Sony α DSLR-A300K + 18-70mm Zoom Lens - Gold

Model number:

DSLR-A300K/N

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

If you're new to DSLR photography, the α DSLR-A300 is the perfect choice for you. To kick start your new hobby, a high quality DT 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 standard zoom lens is included.

A Sony Store exclusive color.

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$ 599 .99

$549.99

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Position 1
Overview
Position 2
Features
Position 3
Specifications
Position 5
Reviews
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Accessories

10.2 MP CCD

Superb image quality gives you great DSLR shots right from the start, with a large APS-size CCD imager developed by Sony to expand dynamic range, and minimize noise more effectively for clear, sharp photos even at high sensitivity setting (up to ISO 3200).

Continuous Shooting While Viewing

The DSLR-A300 lets you shoot continuously at up to 3 frames per second while you see your subject in the viewfinder², so you never lose track of the action. In JPEG mode, you can shoot up to the limit of your flash memory card; in RAW Burst Mode you can capture up to 6 shots, with intelligent buffer management to allow more shots to be captured without waiting for the buffer to clear.

SteadyShot INSIDE™ In-Camera Image Stabilization

Because image stabilization is built into the DSLR-A300, every lens benefits by an advantage of from 2.5 to 3.5 exposure steps. This allows you to shoot effectively with minimum blur even in low light without flash -- or adjust exposure control for smaller lens aperture, to increase depth of field and bring both foreground and background into sharp focus.

Dynamic Range Optimizer

To improve results with backlit subjects and recover details hidden in shadows or lost in glare, the DSLR-A300 provides Dynamic Range Optimizer at two levels: Normal DRO, to improve detail using standard gamma curves for fast shot-to-shot response time, or Advanced DRO, to adjust dynamic range area-by-area for the greatest precision.

Eye-Start Autofocus System

It begins precision autofocus adjustments the moment you raise the camera to your eye -- so unlike some DSLR cameras that don’t start focusing until the shutter button is half-pressed, the Sony DSLR-A300 never slows down your ability to catch fast action.

Creative Style Settings

To express your creativity and personal taste, you can adjust contrast, saturation and sharpness settings for any of 8 finishing styles -- including Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Night View, Sunset, B & W and Adobe RGB modes.

Function Guide Display

On-screen menus are intuitive and easy to use -- and a simple Camera Function Display can be activated and operated with one hand using the “Fn” (Function) button and controller button to adjust Flash mode, Autofocus mode, White Balance, Metering mode, AF area and D-Range Optimizer.

Advanced Lenses and System Accessories

Sony® α; (alpha) system gives you everything you need to expand your creativity in DSLR photography: precision Sony DT zoom lenses and specialty lenses, Sony “G” Series lenses with advanced motorized autofocusing, amazingly bright Carl Zeiss® lens designs, professional-quality flash units, and over 16 million Minolta a-mount lenses sold worldwide.

Tiltable 2.7”¹ Clear Photo LCD Plus™ Screen

A large built-in screen with 2-way angle tilt provides a sharp, clear view of your subject and tilts up or down for low-angle or high-angle monitoring in situations where you want a child-level or overhead shot.

Expanded ISO Sensitivity

A broad sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200 enables the DSLR-A300 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.

1200-zone Evaluative Metering⁵

Exposure information from the image sensor dedicated to Live View is divided into 1200 zones of luminance and RGB color information. In addition D-Range Optimizer technology contributes to judge the scene and then determine the optimum exposure to reproduce images with a more natural look.

Auto Pop-Up Flash

The camera flash automatically pops up and fires when needed, to help first-time DSLR photographers shoot more effectively. Auto Pop-up works in Auto mode and some scene selection modes; Flash is cancelled in Landscape, Sport or Sunset modes and in “Flash Off” position on the Exposure Mode dial.

Scene Selection Modes

Along with auto exposure, the DSLR-A300 gives you scene selection modes to optimize camera performance for Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports, Sunset and Night Portrait/Night View situations.

High-Resolution Thumbnails for PhotoTV HD Viewing⁴

The DSLR-A300 automatically creates high-resolution thumbnail images for viewing on Sony’s BRAVIA® HDTV in optimized PhotoTV HD mode, with image format adjustable for standard 3:2 or widescreen 16:9 display.

High-Capacity Media Options

For conveniently storing and sharing your images, the Sony® α; (alpha) DSLR-A300 accepts CompactFlash™ Type I/II media and Memory Stick PRO Duo™ media via an optional adapter.

