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Customer Reviews for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Model: A55 with 18-55mm Lens
SKU: 1598997
UPC: 027242798816
The Sony Alpha A55 DSLR is packed with the features photographers and videographers want the most. Order one today and start recording the highlights of your life. The Sony Alpha A55 camera is equipped with a 16.2-megapixel Exmor APS-C HD CMOS image sensor that gives high-resolution images for maximum clarity, detail and true-to-life color. Coupled with a Sony A-mount lens, it's hard to find a digital camera that offers this kind of accuracy, speed and image details. Its digital SLR capabilities render a true image on the three-inch XtraFine TFT-LCD view finder screen, so what you're seeing is what you'll get in the final photo or video. The Sony Alpha A55 includes top-notch features such as High ISO sensitivity for capturing the best shots in low light conditions. SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization reduces or eliminates blurred images resulting from shaking or vibration. Phase detection autofocus and a built-in auto flash ensure better up-close photos while reducing red-eye. Combined with face detection technology, the Sony Alpha A55 gives the best results when photographing family and friends. The Sony Alpha A55 digital camera includes a robust set of features enhanced video recording, a suite of creativity functions, and a multicard slot to open the world of better images to the amateur and professional photographer alike. What's Included? See what comes packaged with this product. Watch the video.
Average Customer Rating:
5.0
out of 5
(35 Reviews) 35
Rating Snapshot 35 reviews
5 stars
34
4 stars
1
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0
97% of customers would recommend this product to a friend
(
34 out of
35)
Customer Reviews for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Review 1 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
great camera
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Fast and great pics
What's not so great: I wish you could crop pics on the camera
Just purchased recently after upgrading from a point and shoot. Still learning all of the features, but the pics are amazing. The burst shots are super fast and look great. I went with a sony because the image stabilizer is built in the camera so the lens are a lot less expensive. I think this is a great camera for anyone that is moving from a point and shoot to a dslr. I think we will have this camera for a long time.
About me... casual user
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 2 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Great for everyone, beginners to pros.
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
4.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: It has auto features and great manuel features as well.
What's not so great: You may need two, so that you don't keep switching lens.
Still learning how to use some of the things that this camera can do. My wife simply sets it to auto and she's ready to go. The other parents and grandparents think that I am a pro, especially when I capture the kids with hitting baseballs and you can see the contact. The movie feature is just as great with full 1080 video. Our family is really impressed with the quality of our pictures and videos.
About me... Love shooting sports, Love capturing special occasions, casual user, grandparents with grandkids
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Sony Camera Case - Black
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 3 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Great Camera for Beginners and Veterans Alike!
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: easy for beginners to learn on, great features for professional photographers, compact in size, amazing quality
What's not so great: short battery life in warm weather, but that's understandable!
I have had no previous experience with a DSLR so I was a bit skeptical as to whether this camera would be worth the money. The associate who helped me was amazing. He had the Sony Alpha that is the previous model to this one, and he showed me some pictures on his facebook that he took with this camera! He was really knowledgeable, and made sure this would be the right camera for me! He offered to order it since it's not a camera that my local store carries, and it arrived at the store a few days short of a week!
I LOVE how compact it is, and even found a bag to keep it AND my purse contents in while I'm on vacation! The picture quality is wonderful, and it has every setting you can imagine. I love the GPS coordinates feature!
My favorite things, are the LCD screen and electronic viewfinder. The screen is adjustable, and you can take pictures at awesome angles and in more comfortable positions. The electronic viewfinder is also wonderful, it has all kinds of information about what you are shooting.
Sony has included a wonderful users guide that tells you what each little button is, and the layout of the camera seems very natural once you get a grasp of how the basics work. After a week I was comfortable not using the auto settings and now I usually only use manual settings!
After only having this camera for a couple of days, I ordered the Telephoto Zoom Lens, and a Polarizing Filter. The battery life is very good, but much shorter if it's a warm day so I ordered an extra battery.
Make sure you get the Black Tie Protection! Best Buy will send it off for repair or replace it if virtually ANYTHING happens to it! Sony will only cover things that they consider "manufacturer's defects" and Best Buy can't cover it after the 30 day return policy unless you have their protection! It's so much better than Sony's warranty! Plus they will send my camera off for a free cleaning once per year! Great!
About me... Video enthusiast, Love capturing special occasions, Photo enthusiast, casual user
I would recommend this to a friend!
+2points
3out of 4found this review helpful.
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Review 4 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Great camera
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Easy to use out of the box.
What's not so great: battery life in hot temperatures.
This is my first DSLR camera and I absolutely love it!
