Sony Alpha A55 camera

Sony’s A55 is the fastest consumer dSLR on the block, and the picture quality holds up too. It’s an excellent camera, all things considered.
    A55 Big Picture
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    1st     of 45     in 15+ MP
    1st     of 19     in Consumer dSLR
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Last updated on 03/24/2011
Since they entered the big leagues a few years back, Sony‚Äôs Alpha dSLRs have been second-string players. The few Alpha fans out there are quick to point out that they often use the same sensors as any late-model Canon, Nikon, or Pentax dSLR — sensors made by Sony, at that.

True enough, but the sensor is only one part of a great camera. Users need to feel comfortable using the thing; what makes a good interface is up to the individual photographer, but the first few generations of Alphas were generally knocked for clunky navigation and feel. They didn’t have an identity or much of a dedicated user base. As a new name in high-end photography, Sony’s “me too” dSLRs did do little to sway potential buyers away from the bigger, more established names in the genre.

Then late last year, Sony dropped a bombshell with the A55. This camera is designed around a translucent, stationary pellicle mirror rather than the typical a transparent, reflexive one. Light simultaneously reflects off the mirror into the autofocus mechanism and passes through the mirror to the sensor. That means it can focus and shoot at the same time, so it’s the fastest camera ever seen at this price. Sony calls this a single-lens translucent (SLT) design.

But of course, speed is also only one piece of the puzzle, one that is incomplete without a great sensor and user experience. Thankfully, Sony rounded out the A55 remarkably well. We’ll spill the beans early: The A55 is excellent all around and comes highly recommended. Read on to see why.

Note: Before we get started, we know that the A55 is not a true single-lens reflex since the mirror doesn‚Äôt move — no reflex, in other words — but just for the sake of consistency when we compare it to other interchangeable-lens cameras with mirrors, we often call it a dSLR in this review. Argue semantics in the comments below.