Sony Alpha 68 review

Sony Alpha 68 review – Introduction

Sony’s single-lens translucent (SLT) range of interchangeable-lens cameras is no longer as wide as it once was, but the four models still available do well to serve most users, from the total beginner to the professional.

The latest Alpha 68, which is positioned towards the more junior end of the line, borrows a handful of features from the older Alpha 77 II to make it appealing. Sony’s naming convention may suggest it’s a modest update on the well-regarded Alpha 65. However, the company hasn’t marketed it as such – a decision explained by a number of the camera’s features having been downgraded in comparison, as well as its significantly lower launch price.

Sony Alpha 68 review – Features

As with all Sony’s previous SLT and DSLR models, the Alpha 68 is based around the same A-mount system that the company inherited from Minolta. This means the camera will accept both Sony’s own A-mount lenses and older Minolta designs, as well as a raft of third-party options.

The camera is based around a 24.2-million-pixel Exmor APS-C sensor, with a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-25,600. This is possibly the same sensor as that found inside the Alpha 77 II. More interestingly, though, is that the 4D focus system from the Alpha 77 II has made it to the Alpha 68, so it is unusually well specified for a model aimed at a junior audience.

Alongside the usual claims about prompt focus, Sony says the system can accurately predict subjects as they move around the scene, on the basis of their position and movement in three dimensions. This is made possible thanks to the 79 phase-detect AF points that are closely spaced and include 15 cross points for enhanced sensitivity.

Burst shooting is available at a very respectable 5fps with raw shooting enabled. Select the continuous advance priority AE option on the mode dial and this increases to 8fps, although this mode crops into the centre of the frame and outputs images as six-million-pixel JPEGs. However, AF tracking is maintained throughout.

The camera’s 1.44-million-dot Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder is, sadly, one feature that has been downgraded from the Alpha 65, which has a 2.36-million-dot OLED panel. However, arguably more disappointing is the 460,000-dot resolution of the Alpha 68’s 2.7in tiltable LCD screen. In addition, the absence of Wi-Fi, while not exactly critical, is also surprising.

Sony Alpha 68 review – Build and handling

The Alpha 68’s body is exactly the same size as that of the Alpha 77 II, which means it’s somewhat larger than other models pitched at the advanced beginner. However, this bodes well for handling. The generous grip, with two indentations for the middle and ring finger, and rubber coating for additional comfort, makes a nice change from the shallow ones we’re used to seeing at this level. The larger body also helps with supporting longer lenses, which can feel unbalanced on smaller models.

While the camera feels solid enough to withstand the odd bump, the smooth finish of its surface makes it feel slightly less refined compared to some rivals. This impression continues to many of the buttons, which respond with a certain hollowness when pressed. Something else that takes getting used to is how soon the image is captured as the shutter-release button is depressed. There is frustratingly little travel in the focus portion of its operation, before the shutter is released.

Still, the camera’s size allows for the controls to be large and well spaced out, and all are clearly identifiable. The menu is also colour-coded and displayed clearly in the viewfinder. But left-eyed users will experience a familiar issue of the rear control wheel being partially obstructed by the user’s nose, which impedes menu navigation and AF-point selection.

Sony Alpha 68 review – Performance

Although the 79-point AF system covers roughly the same proportion of the frame as those on similar cameras, its dense saturation makes it highly likely that at least one point will be covering the intended subject as soon as you point the Alpha 68 towards it. The system generally brings subjects into focus with impressive speed, and even in poor lighting it proved sensitive enough to pick out low-contrast subjects that might tax the systems inside similar models.

Furthermore, with points positioned so closely together, the system easily tracks subjects as they move around the scene. It appeared to have no serious issues tracking subjects moving at a moderate pace, and I still managed a pleasingly high hit rate when it was challenged with subjects moving away from, or towards, it. I was also pleased with how well the system appeared to remain focused on birds in flight, whose speed and less predictable movements present a greater challenge.

