Sony SLT-A37 Review

Main Features

16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 25600

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

2.6″ Tilting Screen

1440k dot Electronic viewfinder

6 fps continuous shooting

1920 x 1080 video resolution

506g. 124 x 92 x 85 mm

Replaced Sony A35

BUY from B&H PHOTO

Select a Camera to Compare

Add a Camera for comparison

Sony A37 Overview

First introduced in May 2012 , Sony SLT-A37 is a 16.0MP Entry-Level DSLR camera with a APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor. Sony replaced the older A35 with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these model:
Compare Sony SLT-A37 vs Sony A35

Sony A37 is the latest member of Sony's A30 series of cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

Sony A30 Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Sony A37	2012	16.0MP - APS-C	6.0 fps	124 x 92 x 85mm	506g
Sony A35	2011	16.0MP - APS-C	6.0 fps	124 x 92 x 85mm	415g
Sony A33	2010	14.0MP - APS-C	7.0 fps	124 x 92 x 85mm	500g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series:
Sony A37 vs A35 vs A33

Sony A37 has an Overall Score of 74/100 and ranked #61 out of 199 in DSLR cameras (Top 10 DSLR), and ranked #135 out of 1143 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Sony A37 Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras

Sony A37 Compared to other DSLR Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of Sony A37's specs and feature, and list out its pros and cons compared to average cameras in its class.

PROs

Image Stabilization

Articulating Screen

1920 x 1080 Max Video Resolution

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder

Face Detection Focusing

25.600 Max ISO

15 Focus Points

6.0fps Fast Continuous Shooting

506g Light Body

External Microphone Port

1440kdot Viewfinder Resolution

3 Cross Type Focus Points

3D Shooting Capability

Panorama Shooting

Flash Sync Port

Buy Sony A37 from or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Touch Screen

Small LCD Screen ( 2.6″)

Low Screen Resolution ( 230.4kdots )

No Environmental Sealing

Poor Low Light Performance

No AF Micro Adjustment

Sony A37 Lens Mount and Lenses

Sony A37 has a Sony/Minolta Alpha lens mount and currently there are 141 native lenses available for this mount. Sony took over all the Minolta AF lens legacy and extended it with lot of new lenses, some popular ones designed by Zeiss engineers. User can also choose from a wide selection of third party lens manufacturers portfolio.

A37 also has a Sensor based Image Stabilization system which means that all of these lenses will be stabilized when used on A37. Sensor based image stabilization is one of the most useful features that you can have in an ILC. There are also 15 lenses with weather sealing for A37 but bear in mind that A37 body doesn't have weather sealings.

Here are some of the most popular Sony A37 Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Sony A37 Lenses

	Focal Length on A37	Max Aperture	Weight	Focusing	Price
Sigma 18-300 F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM	27-450mm	F3.5 - F6.3	585gr	AF	$399.00
Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II	105-300mm	F2.8	1500gr	AF	$2,998.00
Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM	75mm	F1.8	170gr	AF	$168.00
Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD	225-900mm	F5.0 - F6.3	1951gr	AF	$1,089.00
Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II	105-450mm	F4.5 - F5.6	750gr	AF	$1,148.00

Check our Sony A37 Lenses page or use our Smart Lens Finder tool for more detailed lens search.

Sony A37 Sensor and Photography Features

Sony A37 has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4912 x 3264 pixels with aspect ratios of 3:2 and 16:9. A37 has a native ISO range of 100 - 25600 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Sony A37 is not the highest resolution APS-C camera. Sigma Quattro with its 29.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Sony A37 vs Sigma Quattro or take a look at Highest resolution DSLR cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Sony A37's APS-C sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Sony A37 Physical Specs

Sony A37 weighs 506 g (1.12 lb / 17.85 oz) and has external dimensions of 124 x 92 x 85 mm (4.88 x 3.62 x 3.35″). Considering that the average weight of DSLR type cameras is 773g, Sony A37 is a remarkably light camera for its class. With a thickness of 85mm, it has an average thickness for its class.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Sony A37

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Sony A37

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Sony A37 with the dimensions:

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Sony A37, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Sony A37 with its main competitors:

Sony A37 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Sensor	Weight	vs A37	Thickness	vs A37
Sony A58	20.0MP - APS-C	492g	14g lighter	78mm	7mm thinner
Sony A57	16.0MP - APS-C	618g	112g heavier	81mm	4mm thinner
Sony A35	16.0MP - APS-C	415g	91g lighter	85mm	equal thickness
Sony A55	16.0MP - APS-C	500g	6g lighter	85mm	equal thickness
Nikon D3200	24.0MP - APS-C	505g	1g lighter	77mm	8mm thinner
Sony A33	14.0MP - APS-C	500g	6g lighter	85mm	equal thickness
Nikon D3300	24.0MP - APS-C	430g	76g lighter	76mm	9mm thinner
Sony A65	24.0MP - APS-C	622g	116g heavier	81mm	4mm thinner

Sony A37 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Sony A37 Other Features

LCD and Viewfinder

Sony A37 has a Tilting 2.6″ LCD screen with a resolution of 230k dots. At only 2.6″, the screen is on the smaller side and 230kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.

