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A58 - Really Disappointed with Sony

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Miike Dougherty

Miike Dougherty

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When I read that the A57 was discontinued and the A58 was introduced, I was expecting an upgrade to my A57 and was ready to order the new body from my local camera store. I use my A57 for college football and was hoping that Sony would add a higher resolution EVF. I was also hoping for a larger buffer (vs current 18 full res JPG files) and perhaps be able to shoot at 10 FPS (full resolution, release priority) but not just at the maximum aperature of my 70-400. Instead, we didn't get a better EVF, we got slower FPS, and I don't know about the buffer. Very disappointing. It's a good thing Nikon's 80-400 is antiquated or I would be changing back to Nikon. Is it really that difficult for the camera manufactures to produce a really good, reasonabley priced sports camera that's not $6,000? Sony, you were sooooo close.
 
trust me most of us feel the same way. Its clear its trying to distinguish its different classes of cameras. The a57 was in my opinion one of the best "entry" level SLRs ever made. Im pretty sure the upgrades we were looking for will end up in the higher end models. The a58 is replacing the entry level a37/and 57. I went ahead and picked up an a77 once I learned of the a58 not being anything that I was waiting for
 
Miike Dougherty said:
Miike Dougherty wrote:

When I read that the A57 was discontinued and the A58 was introduced, I was expecting an upgrade to my A57 and was ready to order the new body from my local camera store. I use my A57 for college football and was hoping that Sony would add a higher resolution EVF. I was also hoping for a larger buffer (vs current 18 full res JPG files) and perhaps be able to shoot at 10 FPS (full resolution, release priority) but not just at the maximum aperature of my 70-400. Instead, we didn't get a better EVF, we got slower FPS, and I don't know about the buffer. Very disappointing. It's a good thing Nikon's 80-400 is antiquated or I would be changing back to Nikon. Is it really that difficult for the camera manufactures to produce a really good, reasonabley priced sports camera that's not $6,000? Sony, you were sooooo close.
Click to expand...
A58 is not successor for A57, but for A37. The successor for A57 is still to be announced, would probably be A6x. Confusing, yes, but Sony is consolidating their A-Mount line and giving more bang-for-your-buck for the entry-level model, the A58. Pretty good deal for $599 with kit lens.
 
Miike Dougherty said:
Miike Dougherty wrote:

When I read that the A57 was discontinued and the A58 was introduced, I was expecting an upgrade to my A57 and was ready to order the new body from my local camera store. I use my A57 for college football and was hoping that Sony would add a higher resolution EVF. I was also hoping for a larger buffer (vs current 18 full res JPG files) and perhaps be able to shoot at 10 FPS (full resolution, release priority) but not just at the maximum aperature of my 70-400. Instead, we didn't get a better EVF, we got slower FPS, and I don't know about the buffer. Very disappointing. It's a good thing Nikon's 80-400 is antiquated or I would be changing back to Nikon. Is it really that difficult for the camera manufactures to produce a really good, reasonabley priced sports camera that's not $6,000? Sony, you were sooooo close.
Click to expand...
One thing I'm really confused with some of the complaints with the a58. Do people really buy cameras like the a58 when they own the a57? That would be like buying a T4i when you own a T3i, its going to be a minor incremental update at best.

A proper upgrade would be to something like an a77 no?

I'm not trying to scoff at that legitimate complaints that the a58 is a downgrade from the a57, because it is in a lot of ways, at least on paper. I'm just really surprised that anyone who owns an a55 or a57 would be considering an a58 as a serious upgrade, and in turn, be surprised when it turns out not to be. If that is the case, I think the only real thing to tell you is you're probably not the target demographic(exsisting alpha owners looking to upgrade) Sony has in mind for the A58.
 
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I thought that the EVF was improved?

& the A58 isn't a direct replacement for the A57 but a repositioning.

Like others I'm also somewhat surprised that someone would consider buying an annual incremental upgrade (as opposed to perhaps upgrading to another class of body or if there was a major upgrade).
 
EarthQuake said:
EarthQuake wrote:
EarthQuake said:
Miike Dougherty wrote:

When I read that the A57 was discontinued and the A58 was introduced, I was expecting an upgrade to my A57 and was ready to order the new body from my local camera store. I use my A57 for college football and was hoping that Sony would add a higher resolution EVF. I was also hoping for a larger buffer (vs current 18 full res JPG files) and perhaps be able to shoot at 10 FPS (full resolution, release priority) but not just at the maximum aperature of my 70-400. Instead, we didn't get a better EVF, we got slower FPS, and I don't know about the buffer. Very disappointing. It's a good thing Nikon's 80-400 is antiquated or I would be changing back to Nikon. Is it really that difficult for the camera manufactures to produce a really good, reasonabley priced sports camera that's not $6,000? Sony, you were sooooo close.
Click to expand...
One thing I'm really confused with some of the complaints with the a58. Do people really buy cameras like the a58 when they own the a57? That would be like buying a T4i when you own a T3i, its going to be a minor incremental update at best.

