Sharing much of the technology found in the excellent Alpha 77, the Alpha 65 looks like it could be a real bargain. Does it do enough to standout on its own?
Sony Alpha A65 Review
Value & Verdict
Sony Alpha A65 review – Value
With an asking price of £789 with an 18-55mm kit lens, it’s quite a bit more affordable than the A77 with a similar, but not identical headline specification. There’s no doubt that the A77 has more to offer the enthusiast photographer, but those looking for a well-spec’d camera at a reasonable price will feel far from short changed.
Looking at the competition, and both the Canon EOS 600D and Nikon D5100 are the A65’s closest rivals. They are the more affordable, but the A65 has only just hit the streets, so you can expect to see the price fall more into line with the competition over the coming months. and of the three, it’s the A65 that has the highest specification and goodies on offer.
Sony Alpha A65 review – Verdict
The Alpha 65 is a great mid-price DSLR that provides high levels of performance, particularly when it comes to AF and frame advance that hasn’t really been seen in a camera of this class before. The image quality is excellent, delivering excellent detail, though it can’t quite compete at the higher regions of the ISO range with the competition.
As we’ve said before, the EVF is not for everyone, but it’s the best example we’ve seen to date and it does have it’s own advantages over an optical equivalent. Our advice is to try it out yourself before you make up your mind.
There’s no doubt that the A65 faces some stiff, established competition, but it’s the A65 that delivers the best all-round blend of features, performance and image quality. It’s a great camera that deserves real consideration.