Sony Alpha 230

The Alpha 230 is a DSLR from 2009. Its APS-C CCD sensor pairs with the Sony Alpha DT mount, so DT lenses fit directly.

The body measures 128 x 97 x 68 mm and weighs 490 g. Those figures make for a light camera that slips into a small bag without dominating it.

Owning one is a stills-only experience. There is no live view or video, so every shot is framed through the optical viewfinder, and the 2.7 inch tilting LCD serves for reviewing images rather than composing them.

The 10.2 megapixel APS-C CCD sensor, handled by the Bionz processor, gives files large enough for prints and web use, though heavy cropping will expose its limits. Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to 3200, a range that covers bright daylight through to dim interiors.

Stabilisation sits in the body rather than the lens, and it is the camera's defining strength. Any DT lens you attach benefits, so slower handheld shutter speeds become usable. It counters camera shake only, so it will not freeze a moving subject on its own.

Nine autofocus points are available, and the maximum burst rate is 2.5 frames per second. Portraits, landscapes and other steady subjects fit that pace far better than fast action. The shutter reaches 1/4000s, which helps when using wide apertures in bright light.

Framing happens through an optical pentamirror viewfinder, which gives a real, lag-free view of the scene. Since the screen offers no live view, this finder is the only way to compose a shot.

The Alpha 230 does not record video at all. As a stills-only DSLR, it offers no movie modes, codecs or recording formats to weigh up, so anyone wanting clips alongside photographs will need a separate device.

There is no built-in timelapse function either, so the camera will not fire automatically at set intervals. Interval work is still possible by triggering the shutter with an external timer and assembling the stills into a sequence afterwards, but nothing in the body automates that process.

In practice, the Alpha 230 is a camera for still photographs only. Every frame is composed through the optical viewfinder and captured as a single image, and there is no footage option to fall back on when a scene calls for motion.

The Features score of 21 out of 100 reflects a limited setup, and the camera sits in the bottom 6% of our database on this measure. The 2.7 inch LCD, at 230,400 dots, is small and coarse, though it does tilt, which helps when checking menus or reviewing shots from waist or overhead positions.

Flash is well served. A built-in pop-up unit covers casual indoor shots, and the option to fit an external flash opens the door to stronger lighting as your technique grows.

There is no touchscreen, weather sealing, GPS or wireless connectivity of any kind. Images come off the camera by removing the memory card rather than sending them to a phone, and the body needs shelter from dust and rain.

A single slot accepts SD or SDHC cards alongside Memory Stick Pro Duo and Pro-HG Duo, so common SD media works fine. With no second slot, there is no spare card for in-camera backup.

The NP-FH50 battery is rated at 230 shots, though that figure will vary with how you shoot. A charged spare is wise for longer outings. There is no USB charging, so you cannot top the battery up from a computer or power bank.

The Storage and Battery score of 13 out of 100, rated limited, reflects the single card slot, the modest battery rating and the lack of USB charging. None of it stops the camera working well; it simply means planning shoots around one card and one battery.