Great camera at an amazing price compared to those in the same price range. My first DSLR and had no problem operating it without reading the manual.[...]

After being a Minolta film photographer for 30 years, I finally went digital.(OK....Some of us men are set in our ways!!) After reading the owner's manual, one of the first of several things that I liked about this camera, was the fact that I can adjust the diopter. Being a near-sighted photographer, this meant that I can shoot pictures, without my glasses. What sold me on the Sony DSLR, was the fact that when Sony bought Minolta, they wanted to make the Minolta photographer happy, by making the Sony body fit the Minolta AF lens system. Also depending on which Minolta AF flash unit that you have, it will work with the A200.

In shooting weddings, with the 2GB compact flash card that I have, it will feel kind of nice not worrying about how long, before I have to change the film. As for the results.....I'M IMPRESSED!! For you Minolta fim SLR photographers, who want to go fully digital, this is the camera for you.

I love this camera. Taking pictures of this quality, with this speed is a blast. You can be an amateur and turn out professional photos. It allows me to photograph my children in all sports in action.

This camera far exceeds my expectations. The in-body IS (image stabilization) works like a charm, and i love the fact that i will not have to spend an arm and a leg for a lens kit. My next camera will definitely have this feature. The two lenses that came with this package are great starter lenses, 1 wide angle and 1 telephoto....what more do you need as an amateur photographer? The build quality is pretty good and i do not think it is heavy at all like i heard before purchasing. Thank you Sony!

I began wanting a better camera a couple years ago when my cousin shared with me some of the pictures he'd taken with his high end Nikon DSLR but of course I couldn't afford to go that route. I shopped around for a while and when I was ready I bought this camera. I must say that so far, in a little over a month and a half and a couple thousand pictures later I'm still happy with my purchase. The camera does everything that I wanted and I'm able to use the lenses from my old Minolta Automatic Focus lenses.

The only thing I'm not happy with is the timer function. It turns out that when you click on the shutter and activate the timer, the camera focuses and doesn't adjust the focus anymore. This may sound trivial but if you happen to be in front of the camera when you press the shutter button it'll focus on you up close and then it won't adjust the focus again when the field changes. This seems like a simple fix, the auto focus should take place a second before the timer runs out and the picture is taken. This'll give everyone time to get in place. The other solution would be to have a wireless remote shutter switch. I wish I had that option.

Well, at least I know now what to look for next time I make such a purchase.

I'm a newbie in the dSLR world. I made a lot of internet research between the distinct models in the market, always looking for good features and lower price. I nailed my choise down to the SONY A200 with the 18-700mm lens, and I can tell you guys, I'm sooooooo happy with it!!!

*- Feels VERY good in my hand.

*- Optical stabilization in the body, not lenses.

*- Very good build quality, for an entry-level dSLR.

*- The kit lens have a bigger optical range (18-70mm) than the others entry-level dSLR (18-55mm).

*- Superb IQ, nothing to envy the entry-level rivals.

I don't hesitate to recommend all of you this camera, you'll not getting dissapointed going with this Alpha, but always keep in mind a couple of things:

*- Is an entry-level budget camera, don't push it beyond limits, is not meant to extreme situations or weather.

*- Remember is the photograph, not the camera who's gonna take the picture. So... GET CREATIVE!!!

I got this camera for my birthday and I absolutly love it. I found it very easy to use and the pictures come out wonderful. I use the larger lens the most, because of birds, deer, wildlife. It's a great camera for beginners also. I really love it and would highly reccommend it. amazon had the best price.

Beautiful camera. It takes a bit, at least for me, two days to get used to it. Its my first SLR camera. So far, I am impressed and love it.

I love my camera. My friend was putting my camera down until we compared his photos,(taken with a more expensive Canon), and my photos taken with the Sony A200. They were all beautiful photos, but when you compare picture quality and price, the Sony rises to the top. I going to take the $300 I saved buying the Sony and buy a telephoto lens.

Amazon also was excellent. Quick delivery and unbelievable price! A great place to shop

This one is for first time dslr buyers who do not want to go the nikon or canon way, yeah theres olympus, pentax, lumix, so on...so whats special about the Sony A200? The A100 has proved that Sony can live up to the levels of the big players. The A200 has a feature set for a price a 100-300 $ cheaper than rivals...

....thats not it....

I made up my mind on the A200 only after I played with in the store, it felt great on my hands, more like a mid range than entry level, and the most ergonomic. Do not decide solely on internet reviews and flickr images, you have to feel and handle a camera before you buy, and then you can decide if you really want to spend an extra 300 on the canon.

Picture quality is much better than the best point and shoots, but the bundled lens is average. Like any dslr you have to invest in better lenses, may be next year.....

Its a great choice for an entry dslr to learn and grow with.