About me... Parent with kids, Love capturing special occasions, Photo enthusiast
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
This is a great DSLR
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: ****Make sure to buy the GSBTP for this item!!!!!
Love the full DSLR features in a compact body style! Shoots very clean and sharp photos with eye popping vivid colors.
About me... Semi-pro videographer, semi-pro photographer, Video enthusiast, Photo enthusiast, storm chaser
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
+1point
2out of 3found this review helpful.
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Review 6 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Best Value for the price
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: RegularDecentUser
from Atlanta GA
on 03/01/2012
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
Just bought right after my daughter's birth. Excellent picture quality.
Best featuers are...it takes pictures at very high speed. auto focus is amazingly fast..it takes several pics per second and for each it auto adjusts the focus..amazingly good quality pics at very high speed...
Best featuers are...it takes pictures at very high speed. auto focus is amazingly fast..it takes several pics per second and for each it auto adjusts the focus..amazingly good quality pics at very high speed...
I would recommend this to a friend!
+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
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Review 7 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Easy to Use
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Everything
What's not so great: Nothing
Bought camera for grandchildren's sporting events.Works great&enjoy all the features.Still have more to learn but i know i will be pleased with the performance of camera.
About me... grandparent with grandkids
I would recommend this to a friend!
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
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Review 8 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Simple, Top Rated and Top of the Line on a Budget
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: pakkid
from Coon Rapids
on 01/27/2012
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
After many months of research and playing (fumbling) around with many DSLR's, this one takes the cake. It's the perfect size, more bells and whistles than I know what to do with and it's rated in the top 5 cameras under $2,500. (rated in the top 3 under $1,500). I wish I would have made this purchase sooner.
While shopping around both Ritz Camera and National Camera Exchange employees rated it better than any camera they had in the store under $2,000. Both stores even considered the movie mode better than most in HD camcorders around the same price point. I ended up at Best Buy because, well, they are the Best.
I look forward to years of fun and memories we capture with our new toy.
About me... casual user
I would recommend this to a friend!
+10points
10out of 10found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Great features, easy to use camera!!
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: JulesMarie
from Sherman Oaks, CA
on 01/22/2012
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
I'm very impressed with this camera!! I have taken beautiful images in low light settings, holding on to the background lighting and having the people in the foreground in perfect focus.
The auto focus is very fast and accurate.
The color is warm and beautiful, skin tones came out great.
We shot closeups of ornaments on the Christmas tree and they came out beautiful in focus, with the tree lights on, hand held!!
About me... Video enthusiast, Parent with kids, Love capturing special occasions, Pro photographer
I would recommend this to a friend!
+10points
10out of 10found this review helpful.
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Review 10 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Ease of Use
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
4.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
What's great about it: Ease of use
What's not so great: Battery life is short in the cold
When at Colts last home game I took several night shots using the program mode without a flash setting. As one can see the detail turned out better than I expected. The ease of use is amazing. I am used to having to set everything and take several shots, waiting for film development to see how they turned out.
I really like this camera. I am using a 16meg card with an extra battery. I am glad I bought the extra battery because in the cold the life is not long.
I really like this camera. I am using a 16meg card with an extra battery. I am glad I bought the extra battery because in the cold the life is not long.
About me... Love shooting sports, Love capturing special occasions, Photo enthusiast
I would recommend this to a friend!
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
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Review 11 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
I absolutely love this camera!
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: picture mode and HD video mode are great in a single camera
What's not so great: Nothing I have found so far!
I really like this camera, especially the features and options that make it so easy to use. The combo pack that added a zoom lense to the camera was a huge plus to allow the flexibility for shooting pics upclose and from a distance. Super easy to use, the on screen menus and options are easily navigated using the navigation button on the back of the camera. The ability to use the view screen or look through the view finder is very convenient.
I would highly recommend any of the Sony Alpha cameras to others, and have had several different friends who are photographers ask what camera I have been using when they see my pictures on Facebook or my online photo albums.
I would highly recommend any of the Sony Alpha cameras to others, and have had several different friends who are photographers ask what camera I have been using when they see my pictures on Facebook or my online photo albums.
About me... Love shooting sports, Parent with kids, Love capturing special occasions, Photo enthusiast
I would recommend this to a friend!
+8points
8out of 8found this review helpful.
