Dpreview tests the Sony A580 (there will be no other models with OVF).
You can read the full Sony A580 review at DPreview (Click here). It earns a very high score of 75% and a “Silver Award”. The Sony A55 sister got 76%. That’s a short excerpt of the conclusion: “The Sony DSLR-A580 is an excellent all-round performer that gets all the important stuff – image quality, metering, focus – right most of the time. Whether you like its slightly live-view centered design and user interface is pretty much a question of taste and shooting style.”
At that point I want to remind you that the Sony A580 is probably the last Sony camera having an optical viewfinder. The future is SLT (translucent technology with electronic viewfinder). The A77 and next fullframe cameras will be SLT models. As long as Sony can improve the electronic viewfinder technology that shouldn’t be a problem for any of us!
You can check the Sony A580 price and availability by clicking those direct links: Amazon, B&H, Adorama, J&R, eBay.
And here are the links for the SLT version, the A55: Amazon, B&H, Adorama, J&R, eBay.
Josef N
2 years ago |> “As long as Sony can improve the electronic viewfinder technology
> that shouldn’t be a problem for any of us!”
It is!
i will NEVER by an slt….
good bye sony, hello nikon….
Stewe
2 years ago |People could have more than one system, you know.
Robin W.
2 years ago |Good luck
Stewe
2 years ago |Luck? Where we’re going, we don’t need Luck. He-he.
Geir
2 years ago |No matter which brand you choose, in some years the traditional DSLR design will be reduced to a niche.
No, I don’t think Sony will take over the marked with the SLT. However, they are ahead of the curve.
We will get phase detection sensors on the sensor itself, removing the need for the mirror. Combined with global shutters and all the problems todays cameras has is gone. All the major sensor producers do have pd-on-sensor patents.
Mirrorless cameras will also grow in popularity, Nikon has a camera range in the pipeline that has a smaller sensor than micro four thirds, and the NEX series Sony has have also been very popular despite beeing a very small range.
So the traditional DSLR design will in a couple of years be reduced to those who doesn’t like progress.
cameraman
2 years ago |As long as I can eat a BLT while using the SLT I will be happy.
TnK
2 years ago |The last Sony camera with an OVF is the last Sony camera I will buy.
Shot by scott
2 years ago |this could be very bad…. as IMHO the Digital Viewfinder sucks in the studio. Hope they sought it out in the newer models
Mike
2 years ago |Ive got a55 and I dont like electronic viewfinder they used. I has slow refresh rate and colors are not right :/ If the quality was like in lcd screen that would be a complete camera
yurilee
2 years ago |I think Dpreview are prone to bias….and inaccuracy
An e.g. for “inaccuracy”: if you compare A580 and A55…you find them rate A55′s “performance” lower than A580….yet image quality the same…. how can it be we know A55 has better FPS and worse Sensor performance (From DXOmark)
yurilee
2 years ago |sorry for duplication, please remove this one
Irfan
2 years ago |A55 scored a bit lower in “performance” on dpr due to lower battery life. Nothing to do with sensor performance.
DPR looks at actual images. dxomark is just theoretical meaningless numbers.
Robin W.
2 years ago |A good lens might solve the prob?
yurilee
2 years ago |I think Dpreview is prone to bias….and inaccuracy
An e.g. for “inaccuracy”: if you compare A580 and A55…you find them rate A55′s “performance” lower than A580….yet image quality the same…. how can it be we know A55 has better FPS and worse Sensor performance (From DXOmark)
Philippe
2 years ago |The reason is the translucent miror. It takes 1/3 to 1/2 of the light, so, for an egal exposure, the iso is higher on a a55. And the quality decrease…
Irfan
2 years ago |That’s not what DPR found. A55 and A580 were rated identical for IQ by DPR.
Farshid
2 years ago |I’m sure we will miss OVF!
I hope sony will continue OVF line up. at least, I hope sony put a flip up translucent mirror in new SLT cameras for better low light performance.
