Sony Alpha DSLRA300X 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization with DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 & DT 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Zoom Lenses

I love this camera...great for starter. Still so much to learn about the features...some confusing.

There is really only one reason to choose this camera over the more established Nikon and Canon offerings and that is Live View. To put it simply, this is the ONLY DSLR with the ability to use the LCD screen to compose and take your picture with no sacrifice in focus speed vs. using the optical viewfinder. This is similar to how you use a point-and-shoot. Thus it is a great camera for those who prefer to take pictures using the LCD screen.

Canon and Nikon both offer a form of live view that relies on contrast focus to take the picture which is slower and less accurate.

I happen to love taking picture using the LCD screen in part because I wear a motorcycle helmet taking pictures which won't allow me to use the viewfinder on a traditional DSLR. Those who wear glasses or who like to shoot from the waist, ground, or overhead will also really appreciate this.

If this feature is not important to you, you are better off getting the Canon or Nikon as they are a more mature platform with more support than Sony DSLRs.

Keep in mind that the larger sensor on a DSLR allow a much better picture than any point-and-shoot. You will really notice this in low light/indoor shots where you can take pictures largely without flash which always looks so much better. You will also notice a much faster frames per second rate and much more flexibility in composing shots using custom settings.

Those who simply want a point-and-shoot simplicity can set it on automatic and get great looking shots.

I bought the camera to replace my old 35 mm Cannon, it is as fantastic but digital, I only wish it could also take video, how difficult is that? even my cell phone can. Great product.

The Sony Alpha 300 is a very nice mid entry level camera to anyone with a desire to explore digital photography.

I had first purchased the Alpha 200, and about a week later, Sony launched the Alpha 300. I was able to return my out of the box camera, and ordered this newer model. I am glad I did, because of all the features that this camera has, as I will briefly describe below.

It is a fantastic piece of equipment that allows amateurs, and mid level photographers to engage in their creative shooting, while using some of the advantages of a point and shoot camera.
One of the main features that makes this camera so desirable is its 'live preview' feature on its LCD screen.
I was used to shooting photos on a Sony Cyber before upgrading to a digital SLR. The few days I had the Alpha 200 I hated the fact that I had to look in the viewer. But with the Live preview function in this camera, I was satisfied of being able to shoot as I had already been shooting for about 3 years, and do it with much better results with this 10Mb pixel camera.

I spent a couple months shooting with the automatic setting, which is just as using a point and shoot camera.
The real power of this camera is unleashed when you start playing with the other shooting settings. I have already transitioned into only using this camera on its manual setting, and being able to create certain moods in the photographs I have shot, all by controlling exposure and aperture, the two technical elements that are required in photography.
They are easily controlled and can be changed on the fly, while photographing your subject matter, by a simple button and a dial.

A less known feature is the ability to take 3 shoots per second, with different exposure settings, using the EAB (Exposure Auto Bracketing) setting, very useful for those who want to combine 3 shots into one, using postprocessing with either Photoshop, or any other graphics program.

The camera is compact, its weight is very manageable, and the life of the battery allows you to take as many photos as you want to create photographic essays on whatever subject you like.

I definitely recommend this camera to anyone getting into the fantastic world of digital photography. As I said, you can set the camera in automatic, and learn to use it, and gradually play with the other settings until you are using it as it is meant to be used.

I think for Taking Corner Shot, High or low Height shots the Live LCD is boon.

Camera Battery rocks, Decent options for Lense from G, DT and Ziess Lense.

Camera is very very affordable compared to same Feature in Nikon and Canon where we have to pay more then $ 500 for just Normal Lens with VR (Vibration Reduction) as it inbuild in Sensor.

I think CMOS Sensor could have render image Better but Price Vs Value Ratio may go up then.