Not many camera manufacturers can match the competitive streak of Sony, which has aggressively marketed its wares and has constantly matched up to higher standards expected from the imaging world. It has also kept itself abreast of the latest innovations and developments when it comes to the imaging world, what with the introduction of its mirror-less micro four thirds cameras, NEX3 and NEX5. Its range of entry level DSLRs also leaves very little to be desired, which is why it wasted no time in coming up with new ones – the Sony á580 and the Sony á560. The big brother among the two, the Sony DSLR-A580 is a powerful DSLR, with a resolution of an impressive 16.2mp.
Design and FunctioningComparable to the Sony A-560, the Sony DSLR-A580 is made of plastic body but still bears the same heavy, weatherproof body. To add to its toughness Sony’s Anti-Dust Technology helps keep the CMOS imager clean, resulting in consistently better pictures. This technology works in two ways – first a static-free coating on the sensor’s low-pass filter helps repel dust. Then vibration automatically dislodges dust from the sensor each time you shut off the camera. This camera can freeze fleeting photo opportunities at up to 7 fps in Speed Priority Continuous Advance mode. What’s more, Sony’s popular Quick AF Live View system is now more effective than ever. The benefits of live image preview are maximised by a newly developed 15-point phase-detection autofocus system that keeps even moving subjects in pin-sharp focus. Being an SLR, this camera is compatible with the full á range of over 30 A-mount interchangeable lenses of Sony and Carl Zeiss and offer SteadyShot INSIDE. This in-body sensor shift image stabilisation system provides up to 4 exposure steps of anti-shake correction when shooting handheld. As an additional refinement, new Focus Check Live View mode simplifies critical assessment of the finest image details. A real-time ‘feed’ from the main sensor can be viewed on the LCD monitor, with switchable magnification allowing close-up confirmation of delicate manual focus adjustments. To make itself appealing to every section of the society, this camera, like its younger brother, is capable of recording movies in full HD view. Also, owing to the large, high-resolution Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor, it’s possible to capture stunning HD movie clips with beautiful background defocus effects. This camera is compatible both with MemoryStick Duo/PRO Duo as well as SD/SDHC cards and also provides separate slots for the two.
