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Sony A37

 
Sony SLT-A37 front
 
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 2.6" Tilting Display
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 506g - 124 x 92 x 85mm
  • Introduced May 2012
  • Previous Model is Sony A35
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
67
Imaging
57
Features
65
Overall
60

Sony A37 summary

Sony A37 is Sony's Entry-Level DSLR camera initially announced on May of 2012. The camera comes with a 16MP, CMOS APS-C size sensor with a max resolution of 4912 x 3264.

Sony brought out this camera in an effort to update the previous Sony A35 (Read Full Comparison)

The A37 is placed #39 out of 80 in Entry-Level DSLR cameras and overall #317 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. You should look at our Advanced camera filter to get camera results based on your personal factors.

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Below is a graph of multiple factors used in the rating system.

Sony A37 family

The Sony A37 comes with a history of related digital cameras. Down below, you can discover all past and current models alongside main specifications.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Sony-SLT-A68 front thumbnailSony A68
A37 vs A68
24MPAPS-C8.0 fps2015
Sony-SLT-A58 front thumbnailSony A58
A37 vs A58
20MPAPS-C8.0 fps2013
C500 Mark II gets new Cinema RAW Light modes from Canon
Sony-SLT-A57 front thumbnailSony A57
A37 vs A57
16MPAPS-C12.0 fps2012
Sony-SLT-A37 front thumbnailSony A3716MPAPS-C6.0 fps2012
Sony-SLT-A65 front thumbnailSony A65
A37 vs A65
24MPAPS-C10.0 fps2011
Sony-SLT-A35 front thumbnailSony A35
A37 vs A35
16MPAPS-C6.0 fps2011
OM System OM-1 Set to Enhance Autofocus
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A580 front thumbnailSony A580
A37 vs A580
16MPAPS-C7.0 fps2011
Sony-SLT-A33 front thumbnailSony A33
A37 vs A33
14MPAPS-C7.0 fps2010
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A560 front thumbnailSony A560
A37 vs A560
14MPAPS-C5.0 fps2010
Sony-SLT-A55 front thumbnailSony A55
A37 vs A55
16MPAPS-C10.0 fps2010
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A390 front thumbnailSony A390
A37 vs A390
14MPAPS-C3.0 fps2010
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Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A290 front thumbnailSony A290
A37 vs A290
14MPAPS-C3.0 fps2010
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A450 front thumbnailSony A450
A37 vs A450
14MPAPS-C7.0 fps2010
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A550 front thumbnailSony A550
A37 vs A550
14MPAPS-C7.0 fps2009
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A500 front thumbnailSony A500
A37 vs A500
12MPAPS-C5.0 fps2009
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A380 front thumbnailSony A380
A37 vs A380
14MPAPS-C3.0 fps2009
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A330 front thumbnailSony A330
A37 vs A330
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2009
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A230 front thumbnailSony A230
A37 vs A230
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2009
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A200 front thumbnailSony A200
A37 vs A200
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2008
Sony Japan Introduces 5G Transmitter for Alpha Cameras
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A350 front thumbnailSony A350
A37 vs A350
14MPAPS-C3.0 fps2008
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A300 front thumbnailSony A300
A37 vs A300
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2008
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A100 front thumbnailSony A100
A37 vs A100
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2006

Sony A37 Pros and Cons

Here is a collection of upsides and downsides of the Sony A37 based on things which are generally considered necessary in a camera.

good resolution (16MP)
good sensor size (APS-C)
has a tilting screen
has built in flash
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
includes face detect autofocus
includes HDMI port
includes mic port
sensor has phase detect autofocus
supports RAW files
switch lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
very good ISO range (25,600)
very good minimum ISO (100)
video res high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
you can focus manually
display isn't selfie friendly
low battery pack (500 CIPA)
no headphone port
no Time Lapse recording
screen has low resolution (230 thousand dot)
screen is somewhat small (2.6 inches)
slow frames per second (6.0 frames per second)
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Sony A37 Sensor features

The spec of the sensor in the Sony A37 is 23.5mm x 15.6mm (APS-C). The 367 mm² sensor has the capability to capture 4912 x 3264 pixels using aspect ratios of 3:2 and 16:9. The camera includes Image Stabilization (Sensor based). In body stabilization is more effective than digital stabilization as the latter may cause cropping.

