Sony SLT-A65 Hands-on Preview ~ Camera Blog

Of the two new Alpha cameras recently announced by Sony it was the A65 that interested us the most. While it isn't the magnesium-alloy bodied flagship A77, it boasts all the same features that we think will make a major difference to your photography and costs less. Features like the same sensor and processor as well as finder and just a two frame per second drop in shooting speed, we think make the A65 the better choice.
(By Barnaby Britton and Richard Butler - dpview)

Preview based on a pre-production SLT-A65 with firmware 0.58

Note that because of the similarities between the two models, for a full picture of the technology inside the Alpha SLT-A65 you should also take a look at our hands-on preview of its higher-end sister model the A77

Alongside the long-awaited A700 replacement, Sony has launched a more mass-market model - the SLT-A65. In all the excitement about the range-topping enthusiast model, there's a risk that ths less expensive model will be overlooked, but dig a little deeper and we believe theres every chance it's the A65 that will make the long-term impact.

There can be no doubt on picking up the plastic-bodied A65 that it is a camera intended to compete in a slightly lower class than the A77.The A65 lacks the A77's magnesium alloy construction and new AF sensor (it uses the same 15-point AF sensor that we saw in the original SLT-A55). It also does without the A77's top-plate LCD, rear control dial and uses a simpler hinge mechanism for the rear display, but importantly, it is built around the same 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor and the same 2.4M dot OLED viewfinder.

There are two reasons we believe the A65 might end up being the more significant camera in the SLT line-up: firstly because it is aimed at a much more popular segment of the market - many more people buy consumer-level DSLRs than buy enthusiast ones. And secondly, because despite a few missing specifications, the A65 includes many of the A77's core second-generation SLT features but at a lower price point. Unless the current market leaders bring something revolutionary to the party fairly soon, the A65 could just be the stand-out product Sony needs to get a proper foot-hold in the consumer DSLR/ILC market - something that despite impressive ambitions, it has thus far failed to do.

Sony's SLT design, with its ability to offer DSLR-style autofocus in live view and video, impressed us when the company launched the A33 and A55. However, the A65 takes the technology considerably further, most crucially with the introduction of the high-resolution OLED viewfinder. The 'TruFinder' design offers a 64% increase in resolution and, more importantly, offers progressive screen updates, rather than refreshing one color after another, giving a much smoother, more life-like shooting experience. The viewfinders in the A33, 35 and 55 are excellent, but the new unit in the A65 and A77 is significantly better. Quite an achievement.

SLT-A65 and A77 key specifications compared

	Sony SLT-65	Sony SLT-A77
Sensor	24MP APS-C CMOS	24MP APS-C CMOS
Body construction	Plastic	Magnesium Alloy/Plastic
Control dials	1	2
Maximum shooting rate	10fps	12fps
Auto ISO	Fixed at 100-1600	Customizable upper and lower limits
Viewfinder	2.4M dot OLED TruFinder	2.4M dot OLED TruFinder
AF Sensor	15 points (3 cross-type)	19 points (11 cross-type)
AF fine-tune	No	Yes
Joystick controller	No	Yes
Top LCD panel	No	Yes
Flash sync socket	No	Yes
LCD Articulation	Double-hinged (tilt/swivel)	Triple hinged (hinge/tilt/swivel)
Video	1080p60 AVCHD 2.0	1080p60 AVCHD 2.0
Maximum shutter speed	1/4000th	1/8000th

Side by Side: A77 and A65 compared

From the front, the difference in overall bulk between the A65 and its 'big brother' the A77 is obvious. The A65 is significantly slimmer, as well as slightly shorter. Notice the A700-style focus mode dial on the front of the A77 compared to the more conventional low-end Alpha AF-MF switch on the A65, and the lack of a dedicated AF assist lamp on the A65 (its built-in flash fulfils this function).