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Sony Alpha a3000 ILCE-3000K 20.1 MP Mirrorless Digital Camera - Black - 18-55mm OSS Lens
Brand | Sony |
Model Name | Sony A3000 |
Maximum Webcam Image Resolution | 20.1 MP |
Photo Sensor Size | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6mm) |
Image Stabilization | Optical |
Max Shutter Speed | 30 seconds |
Min Shutter Speed | 30 seconds |
Metering Description | Multi, Center-weighted, Spot |
Exposure Control Type | Shutter-speed priority (S), Sweep Panorama, Manual, Scene Selection |
Form Factor | DSLR |
About this item
- 20.1 MP Exmor APS-C sensor for great images
- Light body and dependable grip for worry-free shooting
- Full HD video recording for capturing life's moments
- Model: ILCE3000K/B
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Price | $279.99$279.99 | -17% $499.00$499.00 List: $599.99 | $379.00$379.00 | $185.41$185.41 | -11% $222.91$222.91 List: $249.99 | $769.95$769.95 |
Delivery | Get it Apr 1 - 5 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | — |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Picture quality | 5.0 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.6 |
Auto focus | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.6 | — | — | 4.4 |
Image stabilization | — | 4.2 | 4.8 | 3.8 | — | 4.3 |
Zoom | 4.6 | — | — | 4.1 | 4.7 | — |
Sold By | good_stuff_ | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Fast Ship Direct |
display type | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD |
display size | 3 inches | 3 inches | 2.7 inches | 3 inches | 3 inches | 3 inches |
lens type | Interchangeable | Telephoto | Telephoto | Telephoto | Telephoto | Interchangeable |
zoom type | — | — | Digital Zoom | Optical Zoom | Optical Zoom | Optical |
shooting modes | Auto HDR | Automatic | Automatic | Panorama, Automatic, Easy | Automatic, Movie, Panorama, Portrait, Macro | Bulb Mode,Aperture Priority, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority |
connectivity tech | HDMI, USB | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB | Wi-Fi | wired, wireless | Wi-Fi, USB | NFC, HDMI, USB |
video resolution | FHD 1080p | 2160p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | FHD 1080p |
Videos
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Sony a3000 Product Tour
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Review - Sony Alpha a3000 MP Mirrorless Digital Camera Black
Malaya Neff
What's in the box
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Product information
Auto Focus Technology | Center, Selective single-point, Face Detection, Tracking, Multi-area, Single, Continuous, Live View, Contrast Detection |
---|---|
Display Resolution Maximum | 230400 |
Photo Sensor Size | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6mm) |
Photo Sensor Technology | CMOS |
Effective Still Resolution | 20.1 |
Maximum Webcam Image Resolution | 20.1 MP |
White balance settings | Auto |
Self Timer Duration | 10 seconds |
JPEG quality level | Basic, Fine, Normal |
Camera Flash | Built-In |
Image Stabilization | Optical |
Video Capture Format | mpeg-4;h.264;avchd |
Video Capture Resolution | FHD 1080p |
Video Standard | MPEG-4 |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.70x |
---|---|
Viewfinder Type | Electronic |
Screen Size | 3 Inches |
Display Type | LCD |
Display Fixture Type | Fixed |
Model Name | Sony A3000 |
---|---|
Brand | Sony |
Model Number | ILCE3000K/B |
Customer Reviews |
4.0 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #258,978 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #597 in Mirrorless Cameras |
ASIN | B00EH5UGR6 |
Color | Black |
Included Components | Battery, Remote, USB Cable |
Age Range (Description) | Adult |
Processor Description | BIONZ image processor |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 5.04 x 3.35 x 3.58 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 14.56 ounces |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Lens Type | Interchangeable |
---|---|
Optical Zoom | 3 x |
Digital Zoom | 4 x |
Maximum Aperture | 3.5 f |
Minimum Aperture | 5.6 |
Autofocus Points | 25 |
Camera Lens Description | 55 Mm |
Compatible Mountings | Sony FE, Sony E (NEX) |
Focus Type | Manual Focus |
