Official A58 and NEX-3n videos.
Sony posted new videos about the new cameras. On top you see the