Test incl. Compared to a55, a57, a65, EOS600, EOS650

Test incl. Compared to a55, a57, a65, EOS600, EOS650

Sony SLT-A58K SLR digital camera (20.1 megapixels, 6.7 cm (2.7 inch) LCD screen, APS HD CMOS sensor, HDMI, USB 2.0) incl. SAL 18-55mm lens (Electronics)

Customer Review

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In a58 one would expect a successor to the A57. That is not quite right, the A58 really more of a successor to the A37. Nevertheless, it has some advantages over the A57. Details below

SLT concept:
Before it comes to concrete experience, advantages and disadvantages, briefly something for SLT-principle:
Unlike conventional DSLR cameras (SLRs) is at the A58 (and the other Sony SLTs) fixed the mirror, but is partially transparent. A small portion of the light is deflected by the autofocus sensors to operate (DSLR typical, very fast, phase-shift system). The majority goes through the transparent mirror through the image sensor.
What advantages has the operation and what new possibilities opened up comes the bottom.

Image Quality:
Very impressive. Super resolution, low noise, high dynamic range.
Significant improvement over a55 (especially in JPG). But the A57, A65, EOS600D and EOS650D superior, although no dramatic differences.
With the Nikon D3200, I could not compare itself, lt. DxOMark or dpreview similar. Level.

Live View (display as a viewfinder as compact camera):
By the SLT concept Live View and viewfinder operation is completely implemented seamlessly and equal rights. Ie all functions are in the viewfinder, as in the LV mode available.
Unlike traditional DSLRs (eg Canon / Nikon / Sony alpha older) of PD fast autofocus, scene recognition, subject tracking, face detection, video etc is in viewfinder and Live View mode available.
In a conventional DSLR That will not happen, since the mirror is in the way and are certain ways (faster AF) only in the viewfinder mode and others (such as video, face recognition) only in the LV mode.
This functional separation has no longer the A58, everything always goes. Taking the viewfinder to your eye is the automatic. activated (sensor through the viewfinder), you take the camera down, the display is activated.

Display:
In contrast to a55, a57, a65, EOS600D, EOS650D is the display not 3 but only 2.7. This is a regrettable saving measure!
The resolution is significantly lower than that with 460k a55, a57, a65, sufficient however completely. (The A37 has with 200k contrast noticeably too little resolution!)
Also, the folding mechanism is somewhat simpler than the more expensive SLTs, but also sufficient completely.
Unfortunately, the brightness controls do not automatically (that goes with the A57 and A65), the readability in sunlight is pretty bad here I take you back to the viewfinder.

Viewfinder:
Due to the SLT concept has the A58 an electronic viewfinder (EVF), so no optical viewfinder (OVF) as a classic DSLR.
The seeker in the A58 is very good (1.4 million pixels, OLED), much clearer and more natural than the LCD-based viewfinder the A55 and A57. The 2.4 MP OLED viewfinder of a65 and a77 is of course again a little better.
Advantage of the EVF (opposite a OVF) is: you can use it not only as a viewfinder, but also for playing back the photos, that you do not always take the camera down to look at the picture. Even in bright sunlight, you can evaluate images much better, because the resolution and color reproduction of the OLED display is very good, and no ambient light disturbs.
In addition to the picture already looks ahead to the selected exposure, white balance, etc.
The desired display in the viewfinder and display (histogram, recording settings, etc.) are separately configurable.

Autofocus:
DSLR-typical, faster phase shift AF with 15 fields (of which 3 Cross) (identical to a57, a65). By the SLT concept but there are also here a few features:
Face detection helps to find the most appropriate AF area when a face is detected.
The motive tracking recognizes now automatic. the size and shape of the subject. Thus moving subjects can be easily tracked by autofocus. That's well done and works better than the A57 and of course better than a conventional DSLR in this price range (eg EOS600D / EOS650D) anyway.
All AF functions are also in Live View fully available, which of course is awesome (with conventional DSLRs one has indeed with the slow contrast AF satisfied).
Smile also there, but that's useless gimmick in our store.

Continuous:
Sony brags about 8 frames / sec, but this is a special program with no manual controls. Full manually beinflussbar is the 3 or 5 frames / sec - mode. The works very well and fast, incl. Full-time AF. And: Even in LiveView! The buffer is especially in RAW - recordings however viiiel too small (5 pictures), which is at the more expensive models (A57 / A65) significantly better. When the buffer is full just needs are always written on the SD card and the frame rate is reduced accordingly.
In 3 frames / sec mode which is quite ok, the 5 frames / sec is alleridngs very disturbing.
Okay - a EOS in the price range can anyway no longer, but compared to a a57 or a65 a58 is very weak here.

