Sony's entry-level APS-C DSLR with 10.2MP sensor, in-body stabilisation, and Live View — budget A-mount.
The Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 was released in 2008 as a mid-range Sony A-mount DSLR notable for its 'Quick AF Live View' system — a unique design where Live View is provided by a dedicated secondary imaging sensor in the pentamirror chamber rather than the main sensor. This preserved the phase-detection AF system during Live View, enabling DSLR-speed AF while composing on the rear LCD — a capability that competing contrast-detect Live View cameras could not match in 2008. The 10.2MP APS-C CCD sensor. No in-body stabilisation (no SteadyShot).
The 10.2MP APS-C CCD sensor provides standard image quality. Quick AF Live View uses a dedicated secondary imaging sensor — not the main sensor — preserving full phase-detection AF speed. Body-motor AF (screwdrive). No video recording. No SteadyShot in-body stabilisation. NP-FM500H rechargeable battery. Body weight approximately 582g.
The Quick AF Live View secondary sensor mechanism was Sony's engineering response to the 2008 Live View challenge: main-sensor contrast-detect Live View was slow and sacrificed phase-detection AF performance; Sony's dedicated secondary sensor preserved the full phase-detection speed during Live View shooting. This architecture was later superseded by Sony's SLT translucent mirror design (A55, A65) which achieved the same Live View AF goal differently.
On the used market the Sony A300 is very affordable as a vintage Sony A-mount DSLR. Condition checks: Quick AF Live View functionality — the secondary sensor is the unique feature to verify — NP-FM500H battery health, and overall body condition. Note: no in-body SteadyShot stabilisation on the A300; the A350 included it. Compatible with Sony A-mount and Minolta AF lenses.