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Camera Features
Lens Features
Media Type And Image Sizes
Computer Requirements
Camera Features
Live View LCD Monitor: The DSLR-A300X uses a 2.7"
Clear Photo LCD Plus screen with 230,4000 pixels and adjustable brightness. The
camera features a Live View mode which allows you to use the camera's LCD
monitor to take photos similar to a point-and-shoot camera. In the Live View
mode, the camera bypasses the optical pentaprism mirror to create a live
"eye-to-eye" view on the LCD monitor for your subject and/or fast-changing
scenes. The large built-in screen also features a 2-way angle tilt to provide a
sharp, clear view of your subject and tilts up or down for low-angle or
high-angle monitoring situations where you want a child-level or overhead shot.
In addition, this design makes it easy to read the camera's setup menus even in
bright sunlight and gives you better visibility when you use the screen to view
your recorded images.
Optical Viewfinder: The DSLR-A300X uses a fixed eye-level penta-Dach-mirror
type viewfinder which allows for a 95%
field of view. The optical viewfinder features a diopter adjustment to adjust
the viewfinder to your eyesight. The LCD monitor automatically turns off when looking into the viewfinder.
This feature allows the DSLR-A300X camera to begin its precision autofocus
adjustment the moment you bring your eye to the viewfinder which allows you
capture fast-action subjects.
10.2 MP Super HAD CCD: A large 23.6 x15.8mm APS-C
size imager with Sony's advanced design allows more light to pass to each pixel,
increasing the sensitivity and reducing noise. This technology provides greater
detail when you make big prints or crop in close on your subject. The camera'
Super HAD CCD features 10,800,000 gross pixels and 10,200,000 effective pixels.
Bionz Image Processor: By using hardware-based LSI (Large Scale Integrated) circuitry
that responds ten times faster than software image processors the camera's
response time is faster, the Dynamic Range Optimization processing is improved
and battery life is extended.
Dynamic Range Optimizer: To recover details in dark or bright areas of the picture, the
DSLR-300X camera provides two levels of Dynamic Range Optimization:
- Normal Pro:
This setting improves shadow detail using standard gamma curves for fast
shot-to-shot response time.
- Advanced Pro:
This setting adjusts the dynamic range area-by-area for the greatest
precision.
Anti-Dust Technology:
To keep the CCD imager clean for better pictures, the DSLR-A300X camera utilizes
both static-free anti-dust coating on the CCD filter and ant-dust vibration that
automatically shakes the CCD to dislodge dust each time the camera is shut off.
Super Steadyshot In-Camera Image Stabilization:
When you shoot in low light, the shutter remains open longer; so to compensate
for shaky hands or fast-moving subjects allowing the Super Steadyshot system
to automatically reduce image blur. Because the feature is built into the camera
and not the lens you will get the benefit of Super SteadyShot stabilization with
every compatible lens you use.
Digital Zoom: The DSLR-A300X features a digital zoom
during Live View mode. The camera features a digital zoom scale which allows the
camera to zoom in on your subject without degradation. The camera will digitally
zoom in approximately 1.4x that of the connected lens when the camera is set to
record an image size of 2768 x 1840 pixels or it can digitally zoom in
approximately 2.0x that of the connected lens when the camera is set to record a
smaller image size of 2032 x 1360 pixels.
Note: If the Image Quality setting is set to RAW or RAW+J, the
digital zoom is unavailable.
Shooting Mode: You can set the
shutter button to shoot in six methods using the camera's Drive button.
- Single Frame Advance: Default setting for standard picture taking.
Shoots single picture with each press of Drive button.
- Shooting Continuously: When you press and
hold the shutter button, the camera records the images continuously at 2
images per second when using the LCD monitor and 3 images per seconds when using the
Viewfinder. The number of continuous shooting images obtainable has an upper
limit - Fine/Standard (No limit/until memory card is full), RAW+JPEG (3
images), and RAW (6 images)
- Self-Timer:
You can set the camera to two different self-timers.
- 10 Second: After you press the shutter button, the shutter will be
released about 10 seconds later. This is convenient when the
photographer wants to appear in a photo.
- 2 Second:
After you press the shutter button, the shutter will be released about 2
seconds later. This is convenient to reduce camera-shake.
- Continuous Exposure Bracket:
The camera can shoot three continuous images with the exposures shifted
automatically. It uses 2 settings.
- Bracket 0.3Ev continuous:
This setting shoots images continuously with exposure value shifted by
plus or minus 0.3 step.
