Performance Sony Alpha A390 review – Performance The shutter speed and aperture relationship is well illustrated and quick access to the most important settings via the Fn (Function) button is seamless. Interior menus are relatively basic yet functional as per similar Alpha models, yet its with the variety of user interface displays (adjusted using the Display) button where things excel a step further. Both card types cannot be used simultaneously, with an MS/SD switch to choose between the two – a shame that an auto-detect function couldn’t be employed and yet, realistically, most users will only ever have the switch set one way for the ongoing use of a single card or two of the same type.
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On the far left is a slide-door that reveals the mini USB and HDMI ports, plus the SD and Memory Stick Duo card slots. It doesn’t make use difficult, but could have been ever so slightly repositioned. Also the d-pad to the right of the screen is very close and when thumbing the drive mode setting to its left you’ll find the raised screen restricts movement. On the rear the tilt-angle screen has a fair border around it a shame that a bigger screen didn’t feature as there’s more than enough space for it. The layout is quick and easy to grasp, with the mode dial to the top left hand side, a Live View/Viewfinder switch to the right hand side, next to the Smart Teleconverter which digitally crops into an image at 1.4x magnification when in Live View mode. The camera’s fairly small though and you may find a lack of space for your little finger, though not unlike other cameras of this level. Its top plate sits the shutter slightly further forward for a more natural press and the grip to the right hand side is now sizeable enough to grip firmly for long periods of use.
The A390 benefits from subtle redesign over the previous A380 model. All the above features were as standard in the A380 camera, with the only new features entirely cosmetic…Īvailable from Jessops, Warehouse Express, Argos and other good retailers. An on-screen help guide can assist, and the visual display on the LCD’s rear (when shooting using the 95%-crop viewfinder) shows the relationship between shutter speed, aperture and other settings to pare shooting modes down to their most basic – ideal for the beginner learning the ropes.Įlsewhere features are relatively ‘normal’, with a lightweight plastic body housing all the technical gear and a standard Sony 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens featuring as standard. Sticking with its entry-level stance, the A390 is also geared towards making shooting for first timers less intimidating than it otherwise might be. Users of old Konica/Minolta DSLR models may be keen to know than the current Sony A-mount lens fitting is the very same and that old Minolta lenses can be used without the need for any adaptors (Sony bought out the company some years ago).
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The Bionz processor sees images shot at a sensitivity of up to ISO 3200 at full size and there’s even a sensor-shift based image stabilisation system – Sony’s SteadyShot INSIDE – that ensures sharper images whatever lens is attached to the camera’s front. Sony a390 review sample image – click for full size gallery Full time live preview, or live view, also features but has an extra sheen in the form of Sony’s Quick AF Live View system that adds an additional sensor compared to competitors’ models for much faster autofocus when in this mode. The A390 has a number of attractive features to attempt to make it stand out from the crowd: it’s capable of capturing stills at a high-resolution 14.2 megapixels and the 2.7in, 230K-dot LCD on the back has a tilt-angle capability that allows for vertical angling to face upward or downward for waist-level or over-the-head shooting. The entry-level DSLR market has been awash with many affordable cameras for some years now. Does this make the A390 a worthy new addition to the Alpha series, or is it simply what the A380 always should have been…? The A390 adds the more traditional DSLR grip, aligning it with the other Sony DSLR range’s style, but there’s little else on offer. Adding to Sony’s now bulging DSLR range, the A390 seems like a quick replacement DSLR for the A380 – the latter having received much criticism for its sunken grip that made it trickier to hold for extended use.