Sony has been making great strides recently in the camera world with their new NEX and SLT camera lines. These cameras are special because they do something few others can. Their modus operandi is different than the conventional cameras, giving them something unique and different to offer consumers. But what about the traditional DSLR cameras? The tried and true methods that consumers and professionals alike have been using for decades? Sony has begun stepping up their conventional DSLR line with new models. The camera I took a look at was the Sony a580. A 16 megapixel, 7 frames per second, articulating LCD, 15 auto focus point work horse aimed at consumers and advanced amateurs.
The a580 seems a bit stuck in a proverbial limbo. It comes in under the $1,000 mark but rivals $1,000+ cameras from other manufacturers. With a few extra features, it would not just be a “Rebel Killer,” but a “D90 Killer” as well. One of the biggest omissions I see is a top LCD screen for settings. Personally, I hate having to look at my exposure and camera settings on the back LCD screen. I find it distracting to always worry about the screen turning on and off. I prefer to not bathe my face in light, calling attention to myself in a crowd or in a dark setting, unless I choose to turn the LCD on to review my image. Granted, this is a minor annoyance that is avoidable, and will not bother everybody. The benefit of operating a camera this way is that it saves space on the body since no secondary LCD is required. However, that is my #1 problem with the a580. They seemed to have the space for a small LCD screen on top of the camera if they did a better job with the button layout. There seems to be a fair amount of wasted space. If the camera had a secondary LCD on top, I could confidently say it is a serious competitor to the Canon 60D. [caption id="attachment_2992" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Seems like wasted space. Get those buttons in order, and put a secondary LCD there."]
[/caption] Nitpicking aside, the Sony a580 takes some great photos. I enjoyed running it through its paces, and was thoroughly impressed by its color rendition and high ISO performance for a crop sensor camera. The camera handled itself quite admirably in some extreme shooting environments such as nighttime (both handheld and on a tripod) and super high-contrast light.
Field Test
I took the a580 out for some late night shooting and the ensuing diner run. The lenses I took with me were the 18-55mm kit lens, Sony 20mm f/2.8, and Carl Zeiss 24-70mm f/2.8. While using the kit lens, I felt its shortcomings well before anything with the camera. It is your standard fare as far as kit lenses go. In the daytime it will be fine, but it flares like crazy during these long night exposures. I did enjoy the 20mm f/2.8 lens a whole lot more. The Zeiss, on the other hand, really puts the others in their place. It shows why it costs more, and why it wears that Zeiss badge. I did see a bit of flaring with it in one shot under a very harsh condition, albeit it was practically a torture test. [gallery link="file"] As for the camera itself, it is very plastic-y but fairly solid. At first, I did not like the way it felt in my hands but it grew on me. The screen is an absolute stunner. The button placement is ok at best (as I said before, I wish they did a better job with that so they could have fit in a top LCD). Once again, this is a preference thing. The optical viewfinder is ok. The electronic viewfinder is the real standout. Sony has the best Live View system out of all the SLR cameras. It is just as fast as using the optical viewfinder, making the camera easily operated away from the face. This also allows newer DSLR users to feel more at home if they are accustomed to using the screen of a point and shoot camera. But keep in mind that SLR cameras are meant to be used with the optical viewfinder. Even though the a580 has excellent autofocus while using the electronic viewfinder, there is a caveat to it. There is even less viewfinder coverage with the EVF than the optical viewfinder of this camera, meaning you see less of what will actually be in your final image while looking at Live View. Although Sony has your back for when you need to see 100% of your image before you take it. There is a secondary Live View mode, meant for manual focusing, that has 100% coverage. So you landscape folk can still accurately frame your picture and manual focus (with magnification to check focus) on your tripod to make sure you get everything set the way you want it. [caption id="attachment_3055" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="How the a580 has such great Live View AF. A secondary sensor is used down below for focusing while in Live View."]
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High ISO Performance and Noise
High ISO is the hot button topic for all new cameras. There are thousands of people scouring websites for charts and performance tests looking to see scientific testing that shows how well a camera performs in exact numbers. I prefer words. In a few words, the a580 high ISO performance is very good. Now, let’s remember to keep things in perspective; for a crop sensor camera under $1,000 in kit or body configuration, the high ISO performance is great. This is no 5D Mark II or D3s, but then again it’s not priced like they are either. I feel that I tested the a580 in pretty fair “real world” tests. Below are not only 100% crops of the photos I took to show the high ISO quality, but also what it looks like after some noise reduction in Lightroom 3 so it is closer to its full potential. It actually speaks volumes about how awesome Lightroom 3’s noise reduction is. [caption id="attachment_3034" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Before and after noise reduction - ISO 1600 100% crop"]
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[caption id="attachment_3035" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Before and after noise reduction - ISO 1600 100% crop"]
[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3036" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Before and after noise reduction - ISO 1600 100% crop"]
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Features / Intangibles
Sony likes to stack their cameras full of features. Like a T.V. with the latest internet widgets and tech built in, they like putting all kinds of fanciness into their cameras to make them stand out that much more from the others. I already mentioned one of these cases, the Live View autofocus. Yes, it is fantastic. The Sweep Panorama is also nice, just as it is in every other camera Sony is putting it in. Another great bullet point for this camera is its ability to shoot at 7 fps. A sub-$1,000 camera that shoots as fast as a $1,500 Nikon D300s. Amazing, right? Well, yes, but it has a downside. The camera has to lock focus and exposure from the first frame taken, that means photographing fast action and sports will still be easier on a camera like a Canon 7D. But now we are back to the recurring theme with this camera, it is much cheaper than the other cameras we keep comparing some of its features to. Trust me when I say that is a compliment. There may not be any professional sports photographers taking a Sony a580 on the sidelines of an NFL game, but it will suit the average person’s need for speed just fine.
Final Thoughts
The Sony a580 is a fantastic camera. I may have plenty of gripes with it, but I will always have some constructive criticism for every camera. I have very specific tastes, and not everybody will see things the same as I do. My goal is to point out the flaws as well as the fantastic features of the gear I review. The bottom line is that the Sony a580 is a great camera. It is best for a person in search of something more advanced than an entry-level, wants great Live View performance, and the nifty features of a fold-out LCD screen and Sweep Panorama. It currently sells for $799.99 body only and $899.99 with the 18-55mm kit lens.