Maximum Focal Length | 82.5 Millimeters |
Minimum Focal Length | 18 Millimeters |
Expanded ISO Maximum | 16000 |
---|---|
Expanded ISO Minimum | 100 |
Max Shutter Speed | 30 seconds |
Min Shutter Speed | 30 seconds |
Exposure Control Type | Shutter-speed priority (S), Sweep Panorama, Manual, Scene Selection |
Metering Description | Multi, Center-weighted, Spot |
Shooting Modes | Auto HDR |
Batteries Required? | Yes |
---|---|
Number of Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
Are Batteries Included | Yes |
Rechargeable Battery Included | No |
Battery Cell Composition | Lithium |
Battery Description | NP-FW50 |
Battery Weight | 29 Grams |
Battery Life | 470 Photos |
Target Gender | Unisex |
Audio Input | Microphone |
Connectivity Technology | USB, HDMI |
Continuous Shooting Speed | 3.5 |
Flash Memory Type | Memory Stick Pro |
Special Feature | Lightweight |
Water Resistance Level | Not Water Resistant |
Skill Level | Professional |
Form Factor | DSLR |
Hardware Interface | Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, USB, Memory Stick PRO Duo, HDMI, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo |
Photo Sensor Technology | CMOS |
Product guides and documents
Product Description
Product Description
Now even you can take professional-looking 20 megapixel photos effortlessly. Unlock your artsy side the easy way and shoot stunning, frame-worthy images and HD video with small-camera simplicity. Best of all, can't-miss moments and fast-action shots are captured with DSLR quality and speed-all in a lightweight camera you'll want to take everywhere.
Use this comparison chart to compare all Sony Alpha Mirrorless cameras.
From the Manufacturer
Unlock your artsy side the easy way with the a3000. Now you can shoot professional-looking, frame-worth 20 megapixel images effortlessly, and even capture HD video with the simplicity of a small camera. Best of all, can’t-miss moments and fast-action shots are captured with DSLR quality and speed—all in a lightweight camera you’ll want to take everywhere.
Technology
20.1 MP APS-C size HD
image sensor
The a3000 uses the same sensor format that Sony builds into its full-sized DSLR cameras. With 13 times the area of the typical point-and-shoot image sensor, APS-C sensor size makes the difference between “snapshots” and “photographs,” delivering an exceptional combination of high resolution, high sensitivity and gorgeous, blurred backgrounds.
Light body and dependable grip
Using larger, more professional digital cameras can sometimes be awkward to manage and can weigh you down. But, the a3000 offers a lightweight body and a newly developed grip that enables you to hold the camera more securely for worry-free shooting. It provides ease and comfort when you're taking photos on-the-go.Accepts Sony® E-mount lenses
The a3000 is compatible a wide selection of smaller, lighter Sony E-mount series lenses. Each lens is portable, powerful and will open up a world of creative options for you to explore. The a3000 also accepts
A-mount lenses via an optional adaptor. (LA-EA1/LA-EA2 adaptor
sold separately)
Gorgeous low-light shooting
Now you can shoot with confidence in a variety of lighting conditions. With a new Exmor® sensor that features the same adaptive noise reduction technology from Sony’s flagship SLT-A99V, the a3000 easily offers a wide range of sensitivity from ISO 100 to ISO 16000.
Quick Auto Focus in Live View
If you enjoy taking photos via the large 3.0" LCD screen over the viewfinder, then you'll be thrilled with the performance of the a3000 optimized auto focus feature. It's intuitive operation means you'll never miss the action or get frustrated waiting for your camera to focus as you shoot stunning images or HD video. This is an ideal feature for photographers who prefer to keep contact with their subjects.
Full HD Movies1 at 60i and 24p
Not only does the a3000 take high resolution, magazine worthy photos, but it can also capture stunning HD movies in your choice of standard 60i or cinematic 24p, all at Full HD 1920x1080 resolution1. The AVCHD™ codec delivers stunning Blu-ray™ HD picture quality. Also included is the MP4 codec which offers smaller file size for easier upload to the web for sharing.