A proper upgrade would be to something like an a77 no?

I'm not trying to scoff at that legitimate complaints that the a58 is a downgrade from the a57, because it is in a lot of ways, at least on paper. I'm just really surprised that anyone who owns an a55 or a57 would be considering an a58 as a serious upgrade, and in turn, be surprised when it turns out not to be. If that is the case, I think the only real thing to tell you is you're probably not the target demographic(exsisting alpha owners looking to upgrade) Sony has in mind for the A58.
Click to expand...
Earthquake, the A77 doesn't have "shutter release" priority. The A77 only captures an image if the subject is in focus. I shot a couple football games with the A77 and this is a real problem. For fast moving sports, you need the camera to shoot the image whether it is focus or not. In many cases, the subject will be in focus by the time the shutter releases. It's a matter of timing to catch the peak action. Also, the 10-12 FPS reduces the "viewing the prior image" effect of the EVF. The A57 is the only Sony that will shot when you press the shutter release regardless of focus. One long shot improvement Sony could make would be not to show the prior image in the EVF after a capture and just continue to view the scene like a movie camera. Perhaps I should be looking into a "Red" camera.
 
Miike Dougherty said:
Miike Dougherty wrote:

Earthquake, the A77 doesn't have "shutter release" priority. The A77 only captures an image if the subject is in focus. I shot a couple football games with the A77 and this is a real problem. For fast moving sports, you need the camera to shoot the image whether it is focus or not.
Click to expand...
I have little first hand experience with the A77, but pg 63 of the instruction manual suggests otherwise.

"Priority setup- Sets whether or not to release the shutter even when the focus
is not confirmed in autofocus mode.
(AF/Release)"

Camera icon menu #3, 3rd item. http://www.docs.sony.com/release/SLT-A77_A77V.pdf
 
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antares103 said:
antares103 wrote:
antares103 said:
Miike Dougherty wrote:

Earthquake, the A77 doesn't have "shutter release" priority. The A77 only captures an image if the subject is in focus. I shot a couple football games with the A77 and this is a real problem. For fast moving sports, you need the camera to shoot the image whether it is focus or not.
Click to expand...
I have little first hand experience with the A77, but pg 63 of the instruction manual suggests otherwise.

"Priority setu- Sets whether or not to release the shutter even when the focus
is not confirmed in autofocus mode.
(AF/Release)"

Camera icon menu #3, 3rd item.
Click to expand...
 
  1. The EVF is improved.
  2. The A58 is $600 on release. $200 less than the A57
  3. It has a better sensor, not just in MP, but in low light
 
tqlla said:
tqlla wrote:
  1. The EVF is improved.
  2. The A58 is $600 on release. $200 less than the A57
  3. It has a better sensor, not just in MP, but in low light
Click to expand...
I think he's talking a substantial improvement of the EVF, yes slightly improved to OLED but you have to look through it to see what the contrast and optics look like- there's more to an EVF than just the pure pixel count or whether it's lcd/oled.

Also the sensor is not improved in low light/higher ISO's that is evident on the samples available already. DR likely will be, and of course resolution.


Yes the price is better but at what cost? That all depends on what a buyer values. There are quite a few downgrades compared to the A57.


C
 
tqlla said:
tqlla wrote:
  1. The EVF is improved.
  2. The A58 is $600 on release. $200 less than the A57
  3. It has a better sensor, not just in MP, but in low light
Click to expand...

What is the 'backlash' with the a58...is there a problem with being able to get a (probably) better image overall with the new processor and more mp's? So a couple less frames a second and a lower res. lcd..i could care less.

Its the final image and being able to capture it. Very little of what i shoot involves the lcd....very little. With some macro work it may be a disadvantage, doubtful for myself though as spot focus on the eyes or wherever i want is usually veeeery accurate.

A better iso performance is way more important than a lower res lcd.The bayonet is metal..cars are 'plastic also...fiberglass ect...the 'plastic mount is not going to be an issue .



I think most of the problem lies within "i paid more for four less mp's and not as good iso'noise performance' that the a58 is supposed to deliver.

No offense but a camera that can deliver a lower cost shouldnt be picked apart. It could be possible at that price point to get better imagery than with the a55 a57 a77 and a65 at 800iso and maybe even 100iso.

Because it has been stated that the a58 is a replacement for both models and as that being the case it is an upgrade....unless you only view your images on the lcd and thats all...no computer no prints nada.

Sony comes out with a low priced excellent(hopefully) camera and people complain? Pretty silly....

Know what i mean? brian /Sony didnt miss the boat whatsoever alot of photographer out there are very talented and knowledgable but do not have alot of disposable income. For them its a blessing. for those new to photography its an excellent choice to learn and grow with.
 
Your upgrade will probably be either a succesor of the a65 or a77. I was quite sure they were droping the a65 to just have the a58 and a78, but now I just don't know what the f... they're doing with their lineup.