Sky_walker
2 years ago |“As long as Sony can improve the electronic viewfinder technology that shouldn’t be a problem for any of us!” – I wouldn’t bet for this. Check your last Poll:
- Sony should keep making cameras with optical viewfinders (25%, 598 Votes)
- Sony should get rid of optical viewfinders (5%, 123 Votes)
Issue with OVF isn’t just the quality. EVF gives superb advantages and in all heart – I want Sony to succeed with it and Alpha line-up grow, but never the less I also want to see the optical viewfinder cameras along with electronic one, especially in more advanced cameras. We got dual or triple releases for years now so I’d be delighted if Sony would keep releasing OVF cameras along with EVF one.
But for now it’s futile hope. In time things might change, but for now it’s the SLT time and Sony will stick to it surely.
mugen
2 years ago |EVF it’s not a problem, they will get better and better, for me the main problem with SLT are some optical defects like ghosts.
If Sony get rid of them they will have winner cameras.
admin
2 years ago |I heard the A77 will not have that issue…yeah!
James
2 years ago |The image through the A77 viewfinder will still not be as good as an equivalent OVF eg. Canon 7D & Nikon D7000.
damiga
2 years ago |so on this tester model that you have been using for the last 6 months… wait, what? you haven’t seen it yet? you’re just talking out of your ass? thought so.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.
Dulaney Ward
2 years ago |James, I am with Damigo on this: what evidence do you have that the evf of the A77 will not be as good as the ovfs of the 7D & the D7000? And by what measure? Just a guess? Just prejudice against the evf?
James
2 years ago |So Sony is going to defy the laws of physics and digitally recreate the light coming through the lens onto an OLED screen that is superior to the actual light? You guys are true believers.
mugen
2 years ago |There is nothing so good in the OVFs in the crop cameras.
RubyStone
2 years ago |The information you get through the Canikon ones will never catch up withe EVF.
Is this right?
Robin W.
2 years ago |Better be, or you owe me a hug!!!
Ahmed J.R.
2 years ago |OVF is one of the only things that remains “Physical” from the old SLRs til the high developed D-SLRs .. it make me feel comfortable
and I’m gettin’ a580 soon
yurilee
2 years ago |Actually since my days using R1…I’ve been missing EVF on my alpha…
The EVF do have advantages on the message they can show. And since R1 uses main sensor to generate live view image…it’s more clear and accurate than the alternate-CCD generated live view image in alphas…
monster
2 years ago |Yes, I still have my R1, and I recall the flexibility of the flip/rotating screen so much. I made many great shots with that camera, and that was before I learned to shoot in RAW.
Anyhow, when I sold my A700 and bought the A580, it was a temporary body to wait until the A700 replacement came out. I have fallen in love with it. Great images from ISO 100-6400 (I have printed 8X10′s). If Sony could make a slightly smaller/lighter A850 with the features (tilt and swivel screen, Live View) and equivalent sensor to the A580, I would jump on it immediately. The ability to control off camera flash groups from in-camera would be great, since I use HSS quite often.
I see the new F43 flash can be set manually from 1/1 – 1/128 in 1/3 increments. In addition, it is dust and weather sealed. I wonder if the F58 will be update to do the same.
Manual focus in video mode is OK with me, because I only take occasional clips during family outings. Cheers.
feedmatekill
2 years ago |who needs that old-fashioned over 50 years old technology bring us big res kick ass EVF-s and in 10 years nobody will remember the classic OVF
(just like the 35mm film and CMOS sensors)
Carl
2 years ago |I’d love it if someone made an affordable digital camera with a coupled rangefinder, and that’s 90 year old technology.
feedmatekill
2 years ago |one more thing, I have heard today (from a Nikon test photographer) that upcoming nikon D4 won’t be a dSLR, he talked about some kind of semi transparent mirror and he mentioned 40 MP sensor with iso over 100.000
so I guess it’ll be a SLT too (with A99 sensor)….
Eric
2 years ago |I won’t miss APS-C optical view finders at all, especially the wretched pentamirrors. I much prefer EVF’s like Panasonic is using in their m4/3′s cameras to those. However, it will sadden me if Sony doesn’t use that beautiful OVF in the A900 ever again.
Matt
2 years ago |Can someone please explain to me: shouldn’t the a580 be able to take the same photo as an A55 in the same light but with 30% lower ISO?
