My husband bought this camera for me and explained that the mirror inside makes for better and faster pictures in our very dim apartment. He also bought a special low light lens. I am not very familiar with all the technical terms but the ISO is higher. I definitely notice a difference in pictures. I had had a cannon point and shoot which is great for the outdoors but grainy inside. These pictures are much much clearer. If you have a well lit home then such a fancy camera might not be necessary. It is also bulky. But again it is an SLR rather than a little point and shoot - you will not be putting this camera in your pocket. All and all, we really like it.

agrimwood

Lynnwood, WA

I am sure that there are going to be people that say you get what you pay for but for the majority this camera will fit the bill. I have had this camera for 8+ months and it has been great! The functionality is good. The pictures are crisp and clean. Low light situations are kinda lacking though....bumping up the iso helps.The only grip that I have is the follow up shot w/ flash...it seems to take a little too long. Save you money for the lenses.

dieguy

Elk Grove, CA

Sony puts out a good product with this camera. Though it is one of the older models and things have changed alot since it has been put out, I would still recommend this camera for people who are looking for a relatively low priced DSLR. It is great for people who are just getting into photography and was something more substantial than a point and shoot camera. Even for more experienced photographers it is a good device. I have two lenses which is definitely an added bonus being able to get closeup shots from farther away. it is an easy camera to get to know and learn how to use, there arent too many confusing buttons or settings or anything like that. Setting the fstop and aperature are easy from the rotating dial on top of the camera. The quality of pictures that it takes is superb compared to other entry level DSLRs i have seen. I am very happy with this as my first DSLR camera and very happy with how it has stood up to wear and tear over the past 3 years.

bauercaroline4

Orlando, FL

Sony hasn't had a long reputation in making digital single lense reflex camera's, but they are making waves now. Sony purchased their SLR technology from Konica Minolta who were long famous in the camera industry. Since this is a newer SLR camera, I have to mention the lack of video capability. It's unfortunate that this has not yet been added, but if you look at the implementations that Nikon has made, they are not very good. With Sony's reputation in the film arena, I expect when they do add video, it will be very good. This is an entry level camera and Sony have tried to make it as user friendly as possible. One thing you will notice is that it is slightly smaller than other camera's in the class, so easier to hold for those people with smaller hands. The menus are user friendly and explain the different functions. One thing that differentiates this from Canon and Nikon is the SteadyShot Inside image stabilization. Yes, this means that EVERY camera lens that you attach to the camera automatically has image stabilization. Overall, this is a good still photography camera.

usertwo000

Dallas, TX

Having never owned a DSLR before, having little idea what aperature or shutter speed affected, and having little clue how each shooting mode affect the final picture... I can say with certainty that this is the best DSLR for first-time users. Each option, each shooting mode, each slider is explained in simple terms that makes getting the perfect picture as painless as possible. Once you get familiar with all the terms, all the options, you can enable expert mode which brings the OSD on par with the newest software from Canon or Nikon. The pictures are sharp, the focus is fast, and the camera is about as lightweight as you'll find in any DSLR. In terms of having a simple DSLR that shoots and works as intended, there is no equal. One consideration, however, is that this camera is certainly one you will upgrade from in the near future. Why? There are limited deciated quick access controls on the body. Shooting continuously requires entering a menu. Choosing the AF mode requires entering a menu. Nearly every adjustable option with exception of aperature and shutter speed require entering the menu. This makes shooting spontaneously quite difficult. However, as a newbie this rarely becomes a hinderance. As you progress, however, you may want to consider another camera.  Along with this camera, I'd consider getting a SAL50F18 prime lens and a new strap. Definitely a learners camera, but a great one at that.

