Amidst much speculation Sony has announced three new Alpha DSLRs with a release date of July in the US.

The three are aimed at the entry level market and is expected to boost Sony’s current DSLR range. The three cameras include the Sony Alpha DSLR-A230L, the DSLR-A330L and DSLR-A380L.

The big surprise from Sony’s side is that all three models make use of SD cards, as not just Sony’s more expensive proprietary Memory Stick PRO Duo format. The two larger models in the series, the A330 and the A380, also feature a tiltable 2.7\" Clear Photo LCD Plus display. This allows for easier overhead or low-level ground shots, as seen on Nikon’s new D5000.

Of the three, the 14 megapixel Sony Alpha A380L is the more expensive and features Super SteadyShot INSIDE Image Stabilization, an HDMI terminal to connect it to an HDTV as well as Sony’s Eye Start autofocus system.

The big let down is that the new range does not include HD video recording as seen on recent new releases from Canon and Nikon. That said, Nikon and Canon’s cameras are aimed at those users above entry level.

The new Alpha range will be available in South Africa from July 2009.