Sony Alpha DSLR A700 Camera - Design
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The big difference between the body of the A100 and the A700 is the build quality of the body. While the A100 was constructed mostly of a hard plastic material, the A700 sports an aluminum chassis with a magnesium-alloy body. The body of the A700 is very durable and should stand the test of time. Also, the inputs and outputs on the A700 are covered by rubber flaps which helps to keep dust and moisture out – again, adding to the longevity of the camera.
The A700 is a hefty camera, as most DSLRs are. Its dimensions are approximately 5.6" by 4.1" by 3.1", and it weighs about 1.5 pounds. Of course, the dimensions and weight will change depending upon the lens being used and whether the optional vertical grip battery pack is equipped. The optional vertical grip attachment allows you to operate the A700 very easily in a portrait orientation. This grip features a full set of buttons and controls and accepts an additional two batteries that will add approximately 1300 additional shots to your A700 before it needs a charge. Using this additional accessory will add considerable weight and overall size to the A700, so it may not be for everyone. I suggest testing it out at your local camera shop so that you can get a feel of the A700 with this attachment.
Sony has equipped the A700 with a variety of useful controls. They are all large, easy to use buttons that can be operated smoothly – even if you're wearing gloves. The top of the camera offers dedicated white balance, ISO, and exposure controls. There is also a good-sized mode dial on top of the A700; it offers easy access to a variety of common modes, including various scene modes.
The back of this camera features most of the other controls of the A700, including a nice “custom” button that can be programmed by the user to perform any function. The back of the camera also features a joystick used for navigating as well as an easy on/off switch for Sony's Super SteadyShot image stabilization.
The good-sized 3" LCD display is awesome; it is viewable in both dim and bright lighting conditions. The high resolution 640 by 480 screen allows you to see very fine detail when viewing photos in playback. The LCD display also serves as the status display for this camera. It gives the user detailed setting information, such as white balance or exposure levels.
The A700 is compatible with both Compact Flash memory cards and Sony's Memory Sticks. You can have one of each of these memory cards installed at the same time. That can be useful if, for instance, you have two photo shoots on the same day and you want to shoot each one on a separate memory card.
A big advantage of the A700 over its competitors is its ability to display full 1080 or 720 HD photos on any HDTV via HDMI cable. The A700 has an HDMI cable input hidden beneath one of the rubber flaps right next to the USB port. This feature works well for viewing photos at home on your HDTV or even for creating slide shows for business purposes.
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