Additional Features
QVGA Tru-Finder™ Eye-level viewfinder
This eye-level, through-the-lens, viewfinder with 100% coverage begins with over 200k dots for impressive resolution. You can also see the results of camera adjustments in real time with superb color and detail.
Up to 3.5 fps shooting
Enjoy the advantages of DSLR-style photography with fast action shooting. Never miss a moment of a soccer game, a gymnastics meet or even the subtle movements of a newborn baby. You'll capture amazing 20 megapixel images at up to 3.5 frames per second of continuous shooting. Standard continuous shooting speeds will vary based upon shooting conditions and memory card speeds.
Multi Interface Shoe connector
Users can expand photographic and movie shooting possibilities by attaching optional accessories via the Multi Interface Shoe, including a powerful external flash, stereo microphone and more. You can also connect with a compatible remote control via the Multi Terminal.
Picture Effect modes
Ditch Photoshop and hours of editing. With 11 types of in-camera picture effects, you can create unique and exciting photos that really pop. Effects include: Soft Focus, Partial Color, Retro Photo, Miniature and more.
Auto Object Framing
Auto Object Framing automatically recognizes a scene and subjects in your photos and crops a photo accordingly allowing you to have your original photo and a second cropped photo. Thus, creating ordinary photos into stunning compositions.
Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO)
This feature improves results with backlit subjects and recovers details hidden in shadows, perfect if you're capturing a beautiful sunset photo. Settings include Auto, 5 operating levels and off.
Auto HDR mode
This feature essentially captures three shots, highlighting the best elements from each shot (details, mid-tones and shadows) to create one incredible and stunning photograph (up to 6 EV stops) - all captured in a split second. (Recommended for still subjects.)
Face Detection/ Registration technology
The camera can automatically detect and register up to eight individual faces and adjust focus, exposure, white balance and flash to help deliver crisp, properly lit images of family and friends. It can even prioritize children or adults.
Sweep Panorama™ Technology
Create stunning vertical or horizontal landscape photos with just the touch of a button. It's easy - simply press the shutter, sweep vertically or horizontally and the camera does the rest, continuously shooting images and stitching them together into one panoramic image.
Six Creative Style settings
Control how the camera processes your images with six finishing styles: Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset and B&W. You can even fine-tune contrast, saturation, and sharpness to your personal taste.
Photo Creativity Interface
The Photo Creativity interface enables you to easily enjoy the creative expression of SLR-quality digital imaging without the complicated settings. Changes can be easily made using the control dial with results seen in real time on the LCD. Settings include; Background Defocus, Brightness, Color, Vividness and most Picture Effects.
Clear Image Zoom
Utilizing Sony’s exclusive By Pixel Super Resolution Technology, Clear Image Zoom increases the effective focal length of your lens up to 2x by digitally magnifying the center of your image with nearly imperceptible degradation. It virtually doubles the effective focal length of whatever lens you’re using providing greater shooting flexibility.
Convenient USB charging
Easily recharge the camera via USB charging. Simply connect the bundled USB cable and recharge the battery without removing it from the camera, either via AC outlet or PC connection.
TRILUMINOS™ Color
The a3000 supports Sony’s “TRILUMINOS Color,”8 allowing you to view photos and movies in rich, natural colors on any TV equipped with a “TRILUMINOS Display.” The expanded color gamut lets you immerse yourself once again in those unforgettably colorful moments, from the complex shades in a shimmering blue sky to the natural tones of a rosy complexion.
Stamina™ battery power for up to 470 shots7
Take up to 470 shots on a single charge7 with Sony® lithium ion Stamina™ battery power. Sony's InfoLITHIUM® battery system enables you to see the percent of power remaining, so you can keep shooting in confidence.
1. Records in up to 29 minutes segments.
6. Compatible with BRAVIA® Sync or Theatre Sync™ HDTVs connected via HDMI®.
7. Actual performance varies based on settings, environmental conditions, and usage. Battery capacity decreases over time and use.
