Transform your pictures from snapshots to memorable images with a DSLR camera. Sony α DSLR's responsiveness, versatility and image quality helps capture those moments that other cameras often miss. The A330 makes shooting with a DSLR easy and fun with its compact and lightweight design, intuitive controls and Quick AF Live View.
Unlike previous systems that required a tradeoff in autofocusing performance, the α A330 features a dedicated live view sensor for fast, accurate, SLR-class autofocusing—even during live view shooting.
A unique new Graphic Display helps you hone your photographic skills by making it much easier to understand how aperture and shutter speed adjustments will affect your results.
Shoot easily and comfortably from virtually any angle or position with Quick AF Live View. The α A330 features a variable-angle LCD monitor that can be tilted up or down making it a snap to capture high-position and low-position photos.
It's never been easier to capture the perfect shot. The mode dial on top of the α A330 offers instant access to 6 Scene Selection modes, each with a user-friendly Help Guide and example photo. You can even customize the user interface and choose from four background colors.
Equipped with SteadyShot® INSIDE image stabilization, the A330 compensates for shaky hands so you can capture crisp, sharp images at shutter speeds 2.5-3.5 steps slower than would otherwise be possible without using a flash or tripod. It also works together with an anti-static coating on the low-pass filter to help keep the image sensor clean.
Shoot in rich detail and true-to-life color. Featuring large, APS-C type CCD sensors, image detail is truly amazing. Plus, the high-speed BIONZ image processing engine delivers enhanced color reproduction, rich tonal graduation and remarkable clarity.
Adopted from our top-of-the-line α A900, the α A330 features an advanced D-Range Optimizer that helps you take beautiful photos in difficult lighting conditions. Choose from Standard mode, which optimizes exposure for the scene overall, or Advanced mode, which can be used to bring out rich shadow and highlight detail.
Take your photography to the next level with α lenses and flashes. Make your subject the star with a portrait lens, use a macro lens to gain entry into another dimension, or get beautifully balanced, well-lit photos with an external flash.
See examples of shots with portrait lens
Your subject is always the star.
A portrait lens lets you blur background details to make your main subject stand out more dramatically from the scene. Just shoot at a low F-number setting to maximize background blurring—with the unique Graphic Display feature on the α DSLR, it's easy to get it right.
Taken with portrait lens Taken with zoom kit lens
Gain entry to another dimension.
A macro lens makes it easy to transform the everyday details of life into photographic works of art. With life-size imaging and the ability to focus on subjects that are just a few centimeters away, macro shooting opens the door to a whole new dimension in photo creativity.
Taken with macro lens Taken with zoom kit lens
Call all the shots.
With an α lighting system external flash unit, it's easy to get beautifully balanced exposures – even when shooting portrait close-ups. With an external flash unit incorporating bounce capabilities, you have the ability to bounce light off of the ceiling to reduce harsh shadows and obtain more even and natural illumination.
Taken with macro lens Taken with zoom kit lens
( Rated 5 out of 5 Stars AVERAGE RATING | 9 REVIEWS Ratings Snapshot)
9 of 9 (100%) customers would recommend this product to a friend
Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot
featured REVIEW
Pros: Great Image Quality, Great Live View, Very Easy To Use, Takes SD Cards
Cons: Small Grip, Small Viewfinder
Reviewer: BigCTM (Memphis, TN)
Date: Jul 12, 2009
I've had this product for less than a month
25of 26 people found this helpful
At first, the Sony A330 might seem like a dumbed down version of the A300. However, it improves where it counts the most - image quality. Auto White balance is improved, autofocus is very fast and noise is reduced. The flash is raised higher so shadowing is no longer an issue. I think the new menus are brilliant and a step in the right direction for entry level level SLRs. The new grip is a little small but not that big of a deal to me (even with my large hands) and the viewfinder is still too small. However, there is a new 34.99 magnifier for the viewfinder that makes the viewfinder bigger than the one on the A230.
Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot
Pros: GREAT PICTURES LOVE IT
Cons: TO HIGH TECH..BUT I'LL LEARN
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT
Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot
top25Contributor REVIEW
Pros: Very light body and kit lens, easy to use, great color and sharpness.
