Without question, Sony has long been one of the world leaders in electronics, having produced TVs, computers, and video game systems for decades. It's no surprise, then, that Sony has digital cameras models in the all major market categories. As of April, 2011, Sony has a wide range of point-and-shoot, DSLR and interchangeable-lens cameras.
Point and Shoot
Sony's line of digital point-and-shoot cameras is called Cyber-shot. These cameras are designed for beginners and have varying specifications and prices. The higher-end Cyber-shot cameras, like the TX9 and TX5, feature 12+ megapixel sensors and HD video modes. The TX9 even includes a 3D panoramic sweep capture mode. Features decrease as the price decreases, but even the most limited Cyber-shot cameras have high megapixels (10 to 14.1) and Sony's Face Detection and SteadyShot technologies.
DSLRs
Sony calls it DSLR cameras "alpha," indicated by the Greek character. The alpha cameras cover three distinct market groups: prosumer, or beginner DSLRs, translucent mirror and professional SLR. The prosumer cameras are designed to be easy to use and to bridge photographers from point-and-shoot photography into advanced photographer. The a390, for example, has on-screen help and quick, easy focus technology. It comes with an 18-55mm kit lens and 14.2 megapixel sensor. On the opposite end of Sony's DSLR scale is the a9000, with 24.6 megapixels, shutter speeds up to 1/8000 of a second and a range of settings to make most photographers drool. Choosing a DSLR camera is about imagining your top-end as a photographer; know you limits and try to understand the features of a camera, then buy within your photographic means.
Compact Interchangeable Lens
Sony has a line of cameras that fall in between the point-and-shoot and DSLR markets, called interchangeable lens cameras. The name doesn't really distinguish these cameras from DSLRs, which are by nature interchangeable lens cameras, so look for the "NEX" tag on Sony's models. The NEX cameras different from a DSLR in one key way: the camera body is compact, as small as a compact point-and-shoot, but the NEX cameras have a special lens mount to take E-mount Sony lenses. These lenses aren't the same as the ones for Sony's DSLRs, but offer photographers a range of options that point-and-shoot lenses don't have.
Konica Minolta
Until January 1, 2011, Sony sold and offered support for Konica Minolta cameras. Sony took over the Minolta line in April, 2006. Still, Konica-Minolta models can be found used online, and the lenses from the SLR models are compatible with Sony's DSLR alpha-series cameras (if not supported by Sony's tech support).
Tags: 2011 Sony, cameras designed, cameras have, Cyber-shot cameras, DSLR camera
