α560/α580 are coming

Specifically for the discussion of the A-mount DSLR range
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bfitzgerald
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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by bfitzgerald »

Uh oh not another "Jessops" only special...sigh...

I bought a rocket blower in there once that's about as far as it goes. I'd expect a few to arrive on ebay though. Again I'm wondering why the minor variation in models..and then I also ponder why a company would release a product (A560 and previous other models) and try to limit it's presence in retail outlets? Kind of like a Kamikaze sales strategy!
So if the A580 is €900 that's likely to be the best part of £800 odd..seems a tad steep for this type of camera.
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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by alphaomega »

Not sure if the A580 has arrived in the shops yet but the price is coming down. Warehouseexpress here in UK now offering Sony Alpha A580 Digital SLR Camera Body only at £598.99 on pre-order. So we have only another £100 to go before I haul out my credit card. Warehouseexpress are even claiming they are official Sony stockist now. I read a translation of an interview with a Sony marketing manager or so in Sweden. He professed the opinion that in his view the A560/580 would be the last OVF DSLRs introduced by Sony. That is another reason why I want to augment my complement of Sony DSLRs with one only A580. Let other users try the SLT concept and the smaller batteries. I will stick with a product that is essentially an upgrade of my A550 with larger sensor, faster processing and DOF preview. I might even try the video for fun. At my age a quartet of A700/A350/A550 and A580 will do me until I hang up my boots.
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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by KevinBarrett »

I could be interested in an a580. Honestly though, as long as I have an OVF in the a700, I might as well let the a55 have a chance as a second camera. I can't wait to see comparisons in IQ between the a55 and a580.
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Allam2009
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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by Allam2009 »

I had a play with a 580 with CZ 24-70 the other week - a great camera for what is being offered and if I had the cash available now I would probably look at this as an upgrade from my 700. Not sure that the roadmap for EVF is a good idea but only time wll tell...

The 580 should satisfy most demands but could this be the last in the line of OVF cameras?
A700 - 18-200 - 70-300G - 28F2.8 - 30M2.8
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WaltKnapp
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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by WaltKnapp »

Allam2009 wrote: The 580 should satisfy most demands but could this be the last in the line of OVF cameras?
Last DSLR from Sony unless they keep the OVF in the FF series through one more round before converting it to SLT as well. 7 series has already lost DSLR.

There is also the rumor of the a77 being a hybrid with 30% of the viewfinder light being optical and the rest EVF. That ought to be a real amusement with the delay that's built into EVF displays mixed with the speed of light near no delay of OVF. I suspect it's just another of the invented rumors to distract us from Sony dropping DSLR.

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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by OneGuyKs »

A580 on SonyStyle (preorder) for $799
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... 1666266160
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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by Scooterman »

WaltKnapp wrote:
bfitzgerald wrote:Evidently the A580 is EU market only? Or UK only not sure.
As the only apparent difference is a few megapixels (unless mistaken) I'd not lose much sleep over that one.
Wasn't the 580 the only one of the two with GPS.

Funny, if so, the US, the inventer of and maintainer of the GPS system and sony leaves off the camera with it :wink: ;-)

Walt
Actually the guy who invented GPS was German, born in Berlin in 1929, Friedwardt Winterberg who then moved to the States and became an American citizen later. :wink:
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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by David Kilpatrick »

The 580 does not have GPS - does it? I was checking all the specs and concluded from everything I could find that the Alpha 55 had GPS and no other camera has it, 580 included. It is not listed in its specs in any advertising or by Sony.

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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by pakodominguez »

David Kilpatrick wrote:The 580 does not have GPS - does it? I was checking all the specs and concluded from everything I could find that the Alpha 55 had GPS and no other camera has it, 580 included. It is not listed in its specs in any advertising or by Sony.

David
look for a "V" on the model number (the A55 is actually a A55V)
And yes, you are right: no GPS on the A580
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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by Dusty »

pakodominguez wrote:
David Kilpatrick wrote:The 580 does not have GPS - does it? I was checking all the specs and concluded from everything I could find that the Alpha 55 had GPS and no other camera has it, 580 included. It is not listed in its specs in any advertising or by Sony.