8. Requires compatible BRAVIA® HDTV and cable sold separately
© 2013 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Sony, BIONZ, BRAVIA, Exmor, InfoLITHIUM, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, the Memory Stick logo, PlayMemories Home, Remote Commander, Smile Shutter, Stamina, Theatre Sync, Sweep Panorama, Xtra Fine LCD and the Sony make.believe logo are trademarks of Sony. AVCHD™ is a trademark of Panasonic Corporation and Sony Corporation. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows Vista are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Mac OS and iMovie are trademarks of Apple Computers, Inc. HDMI is a trademark of HDMI Licensing LLC. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners.Read about our customers' top-rated cameras and lenses on our review pages: Compact System Cameras, Lenses
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the quality, value, and ease of use of the digital camera. For example, they mention that it makes excellent pictures, it works great, and is cheap enough for amateur photographers. They appreciate the easy-to-use manual and aperture priority modes, as well as the built-in panoramic setting. That said, they say it's a good quality for the price.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers are satisfied with the quality of the camera. They mention that it makes excellent pictures, easily matches the image quality of a DSLR, and produces stunning, professional looking photos. They appreciate the auto modes and the ability to stitch photos together. Overall, most are happy with the performance and quality of this digital camera.
"I like the picture quality and the size, as this camera is about the same size as the smallest Canon DSLR that costs about twice as much...." Read more
"...obvious differences are better screen, EVF, articulating screen, A58 uses A mount lenses though, not nex, so if you are into nex... also A58 is a..." Read more
"...The camera has a built in panorama facility. Turn the one setting dial (ONE dial, not 2, 3 or more like some modern cameras) to Panorama mode...." Read more
"This is a great camera that makes excellent pictures. Yes, it is a fake DSLR. It looks like one, but has no mirror...." Read more
Customers like the image quality of the camera. They mention it works great, takes fantastic pictures, and the stock lens performed wonderfully. Some say that the camera is functional and that the AA batteries it came with do pretty well. Overall, most are satisfied with the quality and functionality of the product.
"...viewfinder is pretty bad compared to higher resolution ones, but it is functional, and the ability to zoom in on the view with the lower..." Read more
"...It works well enough to shoot with...." Read more
"...However, both performed very well on this body; especially for inexpensive "kit" lenses...." Read more
"...Following that analogy this camera does a very good job, while making it easy for the driver/photographer...." Read more
Customers appreciate the value of the camera. They say it's an amazing camera for the price, with a good quality lens. Customers also mention that it'll make a great entry into the prosumer market.
"...In short, a fantastic camera for the price, thanks Sony for making something for us 'best cheapest' sort of guys!..." Read more
"...The lens is very impressive, very little distortion for the money, it alone should cost as much as $300 I paid for entire set at Amazon Prime...." Read more
"...This is an incredible price point camera that delivers, and four of us going to Germany already switched because of the weight situation." Read more
"...optics that take far inferior photos making this camera an incredible steal for the price" Read more
Customers find the digital camera easy to use. They mention that the programing makes it easy to operate in manual and aperture priority modes. They also appreciate the ease of finding and navigating the features and captures. The manual features aren't overwhelming and are easily accessed with the push of a single button on the back of the camera. The interchangeable lenses and manual operations are also easy to access.
"...BOTH are easily accessed with the push of a single button on the back of the body...." Read more
"...analogy this camera does a very good job, while making it easy for the driver/photographer...." Read more
"...It has plenty of manual modes to boot and good auto modes...." Read more
"For a year or so it took reasonable pictures. The concept was appealing; big sensor and just enough of a camera to support it...." Read more
Customers find the auto modes of the camera to be feature rich, invaluable, and easy to use. They also appreciate the built-in panoramic setting and the ability to switch to the viewfinder with ease. Customers also mention that the camera explains each function and that they can easily choose various menu settings to configure the camera.
"...The viewfinder option has proven invaluable as the LCD washes out in sunlight, just like all LCD's do, so having the option of both is a definite..." Read more
"...Extremely comfortable and fun to use. Superb image quality and feature rich...." Read more
"...I was easily able to choose various menu settings to configure the camera to my liking without lengthy research.*..." Read more
"...A3000 does have plenty of manual modes like most entry level DSLRs and mirrorless cameras...." Read more
Customers like the size of the digital camera. For example, they mention it's small and lightweight, a nice fit for the work they do, and awesome for traveling or everyday use. Some say that the camera is good in a good size and that the lenses are slightly smaller.
