A potelyt.com – Photography & Imaging Resources
ad

When you use links on apotelyt.com to buy products,
the site may earn a commission.

PW

Sony A3000 PDF User Manual

Did you lose or misplace the instruction manual that came with your Sony Alpha A3000? It happens all too easily, but fortunately Sony makes a soft copy available that you can browse through online, print out, or download (see the pdf file below). It is certainly good practice to carefully familiarize oneself with the many different functionalities and options that the A3000 offers, and the official user manual is without doubt an authoritative and comprehensive source of respective information.

That said, the instruction booklet can be a dry read, so that a dedicated camera guide book from a professional photographer that illustrates the camera's core functions in a real life photography context can be a very helpful complement. Yes, getting one of these camera guides (see here at amazon) would involve an additional expense, but if that book helps to exploit the camera's potential to the full, the (small) additional investment may well be worth it.

camera

In any case, the A3000 is an advanced imaging tool, whose many features merit serious attention. This mirrorless interchangeable lens camera was announced on August 27th, 2013, which means that, as of today, the camera is 3867 days old (young?). The camera has meanwhile been discontinued, but there has not been a direct replacement model for the A3000 from Sony.

ad

Sony's handbook for the A3000

The camera's handbook is 195 pages long. The pdf version is embedded below. As you browse through, you will hopefully find the information you are looking for. You can also print out a hard copy by right clicking on the manual and then choosing the respective menu option. For convenience, a summary of the key specs of the A3000 is included towards the bottom of this webpage.

Don't forget to bookmark this page for future reference (Ctrl-Shift-D on a Windows PC; Cmd-Shift-D on a Mac). Happy browsing!

Click on the button below to download the pdf version of the Sony Alpha A3000 manual to your computer. The file will open in a new browser window.

Download the Manual

If you prefer to read the user guide in another language, please check the respective availability on Sony's support site. That site also provides complementary online resources, such as information on the compatibility of various camera accessories or the availability of firmware updates that are not necessarily comprehensively covered in the instruction manual.

Printed, hardcopy versions of the Sony A3000 manual can sometimes be found online. You can check the availability on amazon and ebay via the buttons below.

amazon.com ebay.com

ad

Sony A3000 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the A3000.

What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Sony A3000?

The camera features a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Sony A3000 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Sony equipped the A3000 with the BIONZ image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Sony A3000?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 16000.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Sony Alpha A3000?

Sony does not publish a shutter rating for the A3000. Yet, shutters in comparable cameras from other manufacturers are said to be good for at least 100 000 actuations. It should be noted, though, that this number represents a Mean Time before Failure. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust an expected shutter life of 100 000 shots over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Sony A3000?

Sony embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your A3000 has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.

Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Sony A3000?

The A3000 offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.

Does the Sony A3000 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Sony A3000 for flash photography?

The A3000's flash sync speed is 1/160 sec.

Which battery does the Sony A3000 use?

The camera gets its power from the Sony NP-FW50 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

ad

Further reading

How does the A3000 stack up against available alternatives? In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

~
    loader
    ad

    Core camera specifications

    Here is a list of the main features and technical characteristics of the Sony Alpha A3000.

    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Sony A3000
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date August 2013
    Launch Price USD 329
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.2 x 15.4 mm
    Sensor Area 357 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 27.8 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 19.8 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5 456 x 3 632 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.25 μm
    Pixel Density 5.55 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60i Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 16 000 ISO
    Image Processor BIONZ
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 78
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.7
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.8
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1068
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.47x
    Viewfinder Resolution 202k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 230k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 2.5 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support no
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Battery Type Sony NP-FW50 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)470 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 128 x 91 x 85 mm
    (5.0 x 3.6 x 3.3 in)
    Camera Weight 411 g (14.5 oz)

    Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.

    You are here Home  »  Sony A3000 Review  »  Sony A3000 User Manual