- Brand Name: Sony
- Model: DSLRA580L
- Optical Sensor Resolution: 16.2 MP
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
Product Description
Don't let life pass you buy. Get the fast action that other cameras miss thanks to Sony's Quick AF Live View. Take in the landscape with 3D Sweep Panorama mode.1 See into the dark with Handheld Twilight and Multi-Frame NR modes. And preserve your memories with amazing Full HD 1080i movies.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
169 of 172 people found the following review helpful
By Tim Naff
Amazon Verified Purchase
Short version: this is easily the most sophisticated pro-sumer dslr on the planet. (*Amendment: The A77 now assumes that title, with the caveat that the A77 isn't really a DSLR.) It has a set of features that make it easier to take great pictures in the most challenging circumstances. This review is for the camera with the kit lens. The lens is a compromise: the body and moving parts are essentially all lightweight plastic. I even noticed some plastic-on-plastic chatter when zooming in and out. But Sony knew that their (pre-A77) flagship pro-sumer camera (the A700 was getting long in the tooth) had better perform well, so they put the money in the optics. I tested this lens against five others using eye-charts at 20 feet, and guess what? It was in the upper third of the heap in center sharpness in its zoom range, and it was in company that costs roughly 5X the extra money you pay for it over the camera body price. It is exactly what Sony intended it to be: a great place to start, and a good-enough place to stay. Now for the longer version of the review.
Long version:
When Sony bought the Mind of Minolta, melded it with the minds of one of the world's leading multi-media companies, and backed it with Sony financial muscle, good things started happening for digital photography. Sony corporate revenue is 10 times that of Nikon and Canon put together, and when Sony shows up, they come to play. I have had an A550 for over a year, but on careful reading of specs and the A580 owner's manual, I decided to upgrade. The DSLR innovations from Sony are beginning to snowball. This camera, prior to the A77, was ahead of every other camera on the planet in three areas that are critical to non-professionals:
1. low light performance - it is excellent out to ISO 6400 (Pros care about this too and it beats the A77 in my own tests.) *Amendment: The word on the street is that Sony is now selling this camera's sensor to Nikon for use in the D5100.
2. fast-focusing live view with tilt screen, which is slightly better than several other Sony offerings and beats all other brands like a drum (the A77 has a more degrees of tilting freedom and focuses just as fast)
3. high dynamic range (HDR) feature, which, for stationary subjects, will bring images out of the shadows with full detail, grain-free, like you won't believe (the A77 also has this)
The A580 has multi-frame noise reduction (MFNR), which will REALLY help out in low light as long as the scene is stationary. Of course, using a long exposure on a tripod also requires that the scene is stationary. MFNR is a selection on the ISO menu, so the camera will optimize the ISO according to the scene. I've become very dependent on this feature when working in a hurry in low light. I set it as a memory preset so I can get in and out of the mode with just a twist of the knob.
The A580/560 has added the video capability that the A550/500 lacked. It shoots 1080/60i, which deinterlaces in a 1080p TV to become 1080/30p and is technically better than what you get from the high-def movie standard of 1080/24p, but is not up to the 1080p/60p of the most recent video cams. It can be very, very sharp according to your optics and your success at focusing. The A580/560 does not focus during video shooting like the A77/65/55/35 SLTs, but it does something that they do not: it allows you to choose the lens aperture f-number. (Higher f-number means a more closed down aperture, means more of your scene in focus, and means you may need more light when you take advantage of it.) The A580 allows manual focus while shooting, but that's awkward without a tripod. On the A580/560, you can zoom while you shoot, but you can't change the aperture while shooting. (The manual is extremely confusing on that point.) With the A580/560, you set up your focus and your f-number before you start shooting. (Use aperture priority and press your still-photography shutter halfway to set the focus.) Then you press the video button, and focus stays fixed until you stop shooting video and change it (unless you adjust manually). Given that this is an APS-C sensor, you should be able to get enough depth of focus to cover most - but not all - circumstances. If you need a lot of your scene in focus at once, the A580/560 is preferable; if you need to follow a objects as they move a lot closer or a lot further away, the SLTs are your best bet. Both designs, unlike the A77, will have a heating problem if you shoot video continuously for more than a few minutes, which most of us rarely do. What I've done with video has looked very sharp. When shooting video, you can't use the optical viewfinder.
The A580/560 has done away with two of the three most-significant negatives that I had identified for the A550/500. The only one left is lack of program shift, although there is a very useful manual-mode shift, which is often overlooked by professional reviewers.
