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Five years ago I sold my Sony DCS-F717 which was a great camera for an all in one and decided to get a DSLR. I bought the A100 because of the built in image stabilization and the ability to use Minolta lenses. Five years ago it was easy to find Minolta lenses for very low prices as no one was sure Sony would put such a great effort into making an entire line of DSLR's. I started with a 50 mm f1.7. Then I found a 24-85 mm f3.5/4.5 which has become my favorite lens because it's very sharp, relatively light and offers good range. Then I found the 100 mm f2.8 Macro which is a superb lens and was top rated (same rating as the Leica) by Colorfoto (a German magazine) which ran a test on various macro lenses.
All of these lenses only cost me a few hundred dollars so buying into the Minolta/Sony A-Mount system is a real bargain compared to Canon/Nikon lenses. I also have the Sony 75-300 mm f4.5/5.6 which is a copy of the Minolta lens. Over the course of the last five years I've discovered that the A100 is too large and heavy to drag around for casual shooting and it's low light performance was limited. Also it doesn't shoot video so I used a Sanyo Xacti HD-1010 as my video camera. I had to decide which was more important. Video with poor quality stills on the Sanyo or high quality stills but no video on the Sony.
Recently I started investigating the options. After much research I was all set to buy the new Sony NEX F3. Then I went to look at it and immediately I struggled to read the tiny font and icons. Just about everyone will eventually suffer from Presbyopia which a difficulty to focus on close up objects. This can be easily corrected with reading glasses but I don't want to carry around a set of glasses to take photos. Moreover it means constantly looking up to see distant objects in focus. That's when I decided I still wanted a camera with a viewfinder. But I was still attracted to the size of the Nex which I could use if I bought the optional viewfinder. When shooting videos I loved the accessory microphone input on the Sanyo. Unfortunately the Nex cameras require you to buy one specific Sony microphone. Also NEX cameras use a new E mount lens which means you need an adapter to use A mount lenses. So by the time you buy the viewfinder, the microphone and the mount adapter you've spent twice the price of the camera. Way more than was in my budget. My goal was to sell the A100 and the Sanyo and use the proceeds to buy a new camera.
Enter the Sony A37 with Single lens Translucent technology.
This is really a huge advance over using a camera with a flip up mirror which was invented in 1949. For the first time Sony has also included all of the features of the higher end cameras in their entry level A37. The A37 is a NEX-F3 in an Alpha SLT format.
The size of the A37 is perfect for me. The grip on the A37 has been improved with a deeper groove for your fingers. I tried out the A57. It's much bigger and heavier than the A37. I have to grip really hard to hold it one handed (just like I did with the A100.) The A37 is much lighter and smaller which means that it fits perfectly in a small camera bag together with a couple of spare lenses. The camera and the 18-55 mm lens weighs just a pound and a half.
I mostly use the EVF (which includes diopter correction) but when I need the LCD I have no issues at all with it. Of course, I don't review photos on it. No camera LCD is good enough to reliably do that. The tilt mechanism makes it easy to compose shots that require you to hold the camera above or below you. If you don't use the EVF as your primary composing tool then I would suggest you look at the NEX F3 as it's an otherwise great camera that just lacks the things I want such a built in EVF and support for A mount lenses without an adapter.
For $600 my new A37 does everything I want it to do. Great images and videos are just as good as more expensive cameras. I only shoot mp4 videos so the lack of 1080p AVCHD won't be missed. Standard h264 mp4 video is so much easier to edit than AVCHD.
The A37 has the 3rd generation of the Bionz processor which is also used in all of the current generation of SLT and NEX cameras including the flagship model the A77.
This new processor allows for better low light shot with an ISO range from 100 to 16,000.
In addition the new processor makes possible continuous 15 point phase detection auto focus, 5.5 fps shooting at full resolution and full HD video recording.
Together with a 16mp sensor and a good lens such as the 18-55 you have everything you need to take great photos. Features such as clear image zoom that can digitally extend the range of any lens and a viewfinder with 100% coverage are wonderful.
Anyone can operate this camera which now has two auto settings; intelligent auto and superior auto which makes it possible for even a beginner to take great photos.
Let me know if you have questions and thanks for watching.
I'm not a beginner. I've been a photographer for 4 decades and this is the best camera I've ever owned. The A37 is a major upgrade from my previous camera both in image quality and in handling.
The 3 things to consider are the processor, the image sensor and the lens. I own 3 Minolta lenses and 2 Sony lenses. They are all good to excellent and that includes the 18-55 'kit' lens. With a new 3rd generation Bionz processor, a 16mp sensor and the 18-55 lens you will have everything you need to take excellent photos.
The specs are awesome because this is one awesome camera. Sure Sony has to offer some 'step up' features in other models but they are really nothing essential.
You will also have spent less which you can use to buy accessories such as an extra battery, a fast SDHC card and some great used Minolta lenses.
These reviews are helpful; Rated Essential.
First place.
'I know it seems like I'm "Mr. Sony is perfect" but honestly there is very little not to like about this camera at its price point. It is so exciting to watch Sony announce cameras that trounce the competition.'
Editors Choice. 'The camera's small size works in its favour as well by making the camera easy to pick up and take with you.'
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