Live Preview of Your Subject

The DSLR-A300’s Live Preview mode links you and your subject on a large 2.7”¹ LCD screen, for a familiar point-and-shoot style -- with super-quick AF response and accurate exposure control to help you catch the perfect moment. In Live Preview mode, the camera bypasses the optical pentaprism mirror to create a live “eye-to-eye” view of loved ones, children, pets and fast-changing scenes.

Smart Teleconverter 2X Zoom

At the touch of a button you can zoom in electronically on your subject, reproducing pixels on a 1:1 basis with no degradation in picture quality. One touch zooms in at 1.4X, the second touch advances to 2X zoom -- creating the 35mm equivalent of a 200mm telephoto effect with the DSLR-A300’s standard 18-70mm zoom lens.

BIONZ™ Image Processor

The “brain” of the Sony® α; (alpha) DSLR-A300 is the advanced Sony BIONZ™ Image Processor, using hardware-based Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuitry to enhance images with rich tonal reproduction, improved white balance and exposure control, and expanded D-Range Optimizer capabilities. With 2-channel data transfer from CCD to processor, your camera can also respond faster.

Anti-Dust Technology

Changing lenses in a DSLR can allow dust to enter the camera -- so to keep the CCD imager cleaner for better pictures, the DSLR-A300 utilizes both static-free anti-dust coating on the CCD filter and anti-dust vibration that automatically shakes the CCD to dislodge dust each time the camera is shut off.

9-Point Center Cross AF Sensor

A fast focus motor and improved focus control help bring images into sharp definition more quickly, with predictive focus control that automatically calculates the position of a fast-moving subject.

Index and Slide Show Display

To quickly review your photos, the DSLR-A300 can display 4, 9 or 25-frame index views -- or present automatic slide shows with fade-in/fade-out effect.

Stamina® Battery Power

In optical viewfinder mode, you can take up to 750 shots³ on a fully charged NP-FM500H InfoLITHIUM® battery -- and you’ll be able to see about how much power remains in percentage increments, so you can keep shooting in confidence.

Product Specifications

Convenience Features

AF Illuminator Light : Yes, On/Off Select
Clear RAW NR : N/A
Histogram Display : Yes - RGB, playback only
Multi-Pattern Measuring : 40 Segment, Center Weighted, Spot

Inputs and Outputs

Output(s) : Video: Yes, NTSC/PAL Selectable
USB Port(s) : Yes, Supports USB 2.0 Hi-speed

Power

Battery Capacity : 7.2V, 1600 mAh; CIPA standard: approx. 740 pictures³
Battery Type : NP-FM500H Lithium-ion rechargeable battery

Software

Operating System Compatibility : Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Professional, ME, XP Home and Professional; Macintosh® OS X (v 10.3 or later). OS must be installed at the factory.
Supplied Software : Image Data Converter SR ver.2.0, Image Data Lightbox SR ver.1.0, (all Windows & Macintosh), Picture Motion Browser Ver.2.1.02 (Windows only)

Control

ISO : Auto/100/200/400/800/1600/3200

General

Imaging Device : 10.2 (effective) APS CCD Sensor; 23.6 x 15.8 mm; RGB primary color filter
Megapixel : 10.2MP

Operating Conditions

Flash Effective Range : GN12 at ISO 100 (39 feet/ 12 meters)
Flash Mode(s) : Built-in Auto Pop-up: Auto, Fill-flash, Rear flash sync, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Wireless off camera flash (with Flash HVL-F56AM, F36AM)

Processor

BIONZ™ Engine : Yes (LSI with Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO/DRO+))

Weights and Measurements

Dimensions (Approx.) : (WHD) 5 1/4" x 4" x 3" (130.8 x 98.5 x 74.7 mm)
Weight (Approx.) : 1 lb. 4.5 oz (582g) body, not including battery, lens and media

Convenience

Burst Mode : Max 2.5 FPS with optical viewfinder. 2FPS in live view mode., Shooting Capacity: JPEG (L size, Fine): Until memory card is full. RAW: 6 frames. RAW + JPEG: 3 frames.
Color Mode(s) : Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Night view, Sunset, Black & White, Adobe RGB (Except for Adobe RGB, all other color modes use the sRGB color space)
Exposure : Manual Exposure: Yes, w/EV indicator, Manual Exposure: Yes; Aperture/Shutter Priority, Manual, Program Shift: Yes, Command Dial
Live View : Yes
Movie Mode(s) : N/A
Red-Eye Reduction : On/Off (all modes)
Removable Flash Media Compatibility :
Scene Mode(s) : Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night View/Night Portrait
Self Timer : Yes (10 seconds, 2 seconds, Off)
White Balance : Auto plus 8 Modes (Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash, Color Tempature/Color filter, Custom), each with +/-3 adjustable step.

