Sony Alpha 200

The Alpha 200 is a Sony DSLR from 2008 built around a 10.2-megapixel APS-C CCD sensor and the Sony Alpha DT lens mount.

Its defining trait is in-body stabilisation, which works with any lens on the DT mount and reduces camera shake when you shoot handheld.

At 572 g the body is manageable to carry for a day out. Framing happens through the optical viewfinder because there is no live view, while the tilting 2.7-inch LCD covers menus and image review.

The APS-C CCD sensor feeds the Bionz processor, producing files well matched to typical print sizes and web use while keeping storage demands modest. Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to 3200, giving you room to keep shooting in shaded interiors without flash.

Sensor-shift stabilisation lives in the body, so every lens you attach benefits from it. It reduces camera shake at slower shutter speeds, which helps handheld work in dim rooms or at longer focal lengths. It will not freeze a moving subject, because it counters only your own movement.

Nine autofocus points handle focus, and the shutter reaches 1/4000 of a second, enough to freeze everyday motion. Continuous shooting runs at up to 3 fps, a rate suited to unhurried subjects rather than sports or fast action.

Framing is optical through a pentamirror viewfinder. Because live view is absent, the rear screen cannot stand in for the viewfinder, so composing at eye level is the working routine here.

The Alpha 200 does not record video in any form, so there is nothing to report on recording modes, resolutions or frame rates. It also lacks a built-in timelapse mode, which means no in-camera motion sequences either.

The tilting screen and in-body stabilisation remain useful here, but they serve still photography alone. The screen helps with overhead and low-angle shots, while the stabilisation reduces camera shake when you shoot handheld.

The rest of the specification points the same way. Files go to a single Compact Flash card, the NP-FM500H battery carries a 750-shot rating, and continuous shooting tops out at 3 fps. This is a camera for stills and nothing else.

Handling revolves around buttons and the optical viewfinder. The 2.7-inch LCD carries 230,000 dots for checking settings and images, and it tilts to help with overhead or low-angle work. There is no touch control and no live view, so the screen serves menus and playback rather than framing.

A built-in flash covers quick fill light, and the hot shoe takes an external flash for more power or directional control.

There is no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or GPS. Images leave the camera on the Compact Flash card, so a card reader belongs in your bag. There is no weather sealing, so protect the body from rain and dust.

The 21 out of 100 features score reflects absent live view, touch screen, Bluetooth and weather sealing, with only partial credit for screen size and dots. The camera sits in the bottom 6% of cameras in our database for Features.

Photographs land on a single Compact Flash card. There is no second slot, so plan capacity in advance, carry enough cards and expect no in-camera copying. Confirm you have compatible cards and a reader before a shoot.

The NP-FM500H battery is rated for 750 shots, a strong result and the clearest strength in this section. Real-world endurance will still depend on how you shoot.

Charging happens outside the camera because USB charging is unavailable. Budget for a mains charger and at least one spare battery, since you cannot top the battery up over USB between sessions.

The limited 35 out of 100 score here reflects the single slot and the absent USB charging, with the battery result doing the most work.