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Review 12 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
DSLR=DSLT Sony
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
5.0
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
What's great about it: Fast focus, Great sensor, good in low light, range of fuctions
What's not so great: Smallish grip, smudges rear view screen easily
I had missed this in the digital SLR's coming out in 2010/2011 and had my eye on the A77. Boy was that a mistake! The new tech with the EVF mirrorless system, fast continuous auto focus, large CMOS sensor, HD movie, and HDR ranges makes my A100 look like something from the Stone age. It isn't perfect but for a prosumer user needing occasional wide ranging settings in the current @$799 range, Sony hit one out of the park. The size is a little small for my hands, but ok. The sensor and HDR settings for low light are sweet. The focus is fast even in low light. I was looking for a A77 or perhaps NEX 7i, but stumbled onto this unit, and boy am I ever glad I did! I think it will fill the bill for a lot of Sony / Minolta DSLR people looking to expand and enhance their shooting experiences.
About me... semi-pro photographer, Parent with kids, Love capturing special occasions
I would recommend this to a friend!
+11points
11out of 11found this review helpful.
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Review 13 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Great all around camera
Customer Rating
5.0
I'm very pleased with this camera. Probably the best camera I've used. There is an unbelievable number of options at your finger tips and with the addition of the firmware update the added picture effects are a nice touch do your self a favor and buy this camera.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+5points
6out of 7found this review helpful.
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Review 14 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Great Camera
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
What's great about it: Ease of use, Picture quality
What's not so great: Battery life is only about 350 pictures
I bought this camera a couple of weeks ago and have taken quite a few pictures with it. So far I am very pleased with the results. It takes great pictures and the controls are easy to use and quick to get to. The only complaint that I have with the camera is the battery life is not that great. I get about 350 pictures on one charge, I would recommend getting a second battery for it, but that seems to be true of most cameras. Overall a very good product for the price.
About me... Photo enthusiast, casual user
I would recommend this to a friend!
+21points
21out of 21found this review helpful.
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Review 15 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
What a great camera!
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
4.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's not so great: Small.
I am a complete novice in the world of photography and I must say that this device is very easy to use.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+6points
7out of 8found this review helpful.
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Review 16 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
A True Powerhouse
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Quality Color Rendering, Fast Shooting, Lighter Weight, User Friendly
What's not so great: Electronic Viewing Technoclogy Likes To Use Battery Power, need better Manual
With so many DLSR type products out there, and each Brand and Model trying to be better than the others, or generate a spark within the potential buyer to make them select "their" particular product - it becomes insane trying to select the best/right one. Cutting directly to the chase herein: The Sony SLT-A55VL is a terrific DSLR type unit - although it is NOT a "Re-flexing Mirror" Camera. It uses newer technology that enables a "Translucent" see-thru Mirror that does not spring up and down mechanically. The Image #view# you see through the Lens goes to the Viewfinder, the LCD Screen, and the CMOS recording sensor simultaneously. Hence what you see is what you get!
The camera is very quick, fast focusing also, the color reproduction quality is impressive, it can snap up to 10 Frames per second for those Action Shots otherwise missed. Usage and operational understanding is relatively straight forward while giving the user all the capabilities of DSLR photography. Today's Point & Shoot Cameras have come along way in that some now approach the quality of DSLRs - however, a DSLR or SLT are just that - they are higher powered, more capable Race Cars by comparison to Point & Shoots.
The Camera itself is slightly physically smaller and lighter than typical DSLR units - thus it is much easier to carry around - even with optional Telephoto Lenses. The Quality of the images is the most impressive, and it does Panoramic shooting too. The LCD Screen can display short wording descriptions with each of your setting selections - or not.
Only two small drawbacks found to date: #1# This Cameras technology likes to use Battery Power due to its electronic viewing - hence carry a spare fully charged battery in your camera case. Re-clarifying, it simply uses battery power more so than a traditional DSLR, but this is not a big issue. #2# The User Manual could be better written for English speaking types to allow better understanding of what Sony is saying. Some of the translations to English do not flow real well, however, I think it is fair to say that in America we have all experienced this type thing in recent times.
Sony purchased Minolta and Konica Camera Companies a few years ago, and together these three Camera Giants have the engineering power to create some of the best consumer & professional products out there. It has primarily been Canon, Nikon, and Panasonic for years... you will not be disappointed with Sony's products in general, especially this SLT-A55VL.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+52points
55out of 58found this review helpful.
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Review 17 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Loads of features, great price
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
5.0
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
What's great about it: Feature packed at the price point, auto mode is great.
What's not so great: LCD get finger prints too easy/hard to clean
I have not had the a55 for long. I picked it up. Made sure to give it a good full charge (note the book say that you get better battery life if you leave it charging for 1 hour after the LED turns off). The next day, we went to a friends wedding. After all the reviews and reading the book, I was going to be happy with about 350 pictures off the one battery. I turned off the GPS chip as I do not need the tag, turned off the view finder using only the LCD screen, did not use much flash with it and to my SHOCK, I was able to take a little over 1300 pictures on one battery. To me that was great.