The rest of this review will explain the still-camera features and their associated benefits and liabilities, point out some other key discriminators, provide recommendations for sources of additional information, and offer suggestions for accessory purchases. I'll discuss the kit lens, and I'll look at the A55/35, which I've been able to work with briefly. I'll point out differences relative to the A550/500, just in case you're considering upgrading. Finally, and you may want to skip ahead to this, I'll cover the differences between the A580 and the A560, from a real-world user's perspective.
There are three kinds of potential buyers for this camera: those who already own a Sony SLR or a Minolta SLR, those who own another brand of digital SLR, and those who would be newcomers to digital SLRs but typically already have compact digital cameras. Most of the first group is pretty much already in Sony's pocket, because they have sunk cost in lenses and accessories that they can use on the A580. The second group will be a hard sell because they're fully vested in another brand. The third group is wide open, and the obvious opportunity for Sony's DSLR brand growth. This is exactly why Sony has put so much emphasis on the live view capability. The owners of compact point-and-shoots are accustomed to framing their shots in a video display on the backs of their cameras (live view), and may be reluctant to buy a big, clunky, expensive camera that won't do live view as well as what they already have. This group is also likely not to know that they should care about program shift, even though it can be handy.
I've said that Sony is targeting the DSLR newcomer here. I'm not implying that this is an entry-level DSLR. And speaking as one who spent 30 years with Nikon-professional and Hasselblad film cameras, I have to say that the SLR snobs should wake up and smell the live-view coffee. There are many, many situations in which live view is a vastly superior way to set up a shot. I predict that in five to seven years, all DSLRs - even the pro models - will have live view capability like the A580. It is just ahead of its time.
Several of this camera's innovations fall under the heading of compositing: the generation of a composite image through the combining of multiple, automatically shot, preliminary images. Professionals have always done this on their computers after-the-fact, using software like Photoshop. Now it can be done for three different purposes, very effectively - instantly - in your camera.
So what's the significance of the three superlatives that I cited first?
The capability out to ISO 6400 means you can shoot in lower light. It affords a faster shutter speed that will facilitate the use of longer (i.e., telephoto) lenses, without a tripod, and deliver fast-action shots with less blurring. Alternatively, you can get greater depth of focus and/or get by with a smaller, lighter, and cheaper lens (i.e., with larger f-number). The terrific built-in stabilization, coupled with the low-light-capable sensor, delivers this capability. The fact that the stabilization is built in to the camera body instead of the lens means you can buy excellent, cheap, vintage Minolta lenses and get the full benefit of stabilization. Sony makes their own sensors and even sells sensors to competitors. Given Sony's obvious priority for DSLR market share, they can be expected to hold some things back from their DSLR competition. The combined sensor and stabilization capability will allow you to sit in the den and shoot Fido without a flash. No more pet red-eye! It also means you can sit in your den with the manual (or better yet, with the soon-to-be-released books that I recommend here) and learn the camera pretty much inside-out, working in available light. There is a new compositing feature that adds even more low-light capability for near-stationary scenes: the hand-held twilight mode. This mode, market-tested earlier this year on Sony's higher-end point-and-shoot models, fires a burst of 6 frames, aligns them, and then uses them to reduce both random and detector-specific noise in a composite image with no attendant loss of detail. This really matters.
In addition to near instantaneous focusing (in decent light), the live view screen is bright and has extraordinarily high resolution. You can set up the shot better, you get a better review of what you've shot, and you have a better idea of whether you need to reshoot. The tilting screen allows you to shoot over crowds, shoot over fences, shoot from waist level, and shoot from floor/ground level without having to lay down to do it. It's extremely handy for macro work. You'll also find yourself using the tilting screen in ordinary circumstances. (Some have complained that this camera does not have an LCD readout on top. Read more ›
Long version:
When Sony bought the Mind of Minolta, melded it with the minds of one of the world's leading multi-media companies, and backed it with Sony financial muscle, good things started happening for digital photography. Sony corporate revenue is 10 times that of Nikon and Canon put together, and when Sony shows up, they come to play. I have had an A550 for over a year, but on careful reading of specs and the A580 owner's manual, I decided to upgrade. The DSLR innovations from Sony are beginning to snowball. This camera, prior to the A77, was ahead of every other camera on the planet in three areas that are critical to non-professionals:
1. low light performance - it is excellent out to ISO 6400 (Pros care about this too and it beats the A77 in my own tests.) *Amendment: The word on the street is that Sony is now selling this camera's sensor to Nikon for use in the D5100.