"...So far we have been blown away by the results, fit and finish, but the pictures we processed and blew up were outstanding...." Read more
"...of a full DSLR camera but is more compact in weight and slightly smaller Sony E mount lenses...." Read more
"...However, while Ilove the A58, like most DSLR cameras, it is large and heavy. The A3000 uses the same..." Read more
"...The size is so awesome for traveling or everyday use...." Read more
Customers like the weight of the digital camera. They mention it's very light, easy to use, and compact in weight. The camera feels lighter in their hands than their old legacy film SLRs, and it'll easily fit into their bag.
"...this is more fun and it's form factor and weight make it easy take along anywhere but with a comfortable familiar feel...." Read more
"...priced ones. This is a very sweet, quality camera in a smaller and lighter package. Feelfree to ask me any additional questions." Read more
"...The lighter weight and the high quality no compromise of the final photos that can be taken with this camera makes this the perfect choice when you..." Read more
"...In my hands, the camera feels lighter and better than my old legacy film SLRs ever did...." Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the resolution of the camera. They mention that the view finder is rather low resolution, and the LCD screen does not accurately show what the camera is taking. The view finders is also dim and full of noise, making it tough to see when in focus. Overall, some customers feel that the pictures may be lacking some depth.
"...The viewfinder is pretty bad compared to higher resolution ones, but it is functional, and the ability to zoom in on the view with the lower..." Read more
"...Finally, other reviewers have commented on the low resolution eye level finder. Their complaints are valid...." Read more
"...The only true fake thing here is the view finder: you do not see through the lens, cause it is not an optical feature, but will be looking at tiny..." Read more
"...to use manual focus lenses with adapters, it can be hard to focus for some shots, even with focus peaking activated...." Read more
Reviews with images
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The kit lens is not that great, objects at the edges seem to have a curve to them, not bad, but noticeable. I've started to play one. I've started using my older Pentax prime lenses in full manual modes and the clarity and detail look good so far using a 35mm. Don't get me wrong the Kit lens is still pretty good and very versatile. In addition to the 3x range the built in times two zoom in the camera does pretty good, and with the excellent processing for this zoom in conjunction with still having about half the 20 million pixels in operation produces good images at 6x. In short, a fantastic camera for the price, thanks Sony for making something for us 'best cheapest' sort of guys!
The JPEGs are in saturated colors that aren't as natural as the far less detailed images that come from my older Pentax K100D, but guess what, I like the saturated colors, they have a WOW factor and look far more like the publishing images that never seem to worry about natural. I've found no way to adjust this saturation, but you always have the ability to use the raw images with post processing,
I have a much more expensive canon setup and honestly this is more fun and it's form factor and weight make it easy take along anywhere but with a comfortable familiar feel. I am keeping this one for myself. I picked up a cheap adapter and I can run my canon glass on it. Focus peaking is awesome!
I have read some other reviews on Amazon and other sites , most positive but some negative. Camera nerds bashing something for what it's obviously not trying to be in the first place. I heard sony has discontinued this, and probably based on the bashing. Unfortunate because they had a great idea here in my opinion. The Nex body's are awkward to hold. This one is perfect. I have found the viewfinder and the LCD screen to be just fine. It works well enough to shoot with. I don't view my photos on it in depth but rather on screen later, and that is a treat to see the wonderful images you'll capture. OMG!the eye piece doesn't have rubber on it, what will I ever do!! Seriously? People shot for decades and decades without that just fine.
You can't beat this....period.
UPDATE: Amazon just upped this package to $349.00 .... at his price point the Sony A58 ($398.00 with 55mm lens currently at the time of this writing) may give you more bang for your buck. faster, much more feature robust. obvious differences are better screen, EVF, articulating screen, A58 uses A mount lenses though, not nex, so if you are into nex... also A58 is a translucent mirror tech camera, not 'mirrorless'. I priced the A58 at sony today with the kit 55mm lens and added in the 135mm lens for $650.00. they have a lens combo deal currently.
