Design and externals:
The camera is actually very small (my comparison is a Sony a200 and a77).
And because it is so small, it weighs too little.
And that's why there is not much room for buttons. This led the manufacturers to prove the key to the typical multi-selector repeatedly. This is nothing new, but I do not like so much. Whether it is your own hand too small you have to try. For me it is so, and I can live (for the pack size is also small)
A lot of criticism is called the screen. The criticism I think is exaggerated. The example of a77 screen. Has 3-inch diagonal, the a37 2.7 inches. With an edge length are the few millimeters. Yes, the resolution is lower. But that is m. M. also not that bad and certainly not bad. We are at an entry-level device - here there is not the screen of a77. The photos are great. And that counts.
Electronic viewfinder and mirror
I do not want to repeat all - only 2 are very important aspects in the Sony system with fixed partially transparent mirrors:
1. There are 2 methods of measurement to determine the distance and set the focus back on. The contrast method may be less and is used even in many DSLR's to generate a Live View image. For Sony, the system can all the time - with Live View and when shooting video - use the higher quality phase measurement methods.
2. The electronic viewfinder is discussed plentiful: One consequence of this is that, if one looks through the dark, get a noisy image. And that is an advantage rather than a disadvantage: you can see in the dark more than an optical viewfinder (which is basically a light amplification!). The noise that you can see at the moment is not necessarily the noise of the coming photos! That would be less if used for exposing the flash or button instead of a high ISO setting a slower shutter opening time (manual or automatic)
The loss of light (called there a half stop) for the partially transparent mirror, I do not notice in everyday life.
Furthermore, I can see the camera in the "installed" as anti-shake performance advantage at Sony. It affects unfortunately rarely as favorable price with second party lenses.
The video function gives good results and met my expectations!
The camera features are extensive and some also useful (eg Panorama, HDR, noise improvement.) - Try it!
2 small drawbacks: the viewfinder was built of plastic and rubber and no one has weggespart a small rubber cover for the hot shoe.
To my motivation to buy this camera: It was supposed to be a replacement for a compact camera. If you want to have such a safe with good pictures -. Example Sony RX100 or Fuji X10 - so you end up with 400 or more euros. And the picture quality (light intensity) of a single-lens reflex camera, it is not enough but ran. War as a reason decision. Small and beautiful, I find still the Fuji X10 :-). But as you can rumtauschen something with existing lenses.
Understanding (Kit) lenses:
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It is very unfortunate that many this camera bad rate for the kit lenses as needed.
I do not apologize that the manufacturer - in this case, Sony - such defective lenses attach and thus worsen their overall image. Aber.diese kit lenses are not only of little value, they also cost less. Using the example of the SLT-A37K is the price difference to A37-only body grad times 30-40. The lens will cost 60-70 individually. (Dec. 2012)
At the current price of a 37 which is not even 10% of the sales price.
And that's the point where I order some reason please author and reader. Expectations are too high here for many. The lens is responsible for many of the properties. And still it is physics. The better the glass and the more light to the sensor or film is the better. One may be times but keep in mind that camera lenses or any other optical systems are not things that are not automatically produced as good as expensive optics alone by cheap assembly workers in China.
The couple camera and lens is comparable to the couple Amplifier Speaker roughly. A 1000 amplifier will not find great with 70 speakers each.
My suggestion: look at the enclosed kit lenses as an opportunity to make some photos instantly (as some manufacturers provide for their speakers 0.75 mm² leads with). If the quality is right (keyword series dispersion) it retain. Or do you let it remain the same and buy a better lens separately. Since you can keep the salesman or forums to Go. Ultimately, you just have to be just satisfied. The One reaches the quality of the kit lens, the other that of a slightly more expensive Super-zoom. And the latter are also not begin to the end of the flagpole (they can not outwit physics :-) -> it is no coincidence that the sauteuren lenses not try the range of 15-200 mm cover.
If that whole thing at the end is too expensive, which is landed in the wrong technology. This type cameras are designed for the changing of lenses. This highly customizable and bright.
Recommendations for lenses:
Tamron 17-50 mm - has with the smallest aperture 2.8 very good potential. Alternatively Tamron 28-75 mm. (Over 300)
Or something else: Sony fixed focal length 35 mm with 1.8 (SAL35F18) approx 200th Very light and adjusts to the weight of the camera!
General information on faulty focusing:
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If it is ensured that the test conditions are clean (because of the photographer belongs to) and images are often blurred or rather the sharpness level before or after it is, then it may be that the incorrect focus caused by the camera or through the lens (or both). In my experience, is often the objective guilt. To avoid such problems can (guarantee) or improved by conversion. But again applies: who buys cheap, the kit lens is certainly adjust no manufacturer at the tape end. But even with improved lenses that sometimes happens.
With all the statements I did not lecture, but only ensure understanding. Some reviews are missing these aspects in the evaluation.
You see, at the moment at any rate, that the bad reviews are mostly based on faulty equipment (I also consider such reviews for the right!). Also annoys me is what if I buy and I then a "mon part" catch. Heard seemingly so. Our cheap technology age I think is important here as traders or manufacturers to deal with it.
Finally: the price-performance ratio of the SLT-A37 is sau well. As written price to performance, not absolute performance. It is and remains a small entry-level device.