Video:
As mentioned above, the A58 also filming in the viewfinder mode in bright conditions or when a heavy lens it has helpful. Again, the a58 full AF incl. Motiverfolgung etc (see above) is available! (How quickly and smoothly adjusts the AF, you can adjust the menu. As a result of the AF is significantly less hectic than at the A55 and also pumping less back and forth as the contrast AF of Canon / Nikon)
Note, however, that many older Sony lenses (or even Sigma, Tamron, Minolta) use the camera's internal AF motor. That's a bit noisy and therefore may also be heard in the video. Anyone who uses the A58 much video should a modern lens with built. Motor use (indicated by the addition SAM).

Image Stabilization:
The A58 has - unlike most of its competitors - the stability in the body.
Has both its advantages and disadvantages:
With the built-in stabilizer all lenses, including primes will have the most no built stabilizer, stabilized.
Disadvantage is that it only works when triggered and not while looking through the viewfinder. At high focal lengths, it can therefore be shaky.

Operation / entry-friendliness:
Already described above, continuously receives the image sensor yes Signal (ie screen), characterized the camera is able to evaluate the complete picture. The Sony used to detect and automatic to the scene. the right motive program (portrait, landscape, night portrait, HDR, etc.) to select.
For beginners this is certainly helpful, but I used mostly A, S or P so I can not say much to how solid the autom. Detection works.

The Auto. Portrait-cutting of the A57 is now expanded for other scenes (single-Portrait, Portrait twos, moving scene, macro). That is, the camera cuts (when one of said scenes recognizes) the image automatic. in order to obtain a good composition. But are always stored both images, so original and tailored by the camera.
The one may smile at as a gimmick but it often brings remarkably good results and is simply fascinating.

I need everything not, I find important:
All all important settings are shown on the right and left of the image and also right there you can find / change settings through the Fn key. That is perfect.

Some keys can be user-defined changes function to get quick access to certain functions. Unfortunately, you can just the? Key not show (a kind of online help with tips for beginners) differently. Too bad.

Other:
- GPS - In contrast to the a55 and a65, the a58 unfortunately no integrated GPS receiver.
- Sweep Panorama - This is fun and gives surprisingly great results: Simply hold down the shutter button and swing. The camera takes very fast, a lot of pictures in a row (while swings) and offset the automatic. The subsequent joining by engraving software is eliminated. Works extremely easy and very good.
The 3D version of the Sweep Panorama Sony has saved, there are only in the better models.
- HDR - Here, the camera takes 3 pictures with different exposures and charged it to an HDR image. In Advanced Auto mode the camera detects Auto. when HDR would be useful, but you can of course choose manually.
Nice to have, but you need hardly
- DRO - Here Camera lightens dark (if necessary) areas in order to give them more drawing. Useful.
- Multi-frame Noise reducion: Here, the camera takes 6 pictures in quick succession and charged it to an image to the noise reducing. Bring good an ISO level, so an image with multi-frame NR at ISO 6400 noise is from her as about ISO 3000th
Even if the camera the images extremely fast receives succession, the subject is not allowed to move naturally. So for no flash-in-Museum optimal for children playing, of course not.
- Lens Correction: Many Sony lenses distortion, vignetting, CA are corrected regarding etc Camera internally.. Only weird is the distortion by default, you should enable quiet. Works well.
- Focus Peaking: I love the function now: In order to facilitate manual focusing (at Macro shots useful) the sharp areas highlighted. So you can very precisely focusing. (This also works in video mode)
- In M mode, ISO Auto is finally available. That means you can specify Aperture and shutter speed and the camera selects the appropriate ISO.
- Built-in wireless flash feature for off-camera flash

Criticisms:
- Far too small buffer to make sense with the fast continuous shooting (5 or 8 frames / sec) to work
- Display with 2.7 small, poorly resolved and too weak in the sunshine. Display brightness regulates itself automatically.
- Infrared remote control is not supported (* see note.)
- Not as a kit with the 18-135 mm lens SAM (meaningful universal Zoom!) Or available as a pure housing. So you buy possibly an unused with 18-55. Illogical.

Conclusion:
For the price an absolutely sensational camera!
I'd prefer a EOS1100D / EOS600 / EOS650D or 3200D clearly.
A a65 however due to the better viewfinder, better displays and larger buffer the Surcharge quite value.

Addendum 05.05.2014:
There is now an app for Android with which you can control your camera remotely. Perfect as an alternative to the remote control. With Sony's App of the newer cameras also wirelessly transmits the viewfinder image on your mobile phone etc because you can not compare snatürlich. But after all, you need to buy so no remote control.

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