What I love about this camera -
The ergonomics - The body shape and hand grip are both well designed and perfect for my right hand. While not the lightest possible lens/body combination available (the Olympus appears to be), it is about 12 ounces lighter than what I now have AND offers a longer zoom range than the Olympus.
The images - I have tried both the 18-55 and optional 55-210 lenses. Because of my shooting style and interests, I am likely to rarely use the shorter lens. However, both performed very well on this body; especially for inexpensive "kit" lenses. Neither focused very quickly, but fast enough to catch wild life photos. I found almost no "shutter lag," a critical issue for me when buying a camera. Most of my early test shots were done in fully idiot-proof mode. I believe the ISO was automatically set to 100 (I have since over-ridden this and changed the setting to ISO 400, at the moment, for smaller apertures and faster shutter speeds, with no apparent image degradation).
Features - At least THIS SONY model offers "manual focus assist," which I find to be a WONDERFUL tool. Holding the shutter button halfway down, you let the camera autofocus. THEN, you can fine tune the plane of sharpest focus to your liking with the manual focus ring. When you do so, if you have this feature turned on in the menu*, the camera will magnify a small area of your whole image. I find this to be an enormous help IF I have the time to manually adjust the focus. Obviously, not very suitable for birds and critters that won't sit still for long! I do have a small complaint about this feature, but it may be my lack of understanding about how it works. I do not understand how the camera chooses which section of the whole image to magnify. It is NOT. necessarily, the center of the screen!
The camera has a built in panorama facility. Turn the one setting dial (ONE dial, not 2, 3 or more like some modern cameras) to Panorama mode. Aim the camera facing the left most portion of the scene you want included. Press the shutter button and keep it depressed while panning across the desired image area. Voila! A perfect panoramic image produced IN the camera. No need to use Photoshop to "stitch" together sections of a panoramic image!
Very intuitive settings. While I have glanced through the THREE manuals available in .pdf format on the SONY website, the last thing I want to do is sit and read them. I was easily able to choose various menu settings to configure the camera to my liking without lengthy research.
*Menu system - There are two menus; one for camera settings and one for photographic preferences. BOTH are easily accessed with the push of a single button on the back of the body. You can either view them in the eye level finder or on the larger view screen. As you go from one item to the next and each choice within an item, a brief explanation appears. NOTE: the explanation is in excellent English and makes sense! Once you are familiar with the settings, you can turn off the explanations if you wish.
What I hate about this camera -
I bought this camera having read MANY reviews and also after having bought and returned an a6000. I was well aware of battery life issues and bought anyway. I have used the camera 3 times, so far, to make sure I want to keep it. Each time was for about 1 hour and each use was for roughly 25 still photos without flash, 3 videos scattered over the 3 days, and 2 panoramic shots. After this one hour use, the battery was down by 20-30%. This is beyond pathetic! It is SHAMEFUL for a company like SONY.
I never had battery life issues with my early SONY a100 or with my Canon T3i. I was able to shoot with both of those cameras ALL day and never once had to change batteries mid-day.
BTW, SONY saved $5 or so per camera by NOT including an external battery charger. As noted by other reviewers, until and unless you buy an external charger you must charge the battery IN the camera. The camera is NOT usable while charging the battery. Charging can take up to "290 minutes" = 5 HOURS!!!!
I am hoping that SONY cares enough about their customers to redesign/re-engineer their batteries to remedy this problem despite the fact that people, like me, are BUYING their cameras even knowing about the horrible battery life. NOTE: 47th Street Photo, and likely others, sell compatible batteries with power capacity approximately DOUBLE that of the OEM battery!
As of today, 7/8/2015, I know that SONY has at least one employee named Mitch assigned to reading and responding to customer reviews. I am hoping that Mitch, or someone else from SONY, can respond with word of a better battery for this and other cameras using the NP-FW50 battery.