ufdlim

Gainesville, FL

The Sony A230 DSLR camera was given to me as a mothers day present in 2010.  It was not only my first DSLR camera, but my first digital camera I owned as well. I was expecting to have a lot of trouble converting from using my 35 mm camera to a digital, But I was really surprised at how easy it was for me to learn how to use.  Going into the manual settings gives you all the definition's of the different things you can manually do.  For example; the definition of ISO comes up after a few seconds and explains what it is.   Even at a 10.2 mp, this camera will take beautiful, crips clean pictures. And it has a very intelligent auto mode for those beginers who don't yet feel comfortable programing all their camera setting.  The image stabilization of this camera is very good. But the best feature about this camera, in my opinion, is the lens mount.  A few months after owning this camera I discovered that the lens mount is a type A minolta mount.  Apparently sony bought our minolta some time ago.  The fact that they made thier type A DSLR camera compatable with many minolta lens makes this afforadble camera an even better deal.   The only thing I do not like about this camera is the limitation of the ISO.  It only can go up to 3200 and makes the shutter speed so slow that I am not able to get any non-blurry images of my children if we are inside the house or in a very shaddy place in the yard.  The ISO is the main feture that has become outdated as new camera modle have come out.  Overall this is a very afforable, high quallity camera that is great for first time dslr users.  This is a camera that will more then meet your expectations. 

atwistedkiss

Spring Lake, NC

I bought this camera for myself 18 months ago. I got a great deal on a bundle that included lenses and memory card. This camera is easy to use even for beginners. Works well as a point and shoot with everything automatic or you can manually adjust everything. I've used it to take moving pictures of kids playing in puddles to school programs with horrible lighting to precious sleeping babies without using the flash. Battery life is amazing. I've even recently asked for a tripod so that I could start doing our own family photos at home. Awesome investment!

JamieDressler

Fort Bragg, NC

I decided to purchase this digital SLR camera after researching the brands Nikon, Canon, and Sony.  I went with the Sony alpha a230 because it boasted great specifications at a price lower than its competition.  When the camera arrived from SonyStyle.com, I was more than pleased with the quality of photos which it took.  The kit lens is crisp and produces vivid, clear shots.  The camera has built in help tips on how each setting will affect the photo which proved very helpful, as this is my first DSLR camera.  There has been some previous criticism on Sony's choice to make the body of this camera more compact than SLRs have traditionally been.  Some claim it feels awkward for normal sized hands, however, my larger-than-average hands fit nicely into the grip and the small-ish form factor has been nice for transporting.  It is more lightweight and fits well in camera bags.  The final wonderful piece to this camera was its lens compatibility.  I have been able to find many old (from the late 80s and 90s) lenses on sites like craigslist.org which are compatible for considerably less than ones currently produced.  Many Minolta and Tamron lenses fit this model.  If you are looking for a entry level digital SLR camera, this is definitely the spot for you to look.  One main con is no video, but at this price point, this feature cannot be expected.  

PuffyTacos

Saint Paul, MN

I absolutely love it! I have owned mine for almost a year now and I use it very often. The only thing I wish I would have though of is a movable viewing screen but it doesn't pose much of a problem in most situations. 

shelbykay88

Concordia, KS

I have been photographing as a hobby for a few years now with a point-and-shoot camera. When time came for me to choose the DSLR that I wanted, I struggled between wanting a Canon or a Nikon. I read a bunch of reviews and came to the conclusion that what I really wanted was a Sony Alpha!  The Sony Alpha is a really great entry-level DSLR for those who don't really want to invest too much into a camera (those who don't plan to go professional), but still want to take great shots. With my at that time 14 month old son, I needed something that would have a fast enough shutter to keep up with him! This definitely does the trick.  I love the different settings that this camera offers. The lens that came with the camera is not the best lens, but it gets the job done. It takes very crisp, clear pictures, and the color is amazing. It has little to no grain on the photos. The internal flash is great, though I don't normally use it. The grip is small, but so are my hands so that isn't a big deal to me.  One thing, though, is that you have to look through the viewfinder to focus your picture. The picture does not come up on the display until after you take it. However, it's something I've gotten used to and actually something I have grown to like about this camera, as I learned photography on a 35mm SLR.  For photography lovers who don't want to invest too much into it, but still want amazing photos, I would recommend this camera!

mommy2benny

Demopolis, AL