Cons: LCD mechanics (Read review for details)
Reviewer: Blackriver (California)
Date: Nov 1, 2009
I've had this product for 1-3 months
65of 67 people found this helpful
This is my first DSLR after several 35mm SLR's. The fact that my last 2 SLR's were Minolta Maxxums is what tipped the scales for me to get the Sony Alpha. I have not been at all disappointed. It holds its own with any camera I've looked at in it's price range. There are obviously give and takes but for me this camera fits. Love the adjust-ability of the LDC. Saved me from laying on the ground several times already. Love the internal image stabilization that none of the other major brands has (Nope not Cannon or Nikon). This ironically is my only concern with the camera. The mechanics seem a little flimsy. I bought the 4 year replacement warranty from Best Buy so I guess I'm at ease with it now. Read any professional review and you will see that their major concern is the "Feel" of the grip. To me this is personal taste but at the same an unfair commentary. Sure if you pic up this camera with one hand the grip feels small and un-secure, but who holds a DSLR with one hand? Once you add the 2nd hand the grip feels great. I actually like the smaller grip because it gives you the ability to place two fingers on the controls, one on the shutter and one on the wheel. Basically if your going to judge a grip hold it like your would if your shooting a pic. The other knock you will see in professional reviews is its "noise" at higher ISO's. This has not been an issue with me either. Both my example shots are low light shots taken at dusk and I simply "Push" the film/sensor so to speak. I just shoot at lower ISO and correct the light levels in Photoshop. But then again I'm very much an amature. Bottom line is after using this camera for nearly 3 months if anyone told me they didn't like it... I would assume they are just a camera snob that is probably a Cannon or Nikon homer I would recommend this camera to anyone... further. If I had need of a higher end unit I would look to stay with the Alpha family.
Reviewer Images: (click to see full-size image)
Striking a perfect balance between ease-of-use and powerful features, the Sony α DSLR-A330Y digital SLR camera puts better pictures at your fingertips. The α330 offers the convenience of Live View, which lets you compose and capture shots via a tiltable 2.7" LCD screen while 10.2 megapixel resolution provides superb image clarity, and exceptionally quick AF response helps you capture the perfect moment. Plus, SteadyShot INSIDE™ in-camera image stabilization reduces blur, while the on-screen Help Guide and Graphic Display help take the complexity out of DSLR photography. The α330Y comes with an 18-55mm standard zoom lens and a 55-200mm telephoto lens.
3D Tour
A330
A large 2.7” (diag.) Clear Photo LCD Plus™ display features Live View with Quick Auto Focus, which lets you compose and shoot pictures in real-time using the LCD, just as you would with a point-and-shoot camera. In addition, the LCD display tilts up or down for low or high-angle shooting situations, such as capturing a child’s first steps or shooting over a crowd.
The α330 features a stylish, modern design with an intuitive button layout for easier operation. In addition, the lightweight body and revised grip make the camera more comfortable to hold and carry.
A broad sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200 enables you to capture beautiful color images even in very dim light -- High ISO Noise Reduction technology reduces picture noise artifacts at high-sensitivity ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 settings by eliminating noise from RAW data after analog-to-digital conversion.
Continuous Shooting lets you shoot at up to 2.5 fps (frames per second) while viewing your subject through the optical viewfinder so you never lose track of the action.
The Auto Pop-Up Flash automatically pops up and fires as needed when the camera is set to certain scene selection modes, helping first-time DSLR photographers shoot more effectively. In addition, the α features an integrated hot shoe, which lets you expand your lighting options with a range of accessory flashes (sold separately).
Smart Teleconverter 2X Digital Zoom lets you zoom in electronically on your subject and reproduces pixels on a 1:1 basis so there’s no degradation in picture quality. One touch zooms in at 1.4X, while the second touch advances to 2X zoom -- creating the 35mm equivalent of a telephoto effect with the camera’s standard 18-55mm optical zoom lens.
Scene Selection Modes optimize camera settings for different shooting situations. Just turn the Mode Dial to select from Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports, Sunset, and Night View modes.
Compatible with high-capacity Memory Stick PRO Duo™, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ and SD/SDHC media (sold separately) for convenient storage and sharing of your images.
A 10.2 megapixel APS-size CCD image sensor captures your images in stunning detail, giving you the freedom to make large prints and tight crops without sacrificing quality.