Finally, other reviewers have commented on the low resolution eye level finder. Their complaints are valid. Resolution is inadequate to tell if you are capturing a sharp image. However, it is adequate for purposes of composition. You can always review the image on the large view screen after capture. Plus, with one button push, the image is magnified and magnification can be increased with a turn of the rear wheel. I find an eye level finder to be mandatory. I am not used to holding a camera up and inches away from my eyes to compose and shoot using a large view screen. MANY newer cameras are lacking an eye level finder of any kind. The SONY a6000 has an eye level finder, but it is not well situated (at least for my taste). It is located in the upper left of the rear body and flat against the rear. Using it places your nose against the large view screen thus smearing the screen with normal nose skin oil! The eye level finder on the a3000 is centrally located at the top of the body and it protrudes rearwards a bit. My nose still touches the large view screen, but in the upper right - MUCH LESS problematic.
Today, 7/27/2015, I returned the a3000 and 55-250 lens to Amazon. This was a VERY difficult decision in view of the excellent image quality. The problem, and reason I returned the SONY, was the horrendous resolution of both the eye level finder and the rear view screen. It was like the olden days of film when you had to process the film to see what kind of results you had. I could NOT tell almost anything about my SONY images, other than composition, until I got home and opened them with Photoshop.
To quote another recent reviewer: “The thing with the screen is that more often then not, I'll get home, load up my pictures on my PC and think ‘Dang, those look so much better than I thought they were!"
I also did not like the delay upon awakening with the SONY. That does not exist with my Canon T3i. Unlike one reviewer who explained that he preserves battery life by switching his SONY ON and OFF between photos, I like to leave my camera ON so I do not miss a photo opportunity. To conserve battery, the camera “times out” and goes into sleep mode. It takes some bit of time to awaken. In that fraction of time, you have missed the photo opportunity.
Until mirrorless cameras improve their ergonomics and viewfinders (see my comments on the Olympus OM D-10), I will have to stick with a mirror and pentaprism, regardless of the added weight.
Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2015
What I love about this camera -
The ergonomics - The body shape and hand grip are both well designed and perfect for my right hand. While not the lightest possible lens/body combination available (the Olympus appears to be), it is about 12 ounces lighter than what I now have AND offers a longer zoom range than the Olympus.
The images - I have tried both the 18-55 and optional 55-210 lenses. Because of my shooting style and interests, I am likely to rarely use the shorter lens. However, both performed very well on this body; especially for inexpensive "kit" lenses. Neither focused very quickly, but fast enough to catch wild life photos. I found almost no "shutter lag," a critical issue for me when buying a camera. Most of my early test shots were done in fully idiot-proof mode. I believe the ISO was automatically set to 100 (I have since over-ridden this and changed the setting to ISO 400, at the moment, for smaller apertures and faster shutter speeds, with no apparent image degradation).
Features - At least THIS SONY model offers "manual focus assist," which I find to be a WONDERFUL tool. Holding the shutter button halfway down, you let the camera autofocus. THEN, you can fine tune the plane of sharpest focus to your liking with the manual focus ring. When you do so, if you have this feature turned on in the menu*, the camera will magnify a small area of your whole image. I find this to be an enormous help IF I have the time to manually adjust the focus. Obviously, not very suitable for birds and critters that won't sit still for long! I do have a small complaint about this feature, but it may be my lack of understanding about how it works. I do not understand how the camera chooses which section of the whole image to magnify. It is NOT. necessarily, the center of the screen!
The camera has a built in panorama facility. Turn the one setting dial (ONE dial, not 2, 3 or more like some modern cameras) to Panorama mode. Aim the camera facing the left most portion of the scene you want included. Press the shutter button and keep it depressed while panning across the desired image area. Voila! A perfect panoramic image produced IN the camera. No need to use Photoshop to "stitch" together sections of a panoramic image!
Very intuitive settings. While I have glanced through the THREE manuals available in .pdf format on the SONY website, the last thing I want to do is sit and read them. I was easily able to choose various menu settings to configure the camera to my liking without lengthy research.
