Strengths:Versatility, Price, Adaptability, Wireless/TTL flash mode, Ease of use, Lightweight, Auto-Adjusting LCD menu, Steady-shot mode for daytime shooting.
Weaknesses:Audible noise of shutter, RAW File import format not compatible with Photoshop CS2, High speed images contain noise, Steady-shot mode not functional with night shots.
Posted Jan 8, 2007 - Overall, I am very impressed with my first DSLR from Sony. The A100 offers what I consider a very entry level price but contains many features that the average user will find very helpful.
The Steady-Shot mode really makes the camera behave much like a point and shoot in Auto mode. For those with less steady hands, this will save you a ton in different lenses down the line. Sony borrowed (ok more stole) Minolta's old technology and in my opinion has made some improvements. Basically look at this as the Minolta 10MP offering. Most of the other manufacturers have the IS (Image stabilization) built in to the lenses making them cost more than the bodies in some cases.
The back catalog of Minolta lenses make this a no-brainer choice for past Minolta users looking for a 10MP camera. The auto-focus offers a slightly noisy but quick reaction to most situations. It's not the best camera I have used in low-light (night time shooting) or using the auto-focus in macro modes, but at the $700 price point, only the Nikon D80 could be considered any better - and it's $200-300 more for the base setup. The other draw back to this unit is the 'click' of the shutter. It is very audible.
For those that read about the HIGH noise rating on shots of ISO 800 or more, there are plenty of ways around this. Remember, most digitals never touched ISO 1600 before so having that setting is a total bonus anyway. If you shoot in RAW mode you can edit the image's noise level before exporting it to a TIFF or JPG file. This will really clean up the 'master' before editing the colors in your photo editing software.
Now, I wanted to give the camera a really good workout and decided that New Year's celebrations would be the way to do it. I took it downtown and shot a fireworks display from about 2 miles away with the city lights below and the night sky above. I wanted to give the Steady-shot a real workout, but unfortunately, it doesn't work in night mode - uh oh... So with a handy log and a steady hand, I captured some amazing images.
Overall, this camera out performs anything in the $500-750 price range. It even gives the few DSLR's in the $1000 range a serious run for their money. With the extra money you compromise in the body - and yes, it's not as durable as the Nikon's but probably equal to the lower end Canon's - you will easily be able to buy a few lenses or the wireless flash unit.
I have to give this a stellar yes for the average user looking for a semi-pro DSLR camera. For those looking for a professional level camera, wait for the second generation offering or consider dropping a few more thousand on the Nikon or Canon high end offerings.
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Rated 
Great Camera
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