- Bracket 0.7Ev continuous:
This setting shoots images continuously with the exposure value shifted
by plus or minus 0.7 step.
- Single Exposure Bracket: The camera can shoot frame by frame with exposure value
shifted automatically. It uses 2 settings.
- Bracket 0.3Ev single:
This setting shoots images frame by frame with the exposure value
shifted by plus or minus 0.3 step.
- Bracket 0.7Ev single:
This setting shoots images frame by frame with the exposure value
shifted by plus or minus 0.7 step.
- White Balance Bracket Shooting:
Based on the selected white balance, and color temperature, three pictures
are taken while automatically shifting the color temperature. One shot
records three frames of an image in following order - image with "normal
white balance", image with "paler colors", and image with "reddish colors".
The camera uses two setting for this feature.
- Bracket WB (L): This setting shifts the white balance by 10 mired (a unit
to indicate the color conversion quality in color temperature filters)
when taking a picture.
- Bracket WB (H):
Shifts the white balance by 20 mired when taking a picture.
Focus Modes: The Sony DSLR-A300X features Auto Focus and Manual Focus.
The camcorder's 9-Point Center Cross AF Sensor features a fast focus motor and
improved focus control which help bring images into sharp definition more
quickly, with predictive focus control that automatically calculates the
position of a fast-moving subject. You can change the auto focus mode
and the auto focus area to suit your shooting application.
- Manual Focus:
When it is difficult to get the proper focus in auto focus mode, you can adjust
the focus manually.
- AF (Auto focus) Mode: You can select between 4 modes.
- Single-Shot AF:
This mode is used when shooting a motionless subject
- Continuous AF:
This mode is used when the subject is in motion.
- Automatic AF:
This mode automatically switches between single-shot AF and
continuous AF depending on the subject's motion.
- AF (Auto focus) Area: You can select between 3 settings.
- Wide AF Area:
The camera determines which of the nine local focus frames is used
in focusing with the wide focus frame.
- Spot AF Area: The camera uses the spot focus frame exclusively.
- Local AF Area:
You can choose a local focus frame from the nine frames.
Focus Lock: Focus Lock can be used to change the composition
after focusing, making it possible to focus on a subject that will not be in a
focus area in the final composition.
AF Assist Illuminator: The built-in AF assist illuminator
enables the camera to focus even when the subject is poorly lit. The AF assist
illuminator will operate within a 11" range.
Exposure Modes: The Sony DSLR-A300X features the following exposure
modes.
- Auto Adjustment: This mode allows easy shooting with settings adjusted
automatically depending entirely on the camera
- Scene Selection: This mode allows you to shot with preset settings according
to the scene.
- Portrait:
This setting shoots with the backgrounds blurred out and the subject is
sharpened.
- Landscape: This setting shoots scenery with vivid and sharp colors.
- Macro:
This setting shoots close subjects such as flowers or insects. You can
achieve clear and sharp focus.
- Sports Actions:
This setting shoots moving subjects outdoors or in bright places.
- Sunset:
This setting shoots the red of the sunset beautifully.
- Night View/Portrait: This shutter speed is slower so using a tripod is
recommended.
- Night Portrait: This setting shoots portraits in dark places. Pull up flash to use
it.
- Night View:
This setting shoot night scenes at a distance without losing the
dark atmosphere of the surroundings. Do not use the flash on this
setting.
- Program Auto: This mode allows you to shoot with the exposure adjusted
automatically (both the shutter speed and the aperture value). You can
temporarily change the aperture value and shutter speed combination that was
adjusted by the camera using two methods.
- P/s shift:
You can choose the desired shutter speed and the aperture value is
adjusted automatically.
- P/a shift:
You can choose the desired aperture value and the shutter speed is
adjusted automatically.
- Aperture Priority: This mode allow you to shoot after adjusting the aperture
value manually. You can adjust the amount of light that passes through the
lens.
- Shutter Speed Priority: This mode allows you to shoot after adjusting the shutter
speed manually.
- High Shutter Speed:
The moving subject appears as if frozen on the image.
- Slow Shutter Speed: The moving subject appears as if it were flowing.
- Manual Exposure:
This mode allows you to shoot after adjusting the exposure manually (Both
the shutter speed and the aperture value).
- Manual Shift:
You can change the shutter speed and aperture value combination without
changing the exposure in manual mode.
- Bulb (Long Exposure) Shooting:
In this setting as long as the shutter button is pressed, the shutter
remains open. You can shoot trails of light, such as fireworks.