This competence carries over to the continuous advance priority AE mode, of which the crop into the centre of the frame removes much of the area not normally covered by AF points. This presents another advantage for the telephoto user, namely, that the crop mode combined with the camera’s crop factor of 1.5x results in an effective focal length that’s double that of the actual lens used.

While the Tru-Finder lacks the clarity of many other electronic viewfinders we’ve seen on recent models, it performs well in good lighting conditions and presents a 100% field of view – something many of the camera’s DSLR rivals fail to offer. The LCD screen, however, isn’t anywhere near as nice to use, with poor visibility in bright light and a general lack of clarity sorely letting it down.

The camera’s metering system does well in a range of conditions. I found it was less easily swayed into underexposure when faced with large areas of highlight details than some other models, although keeping the camera’s dynamic range optimisation (DRO) option turned on is advised for high-contrast scenes. Processing raw files shows that a decent level of detail can be regained in both shadows and highlights without the process encouraging too much noise in the former. However, it’s a pity the option to process raw images in-camera, or indeed any post-capture adjustments past rotating images, is unavailable.

Although the level of detail in images is perfectly good with a capable optic and appropriate technique, the kit lens is something of a let-down in terms of sharpness. The camera’s noise-reduction system can also rob images of finer details. This is something to be aware of in the JPEG-only continuous advance priority AE mode, which often raises sensitivity to enable shutter speeds to be fast enough to freeze motion.

Sony’s creative styles feature offers everyday options such as standard and vivid complemented by more niche effects such as clear and autumn leaves. The standard of JPEGs straight out of the camera is fine at lower sensitivities, and colours and white balance are both generally sound, although I often found this accuracy translated into somewhat plain images. Experimenting with one of the secondary creative styles, and nudging up sharpness, goes some way to achieving punchier results.

Sony Alpha 68 review – Resolution, dynamic range and noise

Resolution

The Alpha 68 does well to resolve around 3,400l/ph at its base ISO, although this drops to 3,100l/ph at the ISO 200 setting. The camera manages to maintain a good performance up to ISO 1,600, but by ISO 25,600 resolution falls down to 2,400l/ph. The similar performance to the Alpha 77 II’s sensor strongly suggests the two are closely related.

Dynamic range

Results here are in line with what’s expected at the Alpha 68’s base sensitivity of ISO 100, with just under 12EV stops of dynamic range. Performance drops at a reasonably consistent pace as sensitivity increases, largely mirroring that of rival models. While results are far from class leading at higher sensitivities, they’re not so far behind to cause any concern.

Noise

Noise rises steadily through the camera’s sensitivity range, beginning to appear at ISO 400 in moderate lighting and becoming increasingly visible past this point. Fine detail begins to blur at ISO 1,600 due to noise reduction, but images maintain their integrity well in the four-figure range. However, quality drops noticeably at ISO 12,800 as noise begins to take hold.

Sony Alpha 68 review – Verdict

Many entry-level cameras aim to satisfy as broad a range of users as possible, but the Alpha 68 breaks from convention to deliver something more niche. The competence of its AF system, together with 8fps burst shooting (albeit in a JPEG-only option) and a well-designed body that allows great handling, means it’s likely to appeal most to those intending to photograph sports, wildlife or action of another kind. The further advantage of the translucent mirror technology – more specifically, the same autofocusing performance when using the LCD – also bodes well for those who like to use the rear screen for composition.

However, it’s the underspecified LCD and its poor performance that make the Sony Alpha 68 difficult to recommend against rival cameras, particularly for tripod-based work such as landscapes and macro, where a high-quality screen becomes more of a priority. The camera’s finish and build quality are also bettered by rivals, while certain operational idiosyncrasies also make it less than ideal in use.

Overall, while the appeal of the Alpha 68 is clear, capable alternatives from Nikon, Canon and Pentax, and a burgeoning compact system camera market in which Sony’s other models are winning much acclaim, mean it’s debatable whether that alone is enough to recommend it.

Sony Alpha 68 review – Full specification