*Menu system - There are two menus; one for camera settings and one for photographic preferences. BOTH are easily accessed with the push of a single button on the back of the body. You can either view them in the eye level finder or on the larger view screen. As you go from one item to the next and each choice within an item, a brief explanation appears. NOTE: the explanation is in excellent English and makes sense! Once you are familiar with the settings, you can turn off the explanations if you wish.
What I hate about this camera -
I bought this camera having read MANY reviews and also after having bought and returned an a6000. I was well aware of battery life issues and bought anyway. I have used the camera 3 times, so far, to make sure I want to keep it. Each time was for about 1 hour and each use was for roughly 25 still photos without flash, 3 videos scattered over the 3 days, and 2 panoramic shots. After this one hour use, the battery was down by 20-30%. This is beyond pathetic! It is SHAMEFUL for a company like SONY.
I never had battery life issues with my early SONY a100 or with my Canon T3i. I was able to shoot with both of those cameras ALL day and never once had to change batteries mid-day.
BTW, SONY saved $5 or so per camera by NOT including an external battery charger. As noted by other reviewers, until and unless you buy an external charger you must charge the battery IN the camera. The camera is NOT usable while charging the battery. Charging can take up to "290 minutes" = 5 HOURS!!!!
I am hoping that SONY cares enough about their customers to redesign/re-engineer their batteries to remedy this problem despite the fact that people, like me, are BUYING their cameras even knowing about the horrible battery life. NOTE: 47th Street Photo, and likely others, sell compatible batteries with power capacity approximately DOUBLE that of the OEM battery!
As of today, 7/8/2015, I know that SONY has at least one employee named Mitch assigned to reading and responding to customer reviews. I am hoping that Mitch, or someone else from SONY, can respond with word of a better battery for this and other cameras using the NP-FW50 battery.
Finally, other reviewers have commented on the low resolution eye level finder. Their complaints are valid. Resolution is inadequate to tell if you are capturing a sharp image. However, it is adequate for purposes of composition. You can always review the image on the large view screen after capture. Plus, with one button push, the image is magnified and magnification can be increased with a turn of the rear wheel. I find an eye level finder to be mandatory. I am not used to holding a camera up and inches away from my eyes to compose and shoot using a large view screen. MANY newer cameras are lacking an eye level finder of any kind. The SONY a6000 has an eye level finder, but it is not well situated (at least for my taste). It is located in the upper left of the rear body and flat against the rear. Using it places your nose against the large view screen thus smearing the screen with normal nose skin oil! The eye level finder on the a3000 is centrally located at the top of the body and it protrudes rearwards a bit. My nose still touches the large view screen, but in the upper right - MUCH LESS problematic.
Today, 7/27/2015, I returned the a3000 and 55-250 lens to Amazon. This was a VERY difficult decision in view of the excellent image quality. The problem, and reason I returned the SONY, was the horrendous resolution of both the eye level finder and the rear view screen. It was like the olden days of film when you had to process the film to see what kind of results you had. I could NOT tell almost anything about my SONY images, other than composition, until I got home and opened them with Photoshop.
To quote another recent reviewer: “The thing with the screen is that more often then not, I'll get home, load up my pictures on my PC and think ‘Dang, those look so much better than I thought they were!"
I also did not like the delay upon awakening with the SONY. That does not exist with my Canon T3i. Unlike one reviewer who explained that he preserves battery life by switching his SONY ON and OFF between photos, I like to leave my camera ON so I do not miss a photo opportunity. To conserve battery, the camera “times out” and goes into sleep mode. It takes some bit of time to awaken. In that fraction of time, you have missed the photo opportunity.
Until mirrorless cameras improve their ergonomics and viewfinders (see my comments on the Olympus OM D-10), I will have to stick with a mirror and pentaprism, regardless of the added weight.
Top reviews from other countries
performance. The results are amazing and feel comfortable as it weighs light comparing other expensive cameras.
In built lense 18-55 mm itself covers good range on the hills. Hence the results are fine for a family requirements I hope there is no need for further expensive models. The effect on mirror less technology seems to be the added reason for the clarity . I would recommend this camera for my friends who prefer the best for long travels with family.