Exposure Compensation: You can alter the exposure from the
value suggested by the camera, making pictures brighter or darker. You can
adjust the exposure from -2.0 to +2.0 EV in 1/3 EV steps.
AE Lock: You
can fix the exposure before deciding on the composition when taking a picture.
This is effective when the metering object and focusing object are different or
when you want to shoot continuously while keep the same exposure value.
Expanded ISO Sensitivity: Broad sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO
3200 enables the DSLR-A300X to capture beautiful color images even in very dim
light with High ISO Noise Reduction technology that reduces picture noise
artifacts at high-sensitivity ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 settings by eliminating
noise from RAW data after analog-to-digital conversion.
Metering Mode:
This Metering mode allows the camera to measure the brightness of a subject from the
following three methods:
- MultiSegment:
This method divides the whole screen into 40 segments to measure light.
- Center Weighted:
While emphasizing the central area of the screen, this method measure
the average brightness of the entire screen.
- Spot: This method measure light only in the spot metering
circle in the center of the frame.
White Balance (WB): You can adjust the color tones according
to the lighting conditions. There are ten preset modes:
- Auto WB: The camera automatically detects a light source and
adjusts the color tones.
- Daylight: This mode adjusts for outdoors and sunlit subjects.
- Shade: This mode adjust for shady conditions on a clear day.
- Cloudy: This mode adjust for a cloudy sky.
- Tungsten: This mode adjusts for place where lighting conditions
change quickly.
- Fluorescent: This mode adjusts for florescent lighting.
- Flash: This mode adjusts for flash conditions.
- Color Temperature: Sets the white balance by the color
temperatures.
- Color Filter: Achieves the effect of CC (Color Compensation)
filters for photography.
- Custom: In a scene where the ambient light consists of multiple
types of light source, use of the custom white balance feature is
recommended in order to accurately produce the whiteness.
Flash Mode: The Sony DSLR-A300X features a built-in flash. In a dark
location, using the flash allows you to shoot the subject brightly and it also
helps to prevent camera shake. When shooting into the sun, you can use the flash
to shoot a bright image of the backlit subject. The camera offers the following
Flash modes.
- Autoflash: In auto mode the flash automatically fires if it is dark
or against light.
- Fill-Flash: In this mode the flash fires
whenever the built-in flash is pulled up.
- Rear Sync: In rear sync mode the objects
illuminated by other light sources are captured first, then the flash is
fired.
- Slow Sync: Slow sync shooting allows you to shoot a clear image
of both the subject and the background by slowing the shutter speed. In this
mode the flash fires whenever the built-in flash pops up.
- Wireless: The camera can use the
flash light to transmit signal to an external off-camera flash to
produce a more three-dimensional image. (Requires optional HVL-56AM or
HVL-F36AM)
- Flash Off: The flash will not fire even if the built-in flash
pops up.
Flash Compensation: When shooting with the flash, you can adjust the amount of flash light alone, without
changing the exposure compensation. You can only change exposure of a main
subject which is within the flash range.
Creative Style: The
Creative Style function has combination of color tone, white balance, contrast,
saturation and sharpness presets that are best for various shooting
conditions and purposes:
- Standard: This setting reproduces various scenes with rich
gradation and beautiful color.
- Vivid: This setting reproduces memorable scenery such as blue
sky, sunsets, spring greenery, and autumn leaves with deep and vivid
colors.
- Portrait:
This setting accentuates the subject and softly reproduces skin tones.
- Landscape:
This setting reproduces the scenery with vivid and sharp colors.
- Sunset:
This setting beautifully reproduces the red of the sunset.
- Night View:
This setting reproduces the light area vividly and the dark area
crisply.
- B & W: This setting is for monochrome images.
- Adobe RGB: This setting uses the Adobe RGB color space.
Note: Contrast, Saturation and Sharpness can be adjusted
manually
for each Creative Style mode
Noise Reduction: This feature is used to reduce the
grainy noise typical in a long exposure.
Histogram Display: A histogram is the luminance distribution that shows how many pixels of a
particular brightness exists in a picture. The histogram display of this camera
shows the brightness on the horizontal axis (left side is black, right side is
white) and the number of pixels on the vertical axis.
Lithium Ion Battery with Stamina Power: The supplied NP-FM500H Lithium
Ion rechargeable battery lets you take up to 730 shots using the viewfinder or
410 shots using the LCD monitor on a full charge based on CIPA standard. It recharges quickly with supplied the battery charger.
Using the supplied AC battery charger, you can charge the NP-FM500H in 235
minutes (Full Charge) or 175 minutes (Normal Charge).