But thinking a little bit about the features found on the a58, it is the best bang for the buck for some newcomers and a33/a55 upgraders (not so much if you're using the a57). That plastic mount doesn't seems like a long lasting option if you're using it with a SAL300F28G2 or SAL70400G.
 
I guess Sony just can't please everyone, even at $200 less, eh? Seriously, why don't you hang on to your A57and wait for A65 or 77 replacement? That will be real upgrade for your needs, and for sure it will cost less than $6000.
 
Member said:
cgarrard wrote:
Member said:
tqlla wrote:
  1. The EVF is improved.
  2. The A58 is $600 on release. $200 less than the A57
  3. It has a better sensor, not just in MP, but in low light
Click to expand...
I think he's talking a substantial improvement of the EVF, yes slightly improved to OLED but you have to look through it to see what the contrast and optics look like- there's more to an EVF than just the pure pixel count or whether it's lcd/oled.

Also the sensor is not improved in low light/higher ISO's that is evident on the samples available already. DR likely will be, and of course resolution.

Yes the price is better but at what cost? That all depends on what a buyer values. There are quite a few downgrades compared to the A57.

C
Click to expand...
 
Seems like you already have the better camera. Besides, what is lacking from the A57 that you were looking for an upgrade?
 
Miike Dougherty said:
Miike Dougherty wrote:

When I read that the A57 was discontinued and the A58 was introduced, I was expecting an upgrade to my A57 and was ready to order the new body from my local camera store. I use my A57 for college football and was hoping that Sony would add a higher resolution EVF. I was also hoping for a larger buffer (vs current 18 full res JPG files) and perhaps be able to shoot at 10 FPS (full resolution, release priority) but not just at the maximum aperature of my 70-400. Instead, we didn't get a better EVF, we got slower FPS, and I don't know about the buffer. Very disappointing. It's a good thing Nikon's 80-400 is antiquated or I would be changing back to Nikon. Is it really that difficult for the camera manufactures to produce a really good, reasonabley priced sports camera that's not $6,000? Sony, you were sooooo close.
Click to expand...
Well, Sony wants us to get the higher models (for A57 not A58 but A77)...that's why Sony does not offer a good firmware update for A77 thinking..."...I offer A58 a step back (little step) so A57 owners will want to get higher just they have to buy A77 so I (Sony) don't have to develop a new formware for A77 but can develop a new camera (a78) and make a bigger profit..." well it seems this works this way

If a new model (A78) appears A77 wil be no more supported (I think) and if the A57 owner would like to go up, he'll have to get A77 so Sony is not affraid that selling A77 stops...and that's why Sony may not support A77 with newer formware...

This is just my opinion.
 
Member said:
cgarrard wrote:
Click to expand...
Member said:
Yes the price is better but at what cost? That all depends on what a buyer values. There are quite a few downgrades compared to the A57.
Click to expand...
Correct, because as others have said, "A58 is not successor for A57, but for A37. The successor for A57 is still to be announced, would probably be A6x. Confusing, yes, but Sony is consolidating their A-Mount line and giving more bang-for-your-buck for the entry-level model, the A58. Pretty good deal for $599 with kit lens."

I guess that if Sony had named this model A48 we wouldn't be having all these complaints...

A37 users should upgrade to the A58, whereas A57 users should aim to the upcoming A6x.
 
Member said:
cgarrard wrote:
Member said:
tqlla wrote:
  1. The EVF is improved.
  2. The A58 is $600 on release. $200 less than the A57
  3. It has a better sensor, not just in MP, but in low light
Click to expand...
I think he's talking a substantial improvement of the EVF, yes slightly improved to OLED but you have to look through it to see what the contrast and optics look like- there's more to an EVF than just the pure pixel count or whether it's lcd/oled.

Also the sensor is not improved in low light/higher ISO's that is evident on the samples available already. DR likely will be, and of course resolution.

Yes the price is better but at what cost? That all depends on what a buyer values. There are quite a few downgrades compared to the A57.

C
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Rooru S said:
Rooru S wrote: That plastic mount doesn't seems like a long lasting option if you're using it with a SAL300F28G2 or SAL70400G.
Click to expand...
even with a fully metal mount you shouldn't let lenses like that hang off the camera but let the (lighter) camera body hang off the lens.
 
TrojMacReady said:
TrojMacReady wrote:
TrojMacReady said:
cgarrard wrote:
TrojMacReady said:
tqlla wrote:
  1. The EVF is improved.
  2. The A58 is $600 on release. $200 less than the A57
  3. It has a better sensor, not just in MP, but in low light
Click to expand...
I think he's talking a substantial improvement of the EVF, yes slightly improved to OLED but you have to look through it to see what the contrast and optics look like- there's more to an EVF than just the pure pixel count or whether it's lcd/oled.

Also the sensor is not improved in low light/higher ISO's that is evident on the samples available already. DR likely will be, and of course resolution.

Yes the price is better but at what cost? That all depends on what a buyer values. There are quite a few downgrades compared to the A57.

C
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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