Hardware

LCD : Tiltable 2.7"¹ TFT (230k pixels) LCD with Clear Photo™ design
Microphone : N/A
Viewfinder : Optical: TTL, 0.74x magnification with 50mm lens at infinity; 95% coverage

Optics/Lens

EV Compensation : �2.0 EV, 1/3 EV Steps
Focus : Auto Focus: TTL Phase Detection, Multi-point: 9 Area, 8 Line, 1 Cross Sensor, Auto Focus Mode: Yes, Adjustable Spot AF: Selectable Sensor, Visual Focus Confirm: Direct via Spherical Acute Matte Screen
Lens Type : Interchangeable A-mount
Shutter Speed : 30

Service and Warranty Information

Limited Warranty Term : 1 Year Parts & Labor

In the Box

BC-VM10 battery charger
Body cap

DT 18-70mm f3.5 Zoom lens (27 - 105 35mm eq)
Video and USB cables
Software/USB Driver CD-ROM

NP-FM500H rechargeable battery
Shoulder strap with eyepiece cap and Remote Commander clip
NOTE: No Memory Stick media nor adaptors are included.

Product Profile

Support

Find related product support and help in Sony eSupport

License Agreements

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1.4x Teleconverter Lens

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DSLR-A300K/N 4 5 2 2

Excellent D-SLR Entry Level Kit I recently made the decision to move into the Digital SLR arena. I spent a lot of time reviewing cameras in the entry level bracket, including the Canon Rebel XS, the Nikon D40 and the Olympus E-450. So, why did I choose the Sony? There were a few reasons: 1. Overall, I felt the 'kit' was the best value for money 2. I liked the overall feel of the camera - it was more weighty than its Canon rival, which gave me confidence that it would survive an accidential bump or two plus the 'pros' always seem to recommend a heavier camera for clearer photos 3. The included lens had a greater range that any of the others 4. It was the ONLY camera that supported 'Live View' in all shooting modes. The Nikon and the Olympus didn't offer Live View and the Canon only provided it on certain shooting modes 5. The Sony was the only camera to provide a moveable/tiltable LCD screen (this is great when you are shooting above or below your natural height level) 6. Sony provide excellent on-line 'Chat' support - I'm not sure whether the others provide this but I'd had good experiences with Sony in the past 7. Sony had a greater ISO range that its competitors, enabling better shooting at lower light levels The only area, from my perspective, where Canon was slightly ahead, was the LCD menus and Shooting Summary. This is an area that Sony could improve, although to be fair their menus are perfectly useable and do provide the info that you need, they're just not quite as 'crisp' as the ones on the Canon. Overall, I'm really pleased with my purchase and my initial photos have turned out great. Oh yes, one final tip .... the Sony 'kit' comes with a photo adjustment software suite. If you want to use this suite, be sure to import your photos (from the camera) directly to this suite. I was initially importing into Apple iPhoto, which then seems to restrict the options that you have when editing the photo in the Sony suite. There is probably a way to fix this but I haven't found it yet! June 8, 2009

Awasome camera I have been using Canon Rebel Xs for quite some time now. When started using Sony Alpha A300 it feels lot better and sophisticated. Only thing that bugged me over Canon was the weight factor. With the added weight of the battery it felt overweighted. Other than this the item is impecable. December 12, 2008

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VIEW FOOTNOTES

1: Viewable area, measured diagonally.

2: Continuous shooting while viewing is only available in optical viewfinder mode.

3: When using Optical Viewfinder. Actual results may vary based on product settings, usage patterns, battery and environmental conditions.

4: PhotoTVHD feature requires output via optional HDMS-S1D Digital Photo Album with select Sony BRAVIA® HDTV; each sold separately.

5: Live view mode only

All rights reserved. Sony, the Sony logo, Alpha, “Sony α;”, Bionz, BRAVIA, Clear Photo, Cyber-shot, Exmor, InfoLITHIUM, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Stamina, and Super SteadyShot are trademarks of Sony.