2. fast-focusing live view with tilt screen, which is slightly better than several other Sony offerings and beats all other brands like a drum (the A77 has a more degrees of tilting freedom and focuses just as fast)
3. high dynamic range (HDR) feature, which, for stationary subjects, will bring images out of the shadows with full detail, grain-free, like you won't believe (the A77 also has this)
The A580 has multi-frame noise reduction (MFNR), which will REALLY help out in low light as long as the scene is stationary. Of course, using a long exposure on a tripod also requires that the scene is stationary. MFNR is a selection on the ISO menu, so the camera will optimize the ISO according to the scene. I've become very dependent on this feature when working in a hurry in low light. I set it as a memory preset so I can get in and out of the mode with just a twist of the knob.
The A580/560 has added the video capability that the A550/500 lacked. It shoots 1080/60i, which deinterlaces in a 1080p TV to become 1080/30p and is technically better than what you get from the high-def movie standard of 1080/24p, but is not up to the 1080p/60p of the most recent video cams. It can be very, very sharp according to your optics and your success at focusing. The A580/560 does not focus during video shooting like the A77/65/55/35 SLTs, but it does something that they do not: it allows you to choose the lens aperture f-number. (Higher f-number means a more closed down aperture, means more of your scene in focus, and means you may need more light when you take advantage of it.) The A580 allows manual focus while shooting, but that's awkward without a tripod. On the A580/560, you can zoom while you shoot, but you can't change the aperture while shooting. (The manual is extremely confusing on that point.) With the A580/560, you set up your focus and your f-number before you start shooting. (Use aperture priority and press your still-photography shutter halfway to set the focus.) Then you press the video button, and focus stays fixed until you stop shooting video and change it (unless you adjust manually). Given that this is an APS-C sensor, you should be able to get enough depth of focus to cover most - but not all - circumstances. If you need a lot of your scene in focus at once, the A580/560 is preferable; if you need to follow a objects as they move a lot closer or a lot further away, the SLTs are your best bet. Both designs, unlike the A77, will have a heating problem if you shoot video continuously for more than a few minutes, which most of us rarely do. What I've done with video has looked very sharp. When shooting video, you can't use the optical viewfinder.
The A580/560 has done away with two of the three most-significant negatives that I had identified for the A550/500. The only one left is lack of program shift, although there is a very useful manual-mode shift, which is often overlooked by professional reviewers.
The rest of this review will explain the still-camera features and their associated benefits and liabilities, point out some other key discriminators, provide recommendations for sources of additional information, and offer suggestions for accessory purchases. I'll discuss the kit lens, and I'll look at the A55/35, which I've been able to work with briefly. I'll point out differences relative to the A550/500, just in case you're considering upgrading. Finally, and you may want to skip ahead to this, I'll cover the differences between the A580 and the A560, from a real-world user's perspective.
There are three kinds of potential buyers for this camera: those who already own a Sony SLR or a Minolta SLR, those who own another brand of digital SLR, and those who would be newcomers to digital SLRs but typically already have compact digital cameras. Most of the first group is pretty much already in Sony's pocket, because they have sunk cost in lenses and accessories that they can use on the A580. The second group will be a hard sell because they're fully vested in another brand. The third group is wide open, and the obvious opportunity for Sony's DSLR brand growth. This is exactly why Sony has put so much emphasis on the live view capability. The owners of compact point-and-shoots are accustomed to framing their shots in a video display on the backs of their cameras (live view), and may be reluctant to buy a big, clunky, expensive camera that won't do live view as well as what they already have. This group is also likely not to know that they should care about program shift, even though it can be handy.
I've said that Sony is targeting the DSLR newcomer here. I'm not implying that this is an entry-level DSLR. And speaking as one who spent 30 years with Nikon-professional and Hasselblad film cameras, I have to say that the SLR snobs should wake up and smell the live-view coffee. There are many, many situations in which live view is a vastly superior way to set up a shot. I predict that in five to seven years, all DSLRs - even the pro models - will have live view capability like the A580. It is just ahead of its time.
Several of this camera's innovations fall under the heading of compositing: the generation of a composite image through the combining of multiple, automatically shot, preliminary images. Professionals have always done this on their computers after-the-fact, using software like Photoshop. Now it can be done for three different purposes, very effectively - instantly - in your camera.
So what's the significance of the three superlatives that I cited first?
