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5stars
88ratings4stars
15ratings3stars
2ratings2stars
5ratings1star
3ratings
Easy to use95% agree
Good image quality96% agree
Good value95% agree
70 Reviews
Great camera that gets lot of hate
this camera is really good and nice. feels semi cheap but operates splendidly, you kinda feel like you may have missed the shot or didnt expose it right but when you look back on computer you definitely did. its a great walk around camera because it barely weighs anything so you can carry around neck and not feel uncomfortable. has a nice grip which makes you feel like youre holding something sturdy. recommend for first time users of a digital camera however it is worth noting that this model resembles the nex series of sony brand just a better fit for those looking for something similar to a dslr feel type of a camera and larger with a view finder. charging is weird, you have to plug into computer or have a battery charger for the specific battery that it uses. Read full review...
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: tilden_tech
Fair camera at best, for beginners
Camera failed in all my tests to date. The only shots that came out clean with detail were macro. The camera did real well with detail very close. Color was still flat. This camera is set up to be a fancy point and shoot with some options like a regular DSLR. But for those who shoot in raw this camera is not for you. This camera performs best using jpeg. It has many different pictures styles you can use like old time and black and white. There is an automatic HDR you can use but I wouldn't suggest it. Tried it on a sunset shot and my results looked worse than a straight up shot. Similar to older Nikon and Sony this camera works best for portrait and video. Using this camera for landscape with the Sony kit lens and a 2 other lenses, all my results were bad. No matter the white balance settings, pictures with bright colors came out very flat. If it was a red sunset the camera couldn't pick up the blue in the sky higher up. I would get super under exposed foreground, an over colored middle, then a grayish blue as the sky. Nothing looked natural and color didn't blend. The photos looked fake. You would be better off buying a Nikon entry level or Canon entry level. My biggest complaint is the color of photos. All photos had a grayed out washed look to them. No sharp contrast and no sharp or blended colors. Read full review...
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: ushen_gjvfjl3
Recommended with Reservations
I already own a Sony Alpha 200, a great entry level DSLR, but it gets only 10.2 megapixel quality. I am a writer and indy publisher and I design my own book covers, so I need photos that are at least 300 dpi both horizontal and vertical resolution. That's why I bought this A-3000. However, I thought I was "upgrading" from my A-200, and I wasn't. The picture quality is excellent (the A-3000 gets 20.1 megapixels for a resolution of about 350 dpi), but everything else is lacking. The camera is light to the point that it feels cheap. I can get used to that. The features are average at best. It at least enables me to shoot in aperture priority mode, which is my preference. Thus far I've had to set the 18-55mm lens that came with it to the desired focal length manually, and then the auto focus takes over when I depress the shutter button halfway. All the other reviews I've seen say this is an excellent camera for the money. I disagree. The picture quality is excellent, but the dumbing-down learning curve after you've been used to a quality DSLR is not. The viewfinder, which was a determining factor in my buying this camera, is disappointing as it's a digital viewfinder rather than through the lens. So a lot to get used to. It's a good camera for the price. I recommend it if you want something slightly more advanced than the standard point-and-shoot or if you want a point-and-shoot for which you can also change lenses. So whether I would actually recommend this to a friend would depend on what he planned for its primary use.Read full review...
Impressive price/performance
I bought an a3000 as I avoid cameras with no through-the-lens capability. Display-only rigs are difficult to use in bright sunlight, regardless of features or cost. Sony/Minolta E-mount lenses are sharp and lightweight. Also bought a Minolta MD lens adapter for my old Minolta lenses but was very surprised to find a remarkable weight difference between Sony E-mount lenses and Minolta MD lenses. I'll stick with the E-mount lenses from now on. Some find fault with the 'grainy' through-the-lens display. I'm not particular, nor do I use the big display. You will want to take this camera with you everywhere because it is easy to lug around and it takes very sharp, high resolution pics.Read full review...
Pro image quality. Bargain price forced cheap viewing systems.
My mantra is follow the sensors. The A3000 has a superb one. This is E mount, not Alpha mount.
Color accuracy of the LCD (non articulating) is accurate/true to final file, so you can color correct with confidence.
Both the LCD and viewfinder are visibly lower resolution than many of todays cameras.
The viewfinder is grainy and too contrasty, not good for color correction nor do I get the feel of the final picture, it almost falls to the level of a good framing device.
Start up is nearly 2 seconds, on the slow side, if you want fast turn on time then probably skip the A3000.
Looks like an Dslr but feel is light and plasticky. Which I am fine with, I don't like heft and don't care much about feel, light weight is intrinsically good for me.
Attach a brick to the tripod socket if you want to feel heft with this camera.