I think it’d be nice if you could flip the SLT mirror up in future models for the best possible low light shot.
monster
2 years ago |You mean 30% of one stop…?
I may not understand enough here, but isn’t 1/3 of a stop negligible if they claim that ISO performance is capable of reaching the hundreds of thousands? Why make such a big argument about this point?
Matt
2 years ago |No, I don’t mean 30% of one stop. I understand the SLT mirror diverts 30% of the captured light to the phase detection sensor, leaving 70% for the image capture sensor.
There are no sensors on the market that can go to an ISO of hundreds of thousands.
My question stands…
Jeff
2 years ago |Ditching the OVF would be a huge mistake and would cost Sony this otherwise very loyal customer. I only use the live view screen for reviewing images, shooting video, and capturing images at angles that make it prohibitive or impossible otherwise.
If their replacement for the a900 has no OVF I will have to ditch my Sony gear and go back to Nikon. I rely on an OVF for 90% of my shooting.
EVF
2 years ago |Doesn’t anyone here use the live view?? I haven’t used the viewfinder since getting my a55. Why is everyone so obsessed with looking through a little OVF rather than a 3″ screen? I’ve had way better results using an EVF – regardless of the quality of the viewfinder because I can actually see what the photo will look like before I take it. Can’t get that with ovf. Especially at night.
john
2 years ago |Holding the camera to your face when shooting is a much more stable platform than using the the LCD screen…less motion blur from body movement even with SSS.
Jeff
2 years ago |Better camera control/stabilization and superior focusing capability are facilitated with OVF.
I get better more consistent results with the OVF than the EVF.
But then, I got my start in film over 20 years ago so it could be a generational and habit oriented thing – though I doubt it.
Using the OVF makes me a more disciplined shooter and I see details that tend to elude me when using the EVF. Plus, movement on the LCD screen tends to make it more difficult for me to achieve the same sharp focus as I get utilizing the OVF.
If Sony (or Hoodman) made a better eyepiece cup accessory than the one currently provided – the FDA-ME1AM (which is pretty weak) – it would make quite a difference.
Michaelt
2 years ago |With APS-C sensor’s, the live view shows between 90-95% of the actual picture, depending on your camera. The OVF shows everything.
I don’t know about you, but when I’m working to get the framing perfect, the 5-10% I don’t see with the live view is a LOT.
Yoshio
2 years ago |OVF vs EVF=Film vs Digital (In the past)
And now it’s all digital
RIP OVF from Sony DSLR
I always love you OVF in a900
SVOR
2 years ago |OVFs! Don’t make me laugh. I am not going to be happy until we get interchangeable 6×6 sensors and ground glass screens. I can’t believe Sony hasn’t announced this for their road-map yet. Don’t tell Fuji though, I hear their next generation cameras will have ebony bodies.
JOSÉ MARIA
2 years ago |I would put a question I have: the fixed mirror of the SLT can not
be a glass for more light to pass through and thus undermining the clarity
and image quality before reaching the sensor?
Besides the very objective, since we use the filter, which is not always the same
optical quality. We may have to repeatedly clean the mirror to
no loss in image.
E
2 years ago |I do hope Sony keeps OVF side-by-side to the EVF.
OVF will of course vanish and die, but atleast it will do it gracefully.
And noone can claim that Sony killed OVF. The market will do that.
RIP OVF
/E
Michaelt
2 years ago |Why would a person want to buy a pro-level camera only to have the image processed through and sensor and displayed on a little, low res screen on the view finder? Why have a viewfinder at all and just use the live view like some teenager taking pictures for facebook with their point and shoot. At least then the resolution would be better.
I started with a D40 and was looking to upgrade. I bought the a580 when it was released, I tested the a55 and the a580 before I bought, the a55 has advantages as a video camera. However, with picture quality, the a580 is way above it. Sony has developed some amazing sensors, a reason Nikon and Pentax are using them in their camera’s.
I plan to upgrade to a Sony FF camera, if the next gen has a OVF. If they go only with a EVF, I’m selling the sony gear and going back to Nikon.