The capability out to ISO 6400 means you can shoot in lower light. It affords a faster shutter speed that will facilitate the use of longer (i.e., telephoto) lenses, without a tripod, and deliver fast-action shots with less blurring. Alternatively, you can get greater depth of focus and/or get by with a smaller, lighter, and cheaper lens (i.e., with larger f-number). The terrific built-in stabilization, coupled with the low-light-capable sensor, delivers this capability. The fact that the stabilization is built in to the camera body instead of the lens means you can buy excellent, cheap, vintage Minolta lenses and get the full benefit of stabilization. Sony makes their own sensors and even sells sensors to competitors. Given Sony's obvious priority for DSLR market share, they can be expected to hold some things back from their DSLR competition. The combined sensor and stabilization capability will allow you to sit in the den and shoot Fido without a flash. No more pet red-eye! It also means you can sit in your den with the manual (or better yet, with the soon-to-be-released books that I recommend here) and learn the camera pretty much inside-out, working in available light. There is a new compositing feature that adds even more low-light capability for near-stationary scenes: the hand-held twilight mode. This mode, market-tested earlier this year on Sony's higher-end point-and-shoot models, fires a burst of 6 frames, aligns them, and then uses them to reduce both random and detector-specific noise in a composite image with no attendant loss of detail. This really matters.
In addition to near instantaneous focusing (in decent light), the live view screen is bright and has extraordinarily high resolution. You can set up the shot better, you get a better review of what you've shot, and you have a better idea of whether you need to reshoot. The tilting screen allows you to shoot over crowds, shoot over fences, shoot from waist level, and shoot from floor/ground level without having to lay down to do it. It's extremely handy for macro work. You'll also find yourself using the tilting screen in ordinary circumstances. (Some have complained that this camera does not have an LCD readout on top. Read more ›
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Niko B
I previously was using a Pentax K20d body and owned a Nikon D70 and still own a Lumix G1. If you are not familiar with the K20d, it's an excellent enthusiast level camera with pretty much every feature and control you could want. But it is a 2008 model so I wanted to upgrade into the ever changing new technology. The Pentax, like other older cameras is not quite as good at high ISO, low light shots as I would like so I took the chance and made the switch.
The Sony arrived quickly with pretty much what I expected in the box. In looking it over and initial testing, the first thing I noticed was the things that were missing as compared to the K20. I won't try to list the physical differences other than to say the A580 vs the Pentax K20d differences are fairly typical of the differences between many enthusiast cameras when compared to mid-level models (Canon d50 vs T3i, Nikon D7000 vs D5100, etc). The Sony A580 has some of the frequently used functions tucked into the menu rather than having physical controls such as white balance, drive mode, raw, etc. as the Pentax has. At first I was horrified. I told myself, relax, it's Amazon, you can send it back. I then decided to give the Sony a chance and took a look at the manual. I found that Sony has at least put a quick menu button on the back which brings up pretty much all the things you need to the top level of that menu. I thought, ok, it's better than my pocket cam. Another thing I noticed is that some features that the Pentax has buried in menus are brought to the surface with buttons ... ie..a Normal/DRO/HDR button, and a movie record button. It was starting to get interesting.
The final straw came when I took the camera outside for a night shot test (it was late night now). It just happens that there was an opportunity for a shot that I've been trying unsuccessfully to get for months with the K20. Its my cat walking on the landing rail in low light. The poor Pentax K20 just isn't fast enough .. even with my f1.8 50mm lens at ISO 1600 .. the moving cat was blurred and the level of noise was unacceptable. Well here I had that same shot in front of me. The A580 was set to the "Night View" scene mode. I aimed using live view and shot .. I was shocked! The result was exactly what I wanted. I exhaled and told myself, there is no way I am sending this baby back to Amazon. I uploaded the photo to the item description area.
Here I am a month later having dedicated some time to learning the camera. I am extremely pleased with it. It is certainly a different animal than your standard XSi, D80, K7 camera .. you have to learn to take advantage of the mind blowing features like the super DRO mode, HDR, and scene modes but this camera will take photos that are very difficult to get with previous cameras. It is especially good with low light photos with high tech features only Sony offers. The image quality is excellent even at high ISOs. (it's the same 16MP sensor that the Nikon D7000 uses). I am not really big on movies but the HD movie quality is excellent in my view. Even the PMB software that comes with it is very nice.
I give this camera my full recommendation for a camera under $1000 ... and actually I had been considering the Nikon D7000 but now I am glad I bought the Sony A580 instead for half the price. I'll spend the savings on a nice lens.
