Pixiq

One of my friends—a resolute Pentax user—went to a wedding recently and was surprised to see the official photographer using a Sony camera. Should it be that surprising? There is, after all, an awful lot of camera know-how in the Sony camp. I thought I’d take a look at what the reviews have been saying about Sony’s newest dSLR, which happens to be the entry-level A390, to get a feel for what they’re turning out.

The over all impression seems to be lukewarm: the A390 was the A380 put into a better body, but it offers reasonable results for the price. Have a look and see what you think.

cnet UK says ‘The α dSLR-A390 isn’t a bad entry-level dSLR, but it has a real budget feel and it’s so similar to the old A380 that you wonder why Sony bothered.’ – Read the full review on cnet UK.

Digital Photography Review says ‘If you’re a Sony Alpha (or Konica Minolta) user that shoots mainly at base ISO, in live view and Auto mode the Sony DSLR-A390 is worth a look, and is definitely a more agreeable camera to use than its predecessor.’ – Read the full review on Digital Photography Review.

ephotozine says ‘Sony’s A390 is certainly a very capable camera and the results this camera is capable of producing should please many who want an easy to use introduction to shooting with a digital SLR.’ – Read the full review on ephotozine.

Photography Blog says ‘While Sony hasn’t brought a great deal that’s new to the party between the A380 and A390, at the very least here is a DSLR that you’ll be quite happy to take out with you for a day’s sightseeing when you might have otherwise plumped for a less satisfactory compact for the sake of its perceived lightness and convenience.’ – Read the full review on Photography Blog.

Pocket-lint says ‘Overall, a good, well-rounded camera, if not a little unremarkable in places due to lack of new innovation.’ – Read the full review on Pocket-lint.

TechRadar says ‘The A390 is a decent enough camera for the money, but its build, finish and general lack of refinement are a constant reminder that it’s a budget model. It’s so similar to the A380 you wonder why Sony bothered launching a new version.’ – Read the full review on TechRadar.

What Digital Camera says ‘All in all, although the build quality is a little ‘plasticy’, the A390 has a lot to offer and for a fair price.’ – Read the full review on What Digital Camera.