Review on Sony Digital SteadyShot Stabilization 18 70Mm by Brando Carpenter

This is a really great camera. I definitely don't consider myself an expert on DSLRs (I've only shot with the Nikon D200, D70 and Canon Rebel XTi), but so far I'm very happy with this camera. Image quality is very comparable to the Rebel XTi, except on the greens where it appears to be better. Sony falls short on noise reduction - low ISO noise is very acceptable and definitely on par with Canon, maybe even better depending on the image. Once you hit ISO 1600 the Canon seems better and the Sony starts to look pretty noisy - check out sample images on camera comparison sites to see if it's acceptable to you. ISO 3200 results in very noisy images but honestly Canon can't get to 3200 anyway so at least it's there! In short, at low ISOs Sony holds or slightly surpasses the competition, at high ISOs things look worse, but at the same time it's able to hit ISO 3200 where the competition doesn't. I think it's kind of a throw. The kit lenses are about what you'd expect - a bit soft, but overall nothing for the average user to complain about. Image distortion and chromatic aberration are actually not a big problem. All in all, these are decent lenses that are definitely on par with kit lenses from other manufacturers. The battery life is still quite acceptable. Dynamic range optimization isn't as powerful as we'd like, but it works and is actually pretty cool. The in-camera image stabilization is a really great feature and it works well. From what I've seen, it's possible you'll get footage two speeds slower than without it. What really sets this camera apart from others I've played with is the accessibility - it's really easy to use. I bought this camera primarily for my wife who is interested in DSLR photography but not usually familiar with it. She had absolutely no problem or fear in quickly picking up a camera and getting the hang of it. Overall, this is a very good little camera that's a good choice for education and entertainment, and can take great pictures even in experienced hands.