existing Minolta AF lenses.