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The CMOS sensor boasts 16MP and gives a native ISO range of 100 - 25600. RAW files are saved so the user has more margin for error.

The picture underneath shows the A37's sensor size in comparison to other common sizes. The A37 sensor comes with a crop factor of 1.5 and is outlined in green.

Sony SLT-A37 sensor size AI-made Images of Food Appear More Delicious Than Real Photos

To get a sense of different aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony A37 dimensions

Sony A37 is 1.12 lb (506 gr / 17.85 oz) and the physical size of the camera is 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3"). The weight of typical Entry-Level DSLR camera is 540 gr so the Sony A37 is very much the same in comparison with other competitors.

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Underneath is a shot of the Sony A37 beside a soft drink so you're able to have a sense of its size.

Sony SLT-A37 dimensions scale

The top view underneath will illustrate the button design on the A37.

Sony SLT-A37 topview buttons dials

Sony A37 Lens features

The A37 works with the Sony/Minolta Alpha mount and has 145 lenses that you can purchase. Here is a small number of the lenses we have in our collection that will fit the A37.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Tamron-AF-28-300mm-F3.5-6.3-XR-Di-LD-Aspherical-IF-Macro-Sony-Alpha lensTamron AF 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF Macro28-300mmf/3.5-6.3 420g
Sony-70-300mm-F4.5-5.6-G-SSM-II lensSony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II70-300mmf/4.5-5.6 750g
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Sigma-50mm-F2.8-EX-DG-Macro-Sony-Alpha lensSigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG Macro50mmf/2.8 320g
Hartblei-Superrotator-Macro-120mm-F4-TS-Sony-Alpha lensHartblei Superrotator Macro 120mm F4 TS121mmf/4.0 965g
Samyang-Reflex-300mm-f6.3-UMC-CS-Sony-Alpha lensSamyang Reflex 300mm f6.3 UMC CS300mmf/6.3 260g
Schneider-PC-TS-Super-Angulon-2.8-50-HM-Sony-Alpha lensSchneider PC-TS Super-Angulon 2.850 HM50mmf/2.8 1400g
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Sigma-18-250mm-F3.5-6.3-DC-OS-HSM-Sony-Alpha lensSigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM18-250mmf/3.5-6.3 628g
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Sony A37 Connectivity

The A37 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that incorporate NFC and Bluetooth connectivity can easily be controlled wirelessly via smartphones. You can easily send photos and in some cases change settings without connecting straight with the camera.

Several apps also give a Liveview and hit the shutter in case you are not near the camera. If the camera includes a HDMI out, it could be hooked up to an external display. Many cameras enable you to recharge the battery pack using the USB socket.

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Sony A37 Video features

The max video quality in the Sony A37 is 1920 x 1080 and it can record in MPEG-4, AVCHD and H.264 format. 1080p quality is an excellent balance in quality vs file size but 1080p isn't going to leave you with much room to crop. Even though the body includes a mic jack, it is unfortunately missing a headphone jack so you won't be able to check your audio levels.

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Sony A37 Weather Sealing

There is no environment sealing on the Sony A37 so you have to be careful in wet or dusty conditions.

Sony A37 Display and Viewfinder

The Sony A37 comes with a 2.6 inch tilting display having a resolution of 230 thousand dots.

Sadly the display is not a touch screen.

Sony SLT-A37 screen and viewfinder Photographer Triumphs in Lawsuit Over Creative Commons Image Rights

The ViewFinder specifications regarding Sony A37 are as follows:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • Resolution 1,440 thousand dots
  • Coverage 100%
  • Magnification 0.73x

In those sunny outdoor conditions that make the camera displays washed out and tricky to view, viewfinders are quite valuable.

Sony A37 Shutter features

Sony A37 has the capability to shoot continuously at 6.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/4000s.

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Sony A37 Flash and Hot shoe features

Sony A37 includes both in-built flash and also external flash support. The maximum flash sync is 1/160s.

Sony A37 Autofocus features

Sony A37 includes both Phase Detect AF and Contrast Detect AF. Phase Detection focusing is a lot more quicker & exact as compared with Contrast Detect focusing. The camera comes with Face detect which is useful for people photography.

It comes with 15 focus points to choose from. Sony A37 supports manual focus when required in low light or you want to have more accurate focus control.

