Sony A580- Popularity

You can't help but wonder if Sony put the low quality OVF onthe A580 with the intent of showing how much better the EVF is by comparison. An A700 quality VF might harm their EVF comparison. In fairness though, the pentaprism VF is a more expensive option than pentamirror design.
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Dave

dlkeller said:

You can't help but wonder if Sony put the low quality OVF onthe A580 with the intent of showing how much better the EVF is by comparison. An A700 quality VF might harm their EVF comparison. In fairness though, the pentaprism VF is a more expensive option than pentamirror design.
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Dave

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In fairness, there needs to be a place to put the PCAF LV sensor.

These SNE conspiracy theories are hilarious.

TF

My comment was largely tongue in cheeek although Sony has made it clear their future is the SLT. I really wonder why they even bothered releasing the A580, although I'm glad they did. It gives a choice which I strongly wish would be continued with the A7X release.
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Dave

If I have to decide between an A55 or an A580 I buy an A580. The same situation if they give me a choise between an A77 and an A750. That's the reason Sony is not going to sell an A750. Because they want people to either to buy the A77 with EVF or to buy a Nikon or Pentax with the same 24 MP's Sony APS-C sensor but with an OVF. Nikon has good lenses, buy I am going to buy the Pentax because of its in-body stabilization system.

That does not make sense, why would Sony want people to the A77 or a Nikon.

Obviously democratic that people buy A55 instead of A580 although dictators say they have to use OVF.

I can't help, I am an EVF fan although I had to use OVF the last five years.

i purchased the a500, new, a few months ago at a really great price $429. (used savings to purchase a new lens) as someone with a limited budget i won't seriously be considering an a580 unless i become greatly dissasified with the perfomance in certain situations with my a500.

then there is the a55. a replacement would be between the a55 and the a580. i look on the forums for photos that have been taken by users of these cameras and the a580 is outnumbered in number of examples by far. if i miss a potentially great shot because the low light performance of my present camera is lacking and i've seen examples of great low light performance from an a580, thats when the temptation to get it starts. when the a580 users show more examples my opinion might change, but for now i would probably get the a55 if i wanted a new camera.

Actually, Sony is the dictator here--dictating we either buy A77 SLT or leave. All we ask for is choice and have no problems at all with those who like SLT cameras. Given SLT or tunnel vision OVF I can see attraction of SLT. Given SLT vs good pentaprism OVF I prefer the OVF, at least so far. Am still withholding judgement until I look through A77 VF.
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Dave

It's hard to show examples when the cameras simply are not available. Actually, I feel the difference in picture quality is pretty slight with just a small edge going to the A580--it's largely a matter of personal preferance between OVF vs EVF.
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Dave

In a democracy you have a choise. If you want an OVF youi buy an A560. If you want an EVF you buy an A33. Or you buy an A580 (OVF) or an A55 (EVF). But in the case of the new "A77" (EVF) is either you buy an A77, or you buy an OVF camera from another brand.

Agree 100%. Although the photoquality of the A580 is better in most situations because is not loosing light to the translucent mirror, or having a translucent mirror creating reflection ghosts, don't have the problem with purple fringe that the A33 & A55 had, and don't have problems with EVF with a too slow refresh rate becauses uses an OVF, is mainly a matter of preference. If you like the A55 EVF bigger size, or if you like the A580 ergonomics and more accurate OVF.

But... If you are planning to use your camera to take movies, then the A55 is a better choise because its EVF helps the camera work much better in movie mode.

El Profe said:

Since I have a KM 7D, a Sony A100 and a Sony A700, I was hoping for an A750. But since sony stated is not going to make anymore SLR cameras and that all their cameras will be from now on SLT cameras or EVF based cameras I have no other option that buying an A900 before they stop making them, and probably an A580 before switching to Pentax.

As you probably know the new A77 is going to be based on a new 24MP's APS-C CMOS sensor. And you know Sony also sells and will sell this sensor to Nikon and Pentax. So I am going to wait until Pentax releases their K5 replacement camera based on that 24MP's Sony sensor (K3) hopefully in a year or less in order to switch to Pentax.

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From what I hear, the direction Sony is going will eliminate it from my consideration as a viable system. I haven't heard any suggestion that Pentax... or Nikon or Canon... are planning on this "mirrorless" direction... in fact, I know that Canon tried it years ago, and tossed in the towel. No one here seems to honestly consider that fact when they expound on their love for the new Sony technology.

