Alpha 100

Sony’s Alpha 100 is the first ten-megapixel digital SLR available for under £1,000 and, even after the announcement of the Nikon D80 and Canon EOS 400D, it’s still the cheapest. Sony has introduced a new Alpha lens mount for its digital SLRs and, while we may have to wait until the end of this year for Sony’s full lens line-up to arrive, it’s actually compatible with existing Konica Minolta lenses.

The Alpha 100’s picture quality is pretty good, although some may find that the step up in definition from six million to ten million pixels is subtle rather than dramatic. This is quite possibly due in some part to the inexpensive bundled 18-70mm lens kit, which also shows some fall-off in definition towards the edges of the frame and slightly higher than usual levels of chromatic aberration.

However, the camera feels well made and the control layout is very good, with a single function dial on the top taking care of most everyday image adjustment functions. It uses the CCD-based anti-shake system pioneered by Konica Minolta and now branded Super SteadyShot. This, says Sony, enables you to capture sharp handheld shots at 2-3.5 shutter speeds slower than normal. And it works well, although it’s still possible to get shake if you’re careless or too ambitious.

There are other good ideas on offer here, such as the way the anti-shake mechanism has been adapted to shake dust off the sensor when you shut down, and a Dynamic Range Optimiser designed to lighten the shadows in high-contrast shots – although this didn’t seem particularly effective in our tests.