An HDMI™ terminal gives you the option of connecting your camera to a compatible HDTV and playing back your images in stunning high definition quality (HDMI cable required, sold separately). In addition, BRAVIA® Sync™ works with compatible Sony® BRAVIA HDTVs to let you control camera playback using the television’s remote (HDMI cable and BRAVIA Sync capable HDTV required, sold separately)1.
9-Point Center Cross AF Sensor with improved focus control to help bring images into sharp definition more quickly, and predictive focus control automatically calculates the position of fast-moving subjects.
Dynamic Range Optimizer provides two levels - Standard/Plus to improve results with backlit subjects and recover details hidden in shadows or lost in glare. Normal DRO improves detail using standard gamma curves for fast shot-to-shot response time, while Advanced DRO adjusts dynamic range area-by-area for greater accuracy.
Stamina® Battery power allows you to take up to 510 shots2 on a fully charged NP-FM50 InfoLITHIUM® battery when using the optical viewfinder mode, and you’ll be able to see how much power remains in percentage increments, so you can keep shooting in confidence.
PhotoTV HD compatibility3 lets you automatically create high-resolution thumbnails optimized for viewing on a compatible Sony® BRAVIA® HDTV.
Function Guide Display provides intuitive and easy to use on-screen menus that can be activated and operated with one hand using the Fn (Function) button and controller button to adjust Flash mode, Autofocus mode, White Balance, Metering mode, AF area and D-Range Optimizer.
SteadyShot INSIDE™ in-camera image stabilization is built into each camera body, so every a-mount lens benefits from the ability to minimize blur due to camera shake.
An integrated on-screen Help Guide and Graphic Display help take the complexity out of DSLR photography. The Help Guide offers clear, concise explanations of various modes and settings, while the Graphic Display helps you understand the relationship between aperture and shutter speed, as well as the effect each has on photographic results.
Eye-Start Autofocus System begins precision autofocus adjustments the moment you raise the camera to your eye, so the camera is ready to catch the perfect moment.
Creative Style settings give you control over how the camera processes your images. Choose from 8 finishing styles, including Standard, Vivid, Potrait, Landscape, Night View, Sunset, B&W, and Adobe RGB, and fine tune them to your personal taste with the ability to adjust contrast, saturation, and sharpness settings.
Anti-Dust Technology helps keep the CCD imager clean, resulting in consistently better pictures, by utilizing a static-free anti-dust coating on the CCD filter, as well as an anti-dust vibration that automatically shakes the CCD to help dislodge dust each time the camera is shut off.
The advanced BIONZ™ image processor uses hardware-based Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuitry to enhance images with rich tonal reproduction, reduced noise, and improved white balance and exposure control, for clear, sharp photos even at high sensitivity settings
Index and Slide Show Display enable you to quickly review your photos using 4, 9 or 25-frame index views, or as an automatic slide show with fade-in/fade-out effect.
The α330 comes with a SAL1855 DT 18-55mm standard zoom kit lens. This newly developed lens employs a Smooth Autofocus Motor (SAM) to deliver smooth and silent autofocus operation, and offers a flexible focal range that allows you to capture everything from wide angle to midrange telephoto shots with ease.
( Rated 5 out of 5 Stars AVERAGE RATING | 9 REVIEWS Ratings Snapshot)
9 of 9 (100%) customers would recommend this product to a friend
Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot
Reviewer: BigCTM (Memphis, TN)
Date: Jul 12, 2009
I've had this product for less than a month
25of 26 people found this helpful
featured REVIEW
Pros: Great Image Quality, Great Live View, Very Easy To Use, Takes SD Cards
Cons: Small Grip, Small Viewfinder
At first, the Sony A330 might seem like a dumbed down version of the A300. However, it improves where it counts the most - image quality. Auto White balance is improved, autofocus is very fast and noise is reduced. The flash is raised higher so shadowing is no longer an issue. I think the new menus are brilliant and a step in the right direction for entry level level SLRs. The new grip is a little small but not that big of a deal to me (even with my large hands) and the viewfinder is still too small. However, there is a new 34.99 magnifier for the viewfinder that makes the viewfinder bigger than the one on the A230.
Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot
Reviewer: EVEMOTT (PHILADELPHIA, PA)
Date: Apr 4, 2010
1of 1 people found this helpful
Pros: GREAT PICTURES LOVE IT
Cons: TO HIGH TECH..BUT I'LL LEARN
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT
Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot
Reviewer: Blackriver (California)
Date: Nov 1, 2009
I've had this product for 1-3 months
65of 67 people found this helpful
top25Contributor REVIEW
Pros: Very light body and kit lens, easy to use, great color and sharpness.
Cons: LCD mechanics (Read review for details)
This is my first DSLR after several 35mm SLR's. The fact that my last 2 SLR's were Minolta Maxxums is what tipped the scales for me to get the Sony Alpha. I have not been at all disappointed. It holds its own with any camera I've looked at in it's price range. There are obviously give and takes but for me this camera fits. Love the adjust-ability of the LDC. Saved me from laying on the ground several times already. Love the internal image stabilization that none of the other major brands has (Nope not Cannon or Nikon). This ironically is my only concern with the camera. The mechanics seem a little flimsy. I bought the 4 year replacement warranty from Best Buy so I guess I'm at ease with it now. Read any professional review and you will see that their major concern is the "Feel" of the grip. To me this is personal taste but at the same an unfair commentary. Sure if you pic up this camera with one hand the grip feels small and un-secure, but who holds a DSLR with one hand? Once you add the 2nd hand the grip feels great. I actually like the smaller grip because it gives you the ability to place two fingers on the controls, one on the shutter and one on the wheel. Basically if your going to judge a grip hold it like your would if your shooting a pic. The other knock you will see in professional reviews is its "noise" at higher ISO's. This has not been an issue with me either. Both my example shots are low light shots taken at dusk and I simply "Push" the film/sensor so to speak. I just shoot at lower ISO and correct the light levels in Photoshop. But then again I'm very much an amature. Bottom line is after using this camera for nearly 3 months if anyone told me they didn't like it... I would assume they are just a camera snob that is probably a Cannon or Nikon homer I would recommend this camera to anyone... further. If I had need of a higher end unit I would look to stay with the Alpha family.
Reviewer Images: (click to see full-size image)
Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot
Reviewer: CHAPARRA (HAINES CITY, FL.)
Date: Jan 29, 2010
I've had this product for 1-3 months
8of 8 people found this helpful
Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot
Reviewer: Anuj (Columbia, MD)
Date: Apr 12, 2010
I've had this product for 3-6 months
3of 3 people found this helpful
Pros: Many
Cons: No video recording
This camera takes absolutely fantastic pics. You will be so impressed from every picture this camera takes. I took some pics for my gf dance performance and she got so impressed from the pics. Best for beginners.
Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot
Reviewer: Beagle (Charleston, WV)
Date: Jan 20, 2010
I've had this product for less than a month
3of 3 people found this helpful
Pros: Attractive, well engineered, easy to use, exhibits quality.
Cons: None so far
Although I am familiar with digital cameras, this Sony is my first dslr. I am very impressed. This camera looks great, feels great and is easy to use. After snapping approximately 50 pictures, which are excellent, I would assume that it is also very durable. The live view is fantastic and from what I have read is far ahead of other brand dslr live views. If camera would be used for astrophotography, the live view would be very convenient. Also, the sale price brought the Sony to within my budget, which made me very happy. Thank you.
Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot
Reviewer: Wineman (Florida)
Date: Jun 12, 2009
I've had this product for less than a month
40of 41 people found this helpful
Pros: Easy to use, and high quality features.
Cons: Hard to find other than on line
This is my first DSLR and I am glad I waited for the 330. Easy to use, lots of quality features, light and handles well, and takes great pics. Seems to have the best features both... ease of a point-and-shoot- and quality image and options of a single lens reflex. Go buy this camera.
Rated 5.000000 out of 5 Stars Ratings Snapshot
Reviewer: Demplezstylist
Date: Dec 29, 2009
I've had this product for 1-3 months
10of 11 people found this helpful
© 2009 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Sony, α, BIONZ, BRAVIA, Sync, Clear Photo LCD Plus, SteadyShot INSIDE, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, InfoLITHIUM, HDNA, and Stamina, are trademarks of Sony. HDMI is a trademark of HDMI Licencing LLC. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. Non-metric weights and measurements are approximate and may vary.