Sony A350 Revisited
Following on from my last blog, Photography on a Budget, picking up the Sony A350 again has felt a bit like reopening an old chapter I didn’t realise I’d missed. It was my first digital DSLR after my film days, and I’d forgotten how much I liked using it back then. Something in me just wanted to see what it was like to shoot with one again all these years later. As soon as I held it on that first walk, it all came back — the feel of the grip, the shutter sound, the slightly chunky-but-charming build.
The camera is pretty basic, in a good way. Minimal menus, no modern functionality or software gimmicks, although it does have a flip screen, live view, and around 2–3 stops of in-body stabilisation (SteadyShot), which was quite rare back in 2008. But the thing I love most is the fact it has absolutely no video features. There’s a real purity in that. No red record button, no hidden menus. It’s a stills camera, nothing more, and it leaves you alone to just take photographs. It actually feels refreshing compared to modern bodies that try to be everything at once. It’s something I’ve been chasing for a long time — a kind of camera minimalism that almost feels like shooting film, minus the film.
What hit me immediately is how different it feels to walk with compared to the gear I’ve been carrying these last few years. I’d got used to a much smaller setup — a premium large-sensor compact, a couple of spare batteries, and a hip pack to throw it all in. That was my entire kit. Going back to a full DSLR again, with a proper body and real glass up front, reminded me how much these cameras actually weigh.
Out in the real world the A350 has settled into my rhythm quickly. I don’t use the flip screen much, but it’s there when I need it. Live view is handy for the live histogram and for awkward angles, though most of the time I’m just shooting through the optical viewfinder like I always do. I’ve been shooting in full manual mode, and it hasn’t taken long to get used to how it meters. The A350 has a 14.2MP CCD sensor, and I’ve got it set to shoot in my usual black-and-white JPEG only. There’s a slight graininess, a subtle softness in the tones, and a film-like roll-off in the highlights. Editing has been minimal — maybe a small tweak here and there — but most shots are basically straight out of the camera. That’s been one of the nicest surprises.
Autofocus
The autofocus has been better than I expected. I keep it simple — single small AF point in the centre, focus, recompose. For the kind of walking photography I do, that’s all I need. It’s quick enough, accurate enough. For sports or wildlife I can imagine it showing its age compared with modern tracking systems, but that’s not what I’m using it for. And if it ever does struggle, the manual focus on these older lenses is easy enough to use.
ISO Performance
You do have to treat the ISO performance with a bit of respect. It’s not a modern sensor — anything above ISO 400 starts to show its age. ISO 800 is still usable, ISO 1600 is definitely pushing it before it tops out at 3200. Shooting at ISO 100 is perfect on brighter days. I prefer shooting hand-held, but on duller days I’ll happily stick the camera on a tripod and use the 2-second timer. It keeps the files as clean as possible without pushing the ISO unless I really have to.
ISO 800, F8, 1/500, 28mm (42mm full frame)
The Kit Lens & Lenses I’m Looking Out For
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the 18–70 kit lens. It’s nothing special on paper, and most people write it off immediately, but it pairs well with the A350 for my style. I’m not after razor-sharp focus from front to back; I like a bit of fall-off. Shooting mostly around f/8, give or take a stop or two, I’m getting the results I’m happy with.
I am keeping an eye out for a couple of extras though. A 28mm or 32mm prime would suit the way I shoot — something a bit faster with nicer rendering. And I’m tempted by something with a bit more reach, maybe the 55–200 or 55–210, just to give me options on longer walks. Nothing expensive, nothing flashy. The A350 uses the Minolta/Sony A-mount, and thankfully a lot of those lenses are very affordable these days.
ISO 100, F7.1, 1/640, 45mm (67mm full frame)
Battery Life
One thing that’s really impressed me is the battery life. The camera came with three batteries and they all seem to hold their charge well. Sony claimed around 750 shots per charge back in the day, and honestly, that still feels about right. I’ve turned off auto eye-start AF to help things along, and because it uses an optical viewfinder rather than an EVF, there’s no power-hungry screen running constantly.
I can’t disable the power-save mode completely, so I’ve just set it to its longest duration. On a recent trip I left the camera switched on the whole time whilst walking around, just lifting it to my eye whenever something caught my attention — and I still got three days of use out of a single battery. For a 2008 DSLR, that’s pretty incredible.
Finding Its Place Again
It’s quickly found a proper place in my kit again. The LX100 is still brilliant when I want to move fast or keep things ultra-light, but the A350 suits the kind of walking and photography I’m drawn to — slower, quieter days. Everyday routes, everyday photography. Moments where nothing dramatic is happening but you’re still seeing things worth photographing. The A350 fits that mood better than anything else I’ve used in a while. It feels like using a camera again, not operating a piece of tech.
A few of the shots from recent walks have already become favourites. A lot of people call it the “CCD look” or “film look” — those seem to be the buzzwords these days. I’m not sure whether it’s that or just the older sensor technology. But it captures the world how I like it: not sharper or cleaner, just more honest and characterful.
ISO 800, F8, 1/250sec, 70mm (105mm full frame)
Final Thoughts
There are probably plenty of other DSLRs I could have picked up for a similar price — the Canon 5D is one that springs to mind — but I’m glad I bought another A350. There were no expectations attached to it, just a bit of curiosity and nostalgia, and that turned out to be exactly what I needed.
It’s a simple, older DSLR that matches the way I want to shoot right now. A camera that slows me down and, above all else, lets me enjoy my photography — and gives me images I actually enjoy. Is it perfect? No — but what camera ever is ? Will it suit everyone ? No - but for my needs, it’s more than enough.