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It might look like a conventional dSLR, but the Sony Alpha 55 is a little bit different. It doesn’t have an optical viewfinder, but rather an electronic viewfinder where the optical one usually would be. There’s a mirror inside, but it doesn’t move like a dSLR mirror. Instead it’s a pellicle mirror, which lets through 70% of the light to the sensor and the rest is bounced to a phase detection sensor. All of this means that it has some benefits – for example being smaller and lighter than a regular dSLR – but it misses out on the certain something from the optical viewfinder. So it seems as if some people will love it, and for others it’ll just not quite make it. But take a look for yourself.

CNET UK says ‘Both video and stills are excellent. Noise performance in low light is particularly strong. Metering is efficient and colours are rich. The bracketing modes also do a top job of combining multiple frames to bring out extra detail, or improve on low-light shots.’ – Read the full review on CNET UK

DPReview says ‘Coupled with what appears to be an excellent sensor, and good ergonomics the A55 must count as one of the strongest contenders in its category, and one that in some respects completely re-aligns our expectations of what is possible in consumer-level equipment. Naturally though, we have some criticisms – when shooting fast action the A55′s 15-point AF system cannot deliver on the promise of its 10fps shooting rate, and the lack of live view refreshes except at its lowest 3fps setting makes panning very hard to judge. The lack of aperture control in AF-C mode at 10fps is an inevitable but unfortunate consequence of full-time AF, too, and manual control over movie shooting is limited as well.’ – Read the full review on DPReview

ePHOTOzine says ‘There is a slight question mark over whether or not users will take to the new EVFs, but it could be a very good choice for those tempted by other mirrorless systems that have far less selection of lenses. Others may be more comfortable with the entry level conventional DSLR, but the battle has definitely been engaged. In that middle battle ground the Sony Alpha A55 performs well and is good value for money.’ – Read the full review on ePHOTOzine

PC Pro says ‘Overall, the A55 is a mixed bag. It could have taken the lead for video but the overheating problem puts a stop to that. It can’t match the D3100 for image quality, but it is vastly quicker in continuous mode, giving it a decisive edge for action photography. Either way, there are too many niggles for an unreserved recommendation, but it has potential; we’ll be watching the SLT range’s progress with interest.’ – Read the full review on PC Pro

PhotographyBLOG says ‘Image quality is very good, with results from the APS-C sensor rivalling the DSLR competition and in most cases surpassing the Compact System Camera alternatives, especially if you’re after shallow depth-of field effects. Noise doesn’t rear its ugly head until ISO 3200 for JPEGs, although the A55 does apply some pretty aggressive noise reduction to keep the files clean, resulting in loss of fine detail.’ – Read the full review on PhotographyBLOG

PhotoRadar ‘Image quality is similar to contemporary conventional SLR cameras, but the size and weight of the A55 is much reduced. Those who use live-view will also appreciate the fast autofocus and articulated swivel screen. This is the only camera I know of with responsive phase detection AF that performs just as well when using the screen on the rear, as when using the viewfinder. The A55 isn’t for everyone though. Those looking for similar continuous shooting performance to the current crop of fast frame rate SLRs will be disappointed by the viewfinder blackout after shooting and the relatively small buffer.’ – Read the full review on PhotoRadar

What Digital Camera says ‘Sony’s new SLT technology is highly impressive and offers a cost-effective way to achieve super-fast autofocus with an impressive burst rate. Indeed this could be the first stepping-stone to the end of traditional DSLRs as we know them. Although the electronic viewfinder may not be to everyone’s tastes and isn’t especially impressive in low light, these are relatively small hurdles when considering just what the A55 can do. 
In any case, we’re sure future models 
will improve the EVF’s performance in low-light.’ – Read the full review on What Digital Camera