David
look for a "V" on the model number (the A55 is actually a A55V)
And yes, you are right: no GPS on the A580
If that's true my interest in it just went down a notch. I recall several articles and web posting that indicated the 580 had GPS, a feature I would like for travel.

It seems wrong to include it in an EVF model that costs even less than the 580. Is it possible that an EVF is cheaper to produce than a OVF? Of is it that Sony is thinking that EVFs will burn out in 2-3 years and we'll keep buying new cameras?

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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by Dusty »

The owner's manual for the 560/580 is available at: http://pdf.crse.com/manuals/4207863111.pdf

There's no indication of GPS.

It also seems Sony needs to look at other makers firmware and get their 'wow' tech cameras up to a 'wow' firmware level.

Note To Barry: AEL toggle can be set in the menus, another feature returned.

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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by alphaomega »

Well, the A580 has arrived and I was trying to get a body only version. No luck. Not likely until next year and by then I would lose the VAT back from Sony. Would not miss the opportunity to deny Sony the opportuny to support my bank balance so I went to Jessops here in Glasgow Scotland and got one with 18-55 at Internet prices. As I have the A550 already it took less than 5 minutes to get the settings to my liking. Really an A55O with video, 16Mp sensor and DOF (and maybe a couple of other goodies still to be discovered) Pano? Never mind the smile focusing - Sony delivered with that function on OFF in the menu. They must know it does not work very well.
I basically agree with Walt Knapp
Last DSLR (A580) from Sony unless they keep the OVF in the FF series through one more round before converting it to SLT as well. 7 series has already lost DSLR.
There is also the rumor of the a77 being a hybrid with 30% of the viewfinder light being optical and the rest EVF. That ought to be a real amusement with the delay that's built into EVF displays mixed with the speed of light near no delay of OVF. I suspect it's just another of the invented rumors to distract us from Sony dropping DSLR.

I am not into FF so this is a precautionary move on my part. This will see me equipped with quality Sony real DSLRs for a long time - nearly new A700, A350 and A550 and now a shining new A580 - and all with the same battery. Whatever Barry thinks, these are not bad cameras as long as you know their limitations. At least they are fine for me. Next step is getting the new Tamron 70-300. Intro2020 do not know when the Sony version will arrive. That will then be me fixed up for years to come.
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bfitzgerald
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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by bfitzgerald »

Dusty wrote:The owner's manual for the 560/580 is available at: http://pdf.crse.com/manuals/4207863111.pdf

Note To Barry: AEL toggle can be set in the menus, another feature returned.
Dusty
Unless I read it wrong it's simply a choice of AEL hold or toggle..so you can hold it to get AEL and keep it pressed until you want, or have it on the toggle setting which is just one press. This is present on just about all Sony models I believe. It's not AEL Spot toggle which lets you set the AEL button to spot metering, which was a very handy feature.

From what I can see the "stuff that is back" is:
MLU
DOF preview
Lens release lock on/off

The "didn't make it" stuff:
P shift
AEL spot toggle
DMF
No ISO display in the viewfinder even with button pressed (sigh again..)
I also note the A560 is limited in Auto ISO to 200-1600 and the A580 from 100-1600

Not that I care any more as I got just about all that stuff in my recent purchase (bar AEL spot toggle), and a whole lot more customisation which I find very useful and liberating. As it is if Sony had put the A560 out there a month of so back for a not bad price I would have looked at it..even with my niggles and stuff.

The ISO in the VF drove me up the wall and beyond, such a simple thing but it's oh so very useful to see what you are at and to have a user selectable Auto ISO range.
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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by Mark K »

David Kilpatrick wrote:The 580 does not have GPS - does it? I was checking all the specs and concluded from everything I could find that the Alpha 55 had GPS and no other camera has it, 580 included. It is not listed in its specs in any advertising or by Sony.

David
David, if the image quality of A580 is not significantly superior to A55, the A55 is a better choice, isn't it?
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Re: α560/α580 are coming

Unread post by David Kilpatrick »

Depends on what you are doing. The A55 was unable to get optimum pictures of brilliantly lit breakers on the shore with dramatic sky light last week, which Shirley's A550 captured to perfection. The light just bounced around too much inside the camera.

Mainly, I'm thinking the A580 would be a good replacement for the A550 to be used alongside the A55.

David
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