So, as much as it pains me, I am finding myself considering Pentax more and more. The only thing that keeps me here now is the CZ16-80, for it is an amazingly sharp, image-creating piece of glass. Now that Canon has a 15-85 IS lens, maybe that is another way I can consider going... although, I have not always been fond of Canon colours, their latest offerings haven't produced bad results.

I guess, like others here, I see that Sony has left the road I am comfortable with, and headed off to parts unknown.

For those who say that the Transluscent system "doesn't affect it too much", that is fine, but I find even putting a filter on a lens affects its quality somewhat, and sometimes too much for me, so I leave it off. And I usually buy higher end filters, and they are supposed to be "ok".

It is always compromise, I know, but how many compromises are simply too much?

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Gil
Sardis, BC
Canada

El Profe said:

But... If you are planning to use your camera to take movies, then the A55 is a better choise because its EVF helps the camera work much better in movie mode.

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Said it before, I'll repeat it again.

I have a pretty good, small video camera... palm size, and results look good, even on tv screen. I got it a couple of years ago. Took lots of videos.

I found they are HUGE, and take up a lot of hard drive space, and once you put them on DVD to store, they tend to get totally forgotten and they just take up closet space.

It was a cool adventure, but I take maybe one set of "movies" a year now.... if that! Having a video capable camera doesn't interest me much... I have a little pocket Pentax P&S that fills that need (it is a lot smaller than even my palm sized video camera.). I used it today for one of the grandkids birthday parties... but used my A700 a heck of a lot more.... the video was of the candle burning and blowing out sequence. My A700 was being used at the same time. I have yet to see which sets I like the best...

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Gil
Sardis, BC
Canada

I actually gave them to my brother and my cousin. I was planning to buy the a580 but I am having a second though.

Gil Knutson said:

redhatbert said:

I had a Minolta 5D and a A550.

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If you don't mind my asking, why did you get rid of them?

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Gil
Sardis, BC
Canada

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A few years back I bought a Panasonic 8MB digital camera with LCD viewfinder. Recently I bought the Sony a580 with OVF. I can't tell you how nice it is to have an OVF again. So much clearer, brighter, sharper and true colors. This one factor is the reason I bought the 580 over the 55. Not just the view, the battery life is over twice as good with the OVF. No debate here ...., for me the OVF is the only way to go!

I agree Carl, IMHO the 580 is the best APS-C camera Sony has released to date. They finally got it all pulled together and now they appear to be pulling out of the market to focus on SLT cameras.

Given how good the 580 is one can only wonder how good an OFV a700 replacement may have been...

My thoughts are that 1) availability was limited in Dec/January so word was slow to spread; and 2) a lot of folks might be waiting for the deep-dive review to show up on this site before taking the plunge.

I finally got mine with the kit lens because I couldn't find it any other way back in January. I'm thrilled with it.

Gil Knutson said:

So, as much as it pains me, I am finding myself considering Pentax more and more. The only thing that keeps me here now is the CZ16-80, for it is an amazingly sharp, image-creating piece of glass. Now that Canon has a 15-85 IS lens, maybe that is another way I can consider going... although, I have not always been fond of Canon colours, their latest offerings haven't produced bad results.

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Gil, you might find this thread I started interesting:

http://www.photoclubalpha.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=4730

I have found the 60D colors (I shoot raw) to be good, no problems.

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Henry Richardson
http://www.bakubo.com

I've had my a580 for about two weeks now and I'm working my way through Gary Friedman's e-book on the camera. Haven't really had the a580 out for a real "shoot" yet, but what I've seen so far, it's a pretty incredible camera. The low-light functionality and IQ is absolutely incredible. Friedman calls the camera a "sleeper" and I'd have to agree. I was debatiing the A55 and the a580 and I'm really glad that I went with the 580 - I still like an OVF, but the tiltable digital display is really handy for product shots in my light box (selling off older digital cameras and lenses). I have an a700, but it's just never seemed like a good fit for me, for some reason. The a580 9s nestling rignt in. Been using a Panasonic Lumix superzoom as my carry-around camera, but I think the a580 will take over...

007peter said:

• No Retailer has Sony A580 on display in USA * for people to touch and feel

When I visit Fry's electronic or Best Buy, I see A33/A55, NEX-3/NEX-5, on display. Sometimes, I'll even spot an rare sony dslr but they are usually the older A230, A300, A330 on clearance.

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The local Fry's here has the a580 on display and for sale, but that's rare.

Walt