A37 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder. The viewfinder has a resolution of 1,440kdots and coverage of 100%. 100% coverage ensures that what you see in the viewfinder while shooting matches exactly what you will get later in your image, helping accurate framing your shots and minimizes the need for cropping images later.

Max Shutter speed
Sony A37 can shoot continuously at max speed of 6 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.

Flash
A37 has a built-in flash, and it also has a flash shoe to mount your external flashes too.

Focusing
Sony A37 features a Phase Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 15 focus points and 3 of these sensors are of Cross-type. Cross-type sensors locks focus faster and more accurate compared to single type sensors.

Sony A37 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

Video Features
With Sony A37, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60i,29.97p fps and save in MPEG-4, AVCHD and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Sony A37 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

A37 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker. Sony A37 also has a port for an external microphone so you can record high quality sound with the help of an external microphone.

Connectivity and Storage

You can connect A37 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery Sony A37 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 500 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of DSLR type cameras is 876 shots, Sony A37 has a short battery life for its class so we strongly recommend A37 owners to buy some extra batteries.

Battery Life Comparison in Entry-Level DSLR Cameras

Sony A37

Min

Average

Max

Pentax K-x with its 1900shots is the model with longest battery life among Entry-Level DSLR cameras. Check the comparison of Sony A37 vs Pentax K-x or take a look at Longest Battery Life DSLR cameras list.

Sony A37 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Sony A58 >>Compare to A37	1920 x 1080	690shots	No	No	No
Sony A57 >>Compare to A37	1920 x 1080	550shots	No	No	No
Sony A35 >>Compare to A37	1920 x 1080	440shots	No	No	No
Sony A55 >>Compare to A37	1920 x 1080	380shots	No	No	No
Nikon D3200 >>Compare to A37	1920 x 1080	540shots	No	No	No
Sony A33 >>Compare to A37	1920 x 1080	340shots	No	No	No
Nikon D3300 >>Compare to A37	1920 x 1080	700shots	No	No	No
Sony A65 >>Compare to A37	1920 x 1080	560shots	No	No	No

Lowest Price
Current Lowest price for Sony A37 is $522.00

What type of Photography is Sony A37 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Sony A37 in 5 different photography areas. This first spider web graph shows how the A37 compares with the average DSLR camera.
Hover your mouse over the points to see the score details for each photography type.

Sony A37 for Portrait Photography

Sony A37 has a score of 82 for Portrait Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder

Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP

Read the details of how we scored Sony A37 for Portrait Photography

Sony A37 for Street Photography

Sony A37 has a score of 88 for Street Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen

Image Stabilization
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Large Body

Read the details of how we scored Sony A37 for Street Photography

Sony A37 for Sports Photography

Sony A37 has a score of 85 for Sports Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
3 Cross Type Focus sensors
15 Focus Points
Good Ergonomics&Handling

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Image Stabilization
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Sony A37 for Sports Photography

Sony A37 for Daily Photography

Sony A37 has a score of 70 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Large Body

506g
Body Thickness 85mm

Read the details of how we scored Sony A37 for Daily Photography

Sony A37 for Landscape Photography

Sony A37 has a score of 57 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Live-view
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor

Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Sony A37 for Landscape Photography

Sony A37 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Sony A37 compares with other DSLR cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of A37 and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Sony A37 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Sony A37

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Sony A37 amongst Camera Decision readers.

Sony A58

Compare

Sony A57

Compare

Sony A35

Compare

Sony A55

Compare

Nikon D3200

Compare

Sony A33

Compare

Nikon D3300

Compare

Sony A65

Compare

Sony A37 Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Sony A37 with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Sony A37's price range.

Canon M6

Compare

Olympus E-M10 II

Compare

Panasonic GX85

Compare

Panasonic GX7

Compare

Samsung NX30

Compare

Panasonic G7

Compare

Fujifilm X-T10

Compare

Fujifilm X-T100

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Sony A37

Does the Sony A37 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Sony A37 have RAW support?
Does the Sony A37 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Sony A37 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Sony A37?
What is the Sensor Size of Sony A37?
is the Sony A37 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Sony A37 have Touch Screen?
Does the Sony A37 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Sony A37?

Sony SLT-A37 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Sony
Model	Sony SLT-A37
Announced	2012-05-16
Body Type	Compact SLR
Price	$522.00
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Sony/Minolta Alpha
Number of Lenses	141
Focal Length Multiplier	1.5×
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Tilting
Screen Size	2.6″
Screen Resolution	230k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	1,440k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.73
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Shutter Speed	1/4000s
Continuous Shooting	6.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	12.00 m
Max Flash Sync	1/160s
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	75
DxO Color Depth	23.3
DxO Dynamic Range	12.9
DxO Low Light ISO	799
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	APS-C
Sensor Dimensions	23.5 x 15.6 mm
Sensor Area	366.60mm²
Sensor Resolution	16 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	4912 x 3264
Max Native ISO	25,600
Min Native ISO	100
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	15
Number of Cross Focus Points	3
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (60, 29.97 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30fps), 640 x 424 (29.97 fps)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	506g
Physical Dimensions	124 x 92 x 85mm
Battery Life	500 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	NP-FW50
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10 sec 3 or 5 images)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Storage Slots	1