60%

Jul 28, 2010

 • 23 sample photos

Review

BUY ON AMAZON.COM

Sony A390 Digital SLR Camera - Black (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

$530.00

Buy on Amazon.com

SHARE

USER REVIEWS

 

 (4)

See all user reviews

Write your user review

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

7 questions asked

See all Q&As

Ask a new question

GEAR LIST

18		0		5
I own it		I want it		I had it

Product description

Announced Jun 9, 2010

Discuss in the Sony Alpha SLR/SLT A-mount Talk forum

The DSLR-A390 is the successor to the A380 and only a relatively minor update. Like its predecessor it comes with a 14.2 MP sensor, live view and a swivel-screen but it has also got a new hand grip which makes it a much more comfortable camera to handle. However, as far as its performance and image quality are concerned, the A390 is an exact match for its predecessor, which is to say that it was fairly respectable two years ago but now sits towards the bottom end of its large group of competitors. This is especially true for the high ISO performance where the A390 is roundly outperformed by competitive cameras such as the Canon EOS 550D.

Product timeline

Sony Alpha DSLR-A390 Review

Review, Jul 28, 2010

Just posted: Sony DSLR A390 quick review

Jul 28, 2010

Sony launches DSLR-A390 & DSLR-A290 revised entry-level DSLRs

Jun 9, 2010

Quick specs

Body type	Compact SLR
Max resolution	4592 x 3056
Effective pixels	14 megapixels
Sensor size	APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm)
Sensor type	CCD
ISO	Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Lens mount	Sony/Minolta Alpha
Focal length mult.	1.5×
Articulated LCD	Tilting
Screen size	2.7″
Screen dots	230,400
Max shutter speed	1/4000 sec
Storage types	SD/ SDHC, Memory Stick Pro Duo
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Weight (inc. batteries)	549 g (1.21 lb / 19.37 oz)
Dimensions	128 x 97 x 86 mm (5.04 x 3.82 x 3.39″)
GPS	None

See full specifications

Our review

The Sony Alpha 390 isn't a bad camera, but there are so many better options on the market that it is hard to recommend. Ultimately, so little has changed, compared to its predecessor, that its specifications and performance now look very out of date. The A390 has some cool tricks up its sleeve in the form of SteadyShot INSIDE and DR+, but they aren't enough to make it stand out from its DSLR and mirrorless competitors.

Good for: Existing Sony Alpha users that want a second body, fast AF in live view mode and don't need to shoot in low light or make large prints.

Not so good for: Fast action, low light shooting, and any situation requiring the optical viewfinder.

Read the full review

NO AWARD

60% DPREVIEW SCORE

Scoring

Build quality

Ergonomics & handling

Features

Metering & focus accuracy

Image quality (raw)

Image quality (jpeg)

Low light / high ISO performance

Viewfinder / screen rating

Performance

Value