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Sony Alpha A390 and A290 DSLRs hands-on
While Sony may have its pricey NEX-VG10 camcorder sucking up the limelight at yesterday's showcase, let's not forget the electronic giant's more humble photographic devices. Just a few steps away we stumbled upon these near-identical Alpha A390 and A290 entry-level DSLRs, with the former donning a tilting LCD and live view capability to live up to its bigger price tag. We can't comment on picture quality due to the lack of sample shots, but we were certainly impressed by both cameras' build quality -- kudos to Sony for the much improved grip, and we also liked the firm chassis (plus its various knobs and flaps) that didn't feel cheap despite sounding hollow. On a similar note, the 2.7-inch LCD looked sharp and served us well for all purposes, although we didn't get to test it outdoor. What really bewildered us was the lens continuously auto-focusing while the camera remained stationary -- that couldn't be good for the battery, and we'd like to see how battery life fares in upcoming reviews. Anyhow, enjoy our hands-on photos.%Gallery-97621%
Sony's value-minded A290 DSLR gets official, drags big bro A390 on stage
Sony's A290 DSLR may not have been the hottest of this summer's Vietnamese leaks, but nevertheless it was about a month ago that the entry-level shooter was spied over there, and now we know when it'll be coming over here -- roughly, at least. Sony has made the 14.2 megapixel A290 official, along with its A390 sibling. Both offer Memory Stick and SDHC storage, HDMI output, and 2.7-inch LCDs, but only the A390's does that groovy tilt and swivel thing. Also, the A390 is the only one that can do live view, letting you free yourself from squinting through the viewfinder. Other than that, the two share identical specs, and while their price surely won't be the same, Sony's not quite ready to tell us what that will be. Both are set to release this summer, which, you know, is right about now. Full PR details after the break. %Gallery-94765%
