Sony 16.1 Megapixels A37 Camera

Sony announced the SLT-A37 interchangeable lens camera. The a37 is the latest camera from Sony that features the Translucent Mirror Technology which delivers a combination of phase detection autofocus and continuous live image preview during still and full HD video (60i/24p) shooting.  Shots can be captured at up to 7 fps in Tele-Zoom High Speed Shooting Mode, where the central portion of the sensor's image is magnified by 1.4x. The camera comes with a 16.1 Megapixels Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, ISO 100-16000 support, 3-cross 15-point AF system, a Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder with 1440k dot resolution, and a tilt-angle 2.7-inch LCD screen.There is a new Auto Portrait Framing mode that identifies the subject's position in a composed image and follows the rule of thirds to trim the scene.  

The cropped photo is then boosted to full resolution using Sony's By Pixel Super Resolution technology, which uses pattern matching to maintain superb image detail, tones and textures in the photo. Both the original and cropped image files are saved for review. By Pixel Super Resolution Technology is also used for the Clear Image Zoom feature, which digitally doubles the effective magnification of any lens attached to the camera. Shared with all a A-mount cameras, SteadyShot INSIDE stabilization cuts the effects of camera shake by up to 4.0 stops for clearer handheld images with any A-mount lens. The a37 is available with an 18-55mm kit zoom lens (model SEL1855) for $600. The SAL18135 telephoto zoom lens is available as a stand-alone product for $500, and is also offered as a kit lens with Sony A-mount cameras. 

Here's the summary of review by CNET US, giving the camera a rating of 3.5 out of 5:"While I got a few shots I liked from the A37, I wasn't blown away by the photo quality -- it's pretty typical for an entry-level model of this class. That may be due in part to the new 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens, which we tested because I think it will be a popular choice. It's a good focal length range and its aperture range is no slower than the shorter 18-55mm option. However, it doesn't seem terribly sharp. The camera's JPEGs look reasonably good at ISO 100 and 200, then you start to see more softness at ISO 400 with increasing artifacts up through ISO 3200, which I would consider the top of the usable range for JPEGs.

Colors are saturated without getting shifted and the exposures are generally on target. The A37 generally performs faster than the A35, and that camera was quite fast. That's not just on our lab tests; it feels quite fast and responsive for nonburst shooting. It powers on, focuses and shoots in about 0.8 second, which is a little slower than other cameras. But in good light it can focus and shoot in 0.2 second and in dim light it's a mere 0.3 second -- both excellent showings. It takes approximately 0.5 second for two consecutive shots, which rises to 0.7 second with flash enabled. I found continuous shooting a bit wonkier. 

While it's rated at 5.5fps with a buffer of 14 shots, our lab tests showed it slowed significantly after 10 shots, bringing the average down to 4fps. So the burst performance will depend significantly on the length of the burst.Also, while the autofocus works quickly and accurately for single shots, the tracking autofocus lagged the subject quite often during my testing. The 18-135mm lens does work well for manually focusing, though, especially in conjunction with the peaking function (edge enhancement) in the camera. At night especially I found that combination more accurate than relying on the AF; the viewfinder is notably dim even in good light. The A37 is a solid entry-level, dSLR-class camera that will serve anyone on a tight budget who's looking for something to shoot active kids and pets."

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