Protect: You can protect images against accidental erasure.
Auto Review: This feature allows you to check a recorded image on the
LCD monitor right after the shooting.
Playback Screen: There are 4 display settings to view you pictures back.
- Single Image Screen: This setting allows you to view one picture at a time.
- Folder Screen: This setting allows you to display your images by folders.
Each folder contains nine images that will display on the screen.
- Index Screen:This setting allows you to view your pictures four, nine, or
twenty-five images at a time.
- Slide Show:Plays back all recorded image in order in a Slide
Show fashion. The slide show automatically stops after all the images have
been played back.
Rotating an Image:
You can rotate a playback image upside down or horizontally. You can copy
rotated images to a computer depending on your computer's software.
Enlarge Images:This camera allows you to enlarge an image
for closer examination from 1.1x to 12x based on image size.
Viewing Images on a TV Screen:
The camera comes with a 60" video composite cable to hook up to your TV so you
can view your still images back on your television.
Printing Options:There are fours ways you can print your pictures from your camera.
-
Printing directly using a
PictBridge compliant printer.
-
Printing directly using a Memory
Stick Duo, CF Card or Microdrive compliant printer:
-
Printing using a computer with
the supplied software and requirements.
-
Printing from a picture station
at a retail shop.
Lens Features
Optics: The camera kit features two Sony lenses. The
DSLR-A300X comes supplied with a Sony DT
18-70mm F3.5-5.6 zoom lens and a Sony DT55-200mm F4-5.6 zoom lens.
DT 18-70mm Zoom Lens: In 35mm equivalent terms, the DT 18-70mm covers
wide-angle 27mm to 105mm midrange telephoto for snapshots, portraits, interiors
and more.
- DT Lens Design: The DT18-70mm lens is specially designed for the
APS-size CCD imager used in Sony DSLR-A300X camera. APS-size sensors are
smaller than a 35mm-format film frame, so the focal distance to cover the
same field of view can be about 2/3 shorter, allowing a more compact lens
design.
- Aspherical Lens Elements: This allows
the lens to correct visual abnormalities at wide-angle setting, enabling the
lightweight lens to capture more visually accurate wide--angle shots.
- ED (Extra-low Dispersion) Glass: This
technology reduces color abnormalities at telephoto extension, correcting
certain wavelengths of light for sharp, clear images with well defined
colors.
- Circular Aperture: The aperture
blades form a near circle at the wide openings used for low-light shots
which allows spot-light sources to have a pleasing circular defocused effect
- Zooming:The lens allows you to rotate the
zooming ring to set the desired focal length. The lens features a 3.9x optical
zoom.
- Focusing: The lens can be used in the
auto-focus or manual focus mode.
- Auto-Focus:when using the
auto-focus, the camera focuses the lens automatically. Do not touch the
focus ring when the camera is set to auto-focus
- Manual Focus:when using the manual
focus rotate the focusing ring while looking through the viewfinder
- Lens Hood: It is recommended that you use
the supplied lens hood to reduce fare and ensure maximum image quality.
DT55-200mm Telephoto Zoom Lens: The multi-purpose Sony
DT55-200mm f4-5.6 telephoto zoom lens covers a wide range of medium to
long-distance telephoto applications, and its lightweight design lets you leave
it on-camera or carry it easily as an accessory lens for special purposes (35mm
equivalent: 82.5-300mm).
- DT Lens Design: The DT55-200mm lens is specially designed for the
APS-size CCD imager used in Sony DSLR-A300X camera. APS-size sensors are
smaller than a 35mm-format film frame, so the focal distance to cover the
same field of view can be about 2/3 shorter, allowing a more compact lens
design.
- ED (Extra-low Dispersion) Glass: This
technology reduces color abnormalities at telephoto extension, correcting
certain wavelengths of light for sharp, clear images with well defined
colors.
- Multi-Element Design: The DT55-200mm lens is designed with 13
lens elements in 9 groups, with precision focusing performance and smooth
zoom operation.
- Focusing: The lens can be used in the
auto-focus or manual focus mode.
- Auto-Focus:when using the
auto-focus, the camera focuses the lens automatically. Do not touch the
focus ring when the camera is set to auto-focus
- Manual Focus:when using the manual
focus rotate the focusing ring while looking through the viewfinder
or LCD monitor
- Short Minimum Focusing Distance: With the ability to focus as
closely as 3 feet, this telephoto lens also lets you move in for dramatic
shots of people, natural subjects and close-up details.
