Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

I read lots of reviews of the Sony Alpha A300 and its peers before buying the A300 and I am very happy with my choice. The A200 lacks the liveview and the A350 has 14.2mp which is overkill for my needs (and is slower in continuous shooting mode).

The best thing about this camera is that you can put it in "auto" and use it like a compact, particularly handy if you have a non-expert spouse. This lets you experiment with the various features and benefits of an SLR when the whim takes you. But unlike a compact, it focuses instantly when you press the button half way down, and there is no lag to take the shot. It takes excellent pictures. Indoor shots are superb. Very close examination of sunny outdoor shots (eg of bare trees) reveals some very slight fringing which a better lens would fix, but as a kit you get a lot for your money, bearing in mind decent lenses cost more than this camera and lens together.

It's been a few months since I read the digital SLR reviews but I feel able to comment on a few observations from other reviews:

- Flash doesn't pop up high enough. Yes, this can cause foreground shadows, but the only time I have had this was in the first hour of taking test shots. In real use I have not had the problem (2,500 photos). You can always use a proper flash unit.

- The flash and compact flash door feel a bit cheap and flimsy, agreed. Care needed.

- Low magnification of viewfinder: this is not a problem in use.

- Smudging the LCD with your nose: I tested the A300 against the Canon 450 in the shop, and the Sony has the LCD in the centre which means your nose is to the left of it if you use the optical viewfinder. In contrast I could not take a picture with the Canon without leaving a nose-print on the LCD glass, which is mounted further left. This is assuming you use your right eye of course.

Other comments:

- tweak the settings (use AdobeRGB) for best jpg results

- the battery lasts ages and shows percentage left. You can easily use it for a weekend of intense use without a charge.

- the continuous shooting is very effective. I took some shots of my daughters on a trampoline and there are some excellent airborne shots in there! Use the OVF for faster shoot rate.

Overall I would highly recommend this camera. I paid £339 from Jessops in Dec 08 (or £299 including the £40 rebate from Sony) ie the same price as a premium compact, and I am very pleased. For this money it is a no-brainer for what you're getting. In my opinion Sony are undercutting the competition on price in order to get a foothold in the digital SLR market, so take advantage!