Sony A200

Front (6.25)
From the front, the A200 looks nearly identical to its precessor, the A100, which is fine. A substantial rubberized hand grip protrudes forward on the left. There's a deeply molded dip in the grip for the middle finger to rest in, leaving the index finger perfectly poised over  the black, round shutter button. The self-timer lamp is located on the front of the grip.

Directly in front of the shutter button, on the top of the camera, is a grooved jog dial. To the right, the camera model name is printed in white text. The lens mount is placed off center toward the right, with the Sony logo embossed in white directly above it. The flash pops up behind this logo when the flash button, found on the right side of the lens mount, is pressed.

The orange alpha symbol is found to the right of the lens, beneath the control dial. Below this, on the right side of the lens mount, is a large lens release button. At the bottom right corner of the camera’s front is white text proclaiming the camera’s 10.2-megapixel resolution.

The textured, molded handgrip is a pleasure to hold.

Back (6.50)
The most prominent feature of the camera back is the 2.7-inch LCD off-center toward the left side. This represents a modest step up from the 2.5-inch LCD on the A100, though the screen resolution stays the same at 230,000 pixels. The viewfinder is directly above the LCD, framed by a soft, cushy eyecup. A sensor below the viewfinder detects when the user’s eye approaches the viewfinder, dimming the LCD and starting the auto focus system in anticipation of shooting.

The diopter control sits in a divot on the left side of the viewfinder eyecup, ready to assist eyeglass wearers in achieving a workable focus. To the left of the viewfinder is the on/off power switch, and to the right is the exposure compensation/AV button and an AEL (Auto Exposure Lock) button.

To the left of the LCD is a vertical row of buttons: Menu, Display, Delete, and Playback. To the right of the LCD is a large function button, marked "Fn." Below the function button is the four-way controller, which is the same color as the camera’s body and blends in well. The center button is marked "AF" to indicate its secondary use, as an auto focus trigger (in addition to serving as an OK button when navigating on-screen menus). The Super SteadyShot switch sits below the multi-selector, and can be moved horizontally to turn the feature on or off.

A plethora of buttons and switches await... or intimidate.

Nice port cover design, though you'll probably
never have to open it.

Right Side (6.25)
The right side of the camera features the prominent hand grip. Its rubberized material is different from the smoother, plastic camera body, helping to ensure a secure hold. The back portion of the hand grip is a large plastic port cover, which slides back and pops open on a sturdy spring. Inside are a slot for a CompactFlash (Type I or II) memory card, and a small port for USB and AV cables.

Clean, functional design is nothing to look down on.

Bottom (6.25)
Under the hand grip on the A200 is a port cover that shields the camera’s battery. After sliding back the secure latch with a fingernail the cover pops open to reveal the battery. The metal tripod socket is centered under the lens, toward the right side of the camera.

The tripod socket is sturdy, the battery
compartment solidly latched.