The Sony arrived quickly with pretty much what I expected in the box. In looking it over and initial testing, the first thing I noticed was the things that were missing as compared to the K20. I won't try to list the physical differences other than to say the A580 vs the Pentax K20d differences are fairly typical of the differences between many enthusiast cameras when compared to mid-level models (Canon d50 vs T3i, Nikon D7000 vs D5100, etc). The Sony A580 has some of the frequently used functions tucked into the menu rather than having physical controls such as white balance, drive mode, raw, etc. as the Pentax has. At first I was horrified. I told myself, relax, it's Amazon, you can send it back. I then decided to give the Sony a chance and took a look at the manual. I found that Sony has at least put a quick menu button on the back which brings up pretty much all the things you need to the top level of that menu. I thought, ok, it's better than my pocket cam. Another thing I noticed is that some features that the Pentax has buried in menus are brought to the surface with buttons ... ie..a Normal/DRO/HDR button, and a movie record button. It was starting to get interesting.
The final straw came when I took the camera outside for a night shot test (it was late night now). It just happens that there was an opportunity for a shot that I've been trying unsuccessfully to get for months with the K20. Its my cat walking on the landing rail in low light. The poor Pentax K20 just isn't fast enough .. even with my f1.8 50mm lens at ISO 1600 .. the moving cat was blurred and the level of noise was unacceptable. Well here I had that same shot in front of me. The A580 was set to the "Night View" scene mode. I aimed using live view and shot .. I was shocked! The result was exactly what I wanted. I exhaled and told myself, there is no way I am sending this baby back to Amazon. I uploaded the photo to the item description area.
Here I am a month later having dedicated some time to learning the camera. I am extremely pleased with it. It is certainly a different animal than your standard XSi, D80, K7 camera .. you have to learn to take advantage of the mind blowing features like the super DRO mode, HDR, and scene modes but this camera will take photos that are very difficult to get with previous cameras. It is especially good with low light photos with high tech features only Sony offers. The image quality is excellent even at high ISOs. (it's the same 16MP sensor that the Nikon D7000 uses). I am not really big on movies but the HD movie quality is excellent in my view. Even the PMB software that comes with it is very nice.
I give this camera my full recommendation for a camera under $1000 ... and actually I had been considering the Nikon D7000 but now I am glad I bought the Sony A580 instead for half the price. I'll spend the savings on a nice lens.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Jerry K.
It would be easier to write this review by stating that I agree 100% with the review above this. I have had the camera about a week and still learning all of the settings - which for a novice takes quite awhile. If you do get this camera - and you should - also get Gary Friedman's Book on the A580. It's packed with almost 500 pages (the online book) of everything you need to know about this camera and photography in general.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very nice camera
The camera now a few years old and discontinued. Very impressed with the camera, but was not pleased at all with the kit lens that came with it. Color and exposure not correct. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Al Fisher
5.0 out of 5 stars
Camera is great
Great camera I have had four Sony cameras now and all have been very user friendly and produce wonderful photos. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Camera Girl
5.0 out of 5 stars
A sleeper of a "gem" - fantastic DSLR with great lens options
Fantastic camera! I compared three different cameras: Nikon D5000, Sony A700 and the Sony A580. One of my main considerations was taking photographs of my daughters playing sports,... Read more
Published 21 months ago by R. Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Camera
This camera has visibly better photographs then its contemporaries in the same range. The different is apparent at low light and high ISO conditions. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Vaibhav Tiwari
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent camera, just 1 feature missing
I can tell a lot of wonderful things about this camera (image quality, quick autofocus even in live view, low-light performance, in-body stabilization etc) and have only 1... Read more
Published on May 19, 2011 by Debora P. G. Saliby
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excelente camara
Enfoque rapido y preciso, el manejo de rangos dinamicos muy mejorado, la funcion de auto HDR y Panoramica es una belleza, adios Photoshop con estas opciones, lo he probado con el... Read more
Published on May 3, 2011 by Claudio Villagra
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sony finally gets it..a580 shines
For far too long Sony has released a series of watered down DSLR's in the midrange until now. The Sony a580 is the camera many Sony/Minolta users have been waiting for, an APS-C... Read more
Published on March 17, 2011 by DCA
5.0 out of 5 stars
No small step forward
This is a great camera for the money. The new sensor has great low light performance and is a significant step forward. Read more
Published on February 17, 2011 by Alan M. Greene