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Sony A37 Battery life

The battery pack (NP-FW50) on the Sony A37 is made to last for 500 shots based on the CIPA standards which is less when compared with its rivals. The usual Entry-Level DSLR camera battery life is 589. Pentax K-x has got the maximum (1900) battery life in this type of cameras.

Following is a list of Entry-Level DSLR cameras having the strongest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
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Canon-EOS-Rebel-SL3 front thumbnailCanon SL3
A37 vs SL3
1070 yesnoyes

Sony A37 for specific kinds of photography

The following bar chart presents a outline of the Sony A37 for specific kinds of photography. To view more, have a look at the specific section underneath.

Sony A37 Portrait photography information

The Sony A37 has a points total of 74 which is very good, and means the camera is a respectable option for portrait photography. Shooting portrait photos leans greatly towards sensor dimensions, support for RAW photos plus the option to use external lighting.

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has manual focus
megapixel count good (16MP)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
features face detection focus
delivers RAW files

Sony A37 Street photography features

Having a exceptional points total of 77, the Sony A37 is a great choice to use in street photography. A decent street photography camera comes with a perfect balance of image quality and portability.

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has a tilting screen
image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (APS-C)
saves RAW files
above average high ISO (25,600)

Sony A37 Sports photography features

A very good sports photography points total of 61 indicates the Sony A37 is a very decent option for shooting sports. A camera really should have great focusing and fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

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has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
sensor has phase detect AF
continuous shooting slow (6.0 frames/s)
not so great battery life (500 per charge)

Travel photography with Sony A37

Portability is really critical in picking a travel camera. In general, the Sony A37 gets a reasonable 54 for a travelling camera which makes it somewhat suited for your journeys.

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megapixel count good (16 megapixels)
flash built-in
no Timelapse mode
bad battery life (500 per charge)
does not feature selfie friendly display

Sony A37 as a Landscape photography camera

For anybody who is planning to buy a digital camera for landscape photographs, the biggest factor will no doubt be image quality. The Sony A37 with it's nice score of 64 for a landscape camera is a very decent choice in the current marketplace.

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focusing manually
swap lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor resolution is decent (16 megapixels)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
very good high ISO (25,600)
exports RAW files
screen is somewhat small (2.6 inch)
low battery power (500 per charge)
no Timelapse mode

Vlogging with Sony A37

A vlogging camera preferably should come with a articulating screen, mic port and if possible IBIS. Taking everything into account, the Sony A37 is not very good as a vlog camera as it comes to a really bad score of 35.

OM System OM-1 Set to Enhance Autofocus
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
supports face detection focus
video res high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
includes external mic jack
doesn't contain selfie friendly display

Sony A37 Alternatives

If you are looking for replacements to the A37, here is a list of the highest rated cameras which fall under the class of Entry-Level DSLR.

The line graph underneath shows you an overview of the A37 compared to it's highest rated rivals shown above.

Here are a handful of other cameras you might take a look at as alternatives. To check out a full comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Make
Sony
Model
Sony SLT-A37
Class
Entry-Level DSLR
Introduced
2012-05-16
Body design
Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor size
APS-C
Sensor dimensions
23.5 x 15.6mm
Sensor area
366.6mm²
Sensor resolution
16MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution
4912 x 3264
RAW format
Max native ISO
25600
Min native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points
15
Cross focus points
3
Lens
Lens mount
Sony/Minolta Alpha
Total lenses
143
Focal length multiplier
1.5
Screen
Range of display
Tilting
Display size
2.6 inches
Resolution of display
230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
1,440 thousand dot
Viewfinder coverage
100%
Viewfinder magnification
0.73x
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
75
DXO Color Depth score
23.3
DXO Dynamic range score
12.9
DXO Low light score
799
Features
Min shutter speed
30s
Max shutter speed
1/4000s
Continuous shutter speed
6.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range
12.00 m
Flash modes
Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Max flash sync
1/160s
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60, 29.97 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30fps), 640 x 424 (29.97 fps)
Max video resolution
1920x1080
Video format
MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless
Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
506 grams (1.12 pounds)
Dimensions
124 x 92 x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3")
Other
Battery life
500 photos
Battery form
Battery Pack
Battery model
NP-FW50
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10 sec 3 or 5 images)
Time lapse recording
Storage media
SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots
One
Retail price
$522