Super intuitive ergonomics, I can easily feel where the "right" buttons while looking through the finder.
The viewfinder/LCD switch is manual only. Many Alphas automatically switch when you put your eye up to the viewfinder, but not this one.
You can use a smart phone, well some smart phones as wireless shutter, but regular wireless releases don't work with this model. Sony makes a wired remote shutter for like $100. Get real.
Overall love the camera images and feel of the body (remember cheap feel for me is ok). Viewfinder quality, non movable LCD and lack of easy remote are problems pour moi.
I await the A4500 or A5000 or whatever.
Dear Sony: raise the price and get a better viewfinder and faster processors to improve the start up time.......Oh and make the finder fully articulating like the A57.Read full review...
Inexpensive alternative to LTM mount mirrorless cameras
I bought this merely to quickly rate my large stock of screw-mount Leica lenses. I can screw an LTM lens into the LTM>E adaptor and obtain an instant 21 Mpixel image. The camera is large, light weight, plastic, excessively complex and mostly just a cage for the software. My photography will continue to involve film, but I will have a better handle on which Leica lens has the characteristics I need for the matter at hand.Read full review...
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: josephstr09
More likes than "dislikes..?"
I must start off saying this is my first almost-serious camera, before this one I owned a canon SX30is and that one was pretty decent for a bridge camera with super zoom.
I decided to move up to a looking-alike DSLR and started with a tight budget and found this baby at 190$, cant say no to that!.
I bought the camera already knowing the LCD was not a quality display and the eViewFinder was a downside aswell. I read many reviews where people were BASHING on this camera for those 2 points and also indicating the camera feels cheap.
I wont deny the LCD and viewfinder are like 2/5, the LCD can barely be seen under sunlight and the viewfinder makes you think that you've missed the shot exposure, just to realize you got it right when you get home and watch the pictures on your laptop.
When I first got the camera I noticed the SENSOR of this beast is TOP OF THE LINE, for real, I understand that Sony has to cut some corners but they left the expensive things inside this monster and I love the quality of the pictures it takes.
The image stabilization is another topic to keep in mind, this is built-in on the lens but at least you have stabilized shots and it works really fine, you will most of the times get the steady shots even if you move your hand.
The battery life is pretty decent, not over the top but definitely not a bottom performer... I can get like 500+ with one charge, and it goes 0 to 100 real quick (ha!) like an hour or so... the only thing is that you dont have a led indicator of message that shows you the charging process, so give it an hour (getting a spare battery is a must).
The speed is pretty decent, nothing compared to a DSLR but hey, you are getting what you are paying for.
Other point is the weight, even though it might feel cheepo, this camera does not weight at all, you can carry it all day long hanging on your shoulder and walk without even notice it, once again, reduced costs on buttons and other physical stuff makes this camera feels like a toy but, does not look like a toy and definitely not performs like a toy.
Keep in mind this is an entry level looking-alike DSLR, the main goal of a camara is to take pictures, and this one does that over the level.
You can check some sample pictures: flickr /jezersclopis and compare the canon SX30is with the Sony.Read full review...
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: dbarton49
For the price, a very nice camera
Being a Minolta film camera user from years gone by, I still have a lot of very nice Minolta lenses. With an inexpensive adapter, I find that the A3000 is a very capable camera, plus I have the nostalgia of the classic lenses. It's an entry-level camera, so it doesn't compare with the higher cost models in features. But it produces very nice images. The biggest negative is the viewfinder. It's really inadequate for outdoor (bright setting) use. But all in all, it's a capable little camera.Read full review...
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: sinyo.us2015
a3000 is Still a Great Camera in 2023
For a 10 year old camera, the Sony a3000 still takes amazing photos. It's not perfect, but it does what it's supposed to do. I have tested it out, and the photo quality was amazing. Unless you are taking fast shots, the auto focus is not as bad as they say. I paid $180 for this used, and it outperforms anything I can find in this price range, including newer cameras. I've included a sample photo I took. Read full review...
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: allswim
BEST VALUE ON THE MARKET
The Sony a3000 is a mirrorless camera with a stunning 20.1 MP Exmor Sensor. IMO the sensor blows away any competition as far as the Canon Rebel Cameras which are significantly more expensive. However this is really for anyone who is just getting into photography, if you're used to a high resolution screen and EVF then this is NOT the camera for you. Unless of course you're like me who knows that a high res display won't make the pictures any better. The RAW files are an absolute wonder to work with. The amount of color and shadow information retained by the sensor is marvelous. I could recover easily 3-4 stops in some shadows and get minimal noise. If you want a lightweight camera with DSLR ergonomics and stunning image quality for under 200$ I would highly recommend this product.Read full review...
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: 1mahalo