- Zoom: The lens allows you to rotate the zooming ring to set the
desired focal length. The lens features a 0.29x optical
zoom.
- Lens Hood: It is recommended that you use
the supplied lens hood to reduce fare and ensure maximum image quality.
Media Type And Image Sizes
Multi Media Options:
The DSLR-A300X camera accepts both CompactFlash Type I/II media (Optional),
Microdrive and Memory Stick Duo media (requires an optional Memory Stick Duo
to Compact Flash adapter, sold separately).
Image Formats: The Sony DSLR-A300X will shoot both RAW and JPEG formats. Selecting the
appropriate image compression rate determines the image quality of your pictures.
You can choose from the following Quality Modes.
- RAW:
A RAW file is the raw material to be processed on the computer for
professional purposes.
- RAW & JPEG (RAW+J): A RAW image and a JPEG image are created at the same
time. This is suitable when you need two image files (a JPEG for viewing
and a RAW for editing).
- Fine:
JPEG format for capturing still images in high quality.
- Standard (STD):This JPEG format will allow more images to be recorded
but the image quality will be lower.
Image Size:You can set the image size you want to record to one of the
following based on the aspect ratio you set.
- 3:2 Aspect Ratio: L:10M (3872 x 2592 pixels), M:5.6M (2896
x 1936
pixels), or S:2.5M (1920 x 1280 pixels)
- 16:9 Aspect Ratio: L:8.4M (3872 x 2176 pixels), M:4.7M (2896
x 1632 pixels), or S2.1M (1920 x 1088 pixels)
Image Capacity: The number of recordable images when the camcorder is
set to Image Size L10M (3872 x 2592 pixels) and an aspect ratio of 3:2.
| Size / Capacity |
1GB |
2GB |
4GB |
8GB |
| Standard |
325 |
653 |
1307 |
2606 |
| Fine |
241 |
484 |
969 |
1933 |
| Raw & JPEG |
48 |
98 |
198 |
397 |
| RAW |
61 |
124 |
250 |
500 |
Computer Requirements
Copying Images To A Computer: Using the camera's USB port
and supplied USB cable you can copy images from an inserted memory card within
the camera to your computer. The following environment is recommended for a
computer connected to the camera to import images.
- Windows Compatible: Operating System of Microsoft
Windows 2000 Professional SP4, Windows, XP SP2 or Windows Vista (does not
support 64-bit and Starter editions). Computer must have a Hi-Speed USB 2.0
port.
- Macintosh Compatible: Operating System of Mac OS X
(v10.1.3 or later). Computer must have a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port.
Application Software CD-ROM: The Sony DSLR-A300X comes
supplied with an Application Software CD-ROM which contains the following
software programs.
-
Picture Motion Browser Ver. 2.1.02 (Windows only):
- Import images shot with the
camera and display them on the camera.
- Organize images on the computer
on a calendar by shooting date to view them.
- Retouch, print, and send images
as e-mail attachments and change the shooting date.
- Create a data disc using a CD burner drive or DVD burner drive.
-
Image Data Converter SR Ver. 2.0 (Windows/Macintosh):
- You can edit images recorded in
RAW mode with various corrections, such as tone curve, and sharpness.
- Adjust images with the white balance, exposure, and creative style.
- You can save the images as RAW date or in a
general-purpose file format.
- Image Data Lightbox SR Ver. 1.0 (for Windows/Macintosh):
- Display and compare RAW/JPEG images recorded with this camera.
- Rate the images on a scale of five.
- Display an image in "Image Data Converter SR" and make adjustments to
it.
Windows Requirements:
-
OS Pre-Installed:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP4, Windows XP SP2, and Windows
Vista (64-bit and Started editions not supported)
-
CPU/Memory:Sony recommends Pentium III 500 MHz or faster,
256 MB of RAM or more for use with "Picture Browser". Sony recommends MMX
Pentium III 1GHz or faster, 512 MB of RAM or more for use with the "Image
Data Converter/Lightbox SR".
-
Hard Disk Space: 200 MB
or more.
-
Virtual Memory: 700 MB or more
- Display: 1024 x 768 dots
or more; high color (16-bit color) or more.
Macintosh Requirements:
-
OS Pre-Installed: Mac OS X (v10.4 or later)
-
CPU:Power Mac G4/G5 series (1.0 GHz or faster is recommended)/ Intel
Core Solo/Core duo/Core 2 Duo or faster
-
Memory: 512 MB or more (1 GB or more is recommended)
-
Display:1024 x768 dots
or more; 32,000 colors or more.
