Sony's new dSLRs put the 'a' in basic

Sony has revealed its new range of entry-level digital SLRs, designed to appeal to first-time buyers.

Is it a bird? Is it an Airbus? No, it's a Sony. (Credit: Sony)

Unfortunately, these models don't have much else going for them in the looks department so they'll need every trick they can muster to snag beginners away from the lure of Canon or Nikon.

The three new models, the Alpha A230, Alpha A330 and Alpha A380 all feature a new graphical interface designed to make it easy for beginner photographers to take better pictures and understand exposure.

The cameras also feature fewer buttons and a more streamlined layout to enable one-handed control. The A230 and A330 feature a 10.2-megapixel CCD sensor, while the A380 trumps them both with a 14.2-megapixel sensor.

The other claim to fame that the A230 has is that it is now the world's lightest dSLR with image stabilisation built-in, beating the Olympus E-620 by just 25 grams.

All the cameras will be available in Australia from July, with pricing yet to be announced.