I can not compare the camera to other DSLRs as this is the first I have ever used. I understand the basics with SLR as I had done a fair amount of playing with them year ago (even took high school photo shop to get a better idea on them), but there is a lot more to learn now.
White Balance is something that I am still playing with, but for the most part, I was able to grab some very nice photos for someone that did not change much more then the f-stop.
White Balance is something that I am still playing with, but for the most part, I was able to grab some very nice photos for someone that did not change much more then the f-stop.
The kit lens worked very well for indoor shooting and still returned nice daylight photos as well. The focus is fast and even in low light I was able to get a higher FPS then some of the competing models in the same price point. Daytime shots, this camera can rip out pictures so fast.
I did have some problems with the focus at first use, it wanted to focus on so many different items at once, it was not grabbing what I truly wanted it to, I later found that the spot focus was what I really needed.
I also found that the light metering was grabbing more of the background and not so much of the subject, again I later found that using the AEL mode would have solved this problem for me.
I also found that the light metering was grabbing more of the background and not so much of the subject, again I later found that using the AEL mode would have solved this problem for me.
The sunset mode is very nice and do really like the in body stabilizer. Tie that into the fact that I am able to use my old Minolta AF mount lens and this was a GREAT buy for me.
If your new to DSLR and you want a great camera to grow into, I would have to say that the a55 is great mid point to get started with, it will do a LOT for you in auto mode, but take some time to play with it and learn how to use the features, the results have been great in a short amount of time.
If your new to DSLR and you want a great camera to grow into, I would have to say that the a55 is great mid point to get started with, it will do a LOT for you in auto mode, but take some time to play with it and learn how to use the features, the results have been great in a short amount of time.
I do love the weight, very light and when you mix that with the shape of the grip, it was easy to carry the camera around all night without feeling like my hand was getting tired.
One other thing that I will note, I am VERY glad that I ended up getting a camera that has a full motion LCD screen. I didnt think it would be that much of a difference, but it turned out to be something I used a LOT. From taking pictures over everyone holding the camera as high up as I could to ground level shots without having to try and get on the ground to see the screen. Very happy with this part of it.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+24points
30out of 36found this review helpful.
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Review 18 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
So light and flexible to use!
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
4.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Very lightweight.
What's not so great: Hard to keep screen clean.
I graduated from a Sony Powershot to the A55. I have a Minolta Maxxum 7000 in the closet that I never use but wanted to use the various lenses and filters. I very much appreciate that Sony has taken the iniative to allow the use of my Minolta lenses with the new A55. Thank you very much! I love the quality!
I would recommend this to a friend!
+5points
7out of 9found this review helpful.
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Review 19 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
AMAZING!! Absolutely amazing!
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
What's great about it: Everything. Takes amazing pictures and the quality is like nothing I've ever seen before.
What's not so great: Short battery life.
This Sony camera is the best camera I have ever used. I have a Canon SLR (not digital) and went to the store to purchase a Canon or Nikon. The salesman let my husband and me to the Sony a55. I thought it was just a sales pitch and he just really wanted to sell this camera. I was wrong, he was great at explaining all the differences between this camera and the Nikon and Canon we were looking at. This Sony a55 tops all the competition. Holy...cow. It is awesome. Worth every penny we spent on it.
I have two very fast toddlers. I take all my own pictures, have never done professional since the day they were born. I liked my Canon, but lets face it, film is a thing of the past. This camera takes pictures better than anything I've ever seen. 10 pictures in one second. Didn't think I would need that until the kids were in sports, but ha...I finally got the perfect picture of my two year old that I was NEVER able to get before because he is so dang fast and doesn't cooperate. LOVE LOVE LOVE this camera!!
And I never leave reviews on anything I purchase, but this camera was worth the time to type this. Don't even consider any other camera out there if you want a DSLR. AMAZING camera!!! OH, and I can actually tell my son's eyes are blue. He has squinty eyes and they always just turn out dark. Now I can see the blue!!
Only advice get filters for lens. You wouldn't want to scratch those. And an extra battery.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+28points
30out of 32found this review helpful.
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Review 20 for Sony Alpha A55 16.2-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens - Black
not for a beginner
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
4.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
3.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: articulating LCD, touch sensitive view finder, HDR feature
What's not so great: aritculating LCD does not rotate 360 deg, short battery life
I've had this camera for about 2 months now and I am still learning new things about its operation. It is my first SLR type camera. The breaking end period has been more challenging because I had to learn the exposure triangle as well as how to operate a new camera. My biggest complaint is that the camera body has a very plasticy look. It is not a magnesium alloy like the more expensive Canon but then it's not as expensive as Canon either.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+6points
8out of 10found this review helpful.
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