So now it’s Sony’s turn with the pre-PMA DSLR releases. They’ve actually offered something quite interesting on the technology front with the new 14.2-Megapixel Alpha A350 and 10.2-megapixel Alpha A300 digital SLRs — a Live View feature that lets you autofocus.
Called “Quick AF Live View,” the system uses a “Pentamirror Tilt mechanism” to channel light to a second sensor in the camera that’s dedicated to Live View. If it works as it’s explained — and we’ll get a hands-on with the cameras on the PMA show floor tomorrow to try it out — it’ll end the annoyingly slow process of turning on Live View, manually focusing, and then taking a picture which has made the Live View feature mostly a novelty on DSLRs.
Another nice addition to these two cameras is the ability to tilt and shift the viewing angle on the 2.7-inch LCD. Though not nearly as helpful as the full-swiveling LCD on the Olympus E-3, being able to pull out and adjust the screens on these Alphas should give you a better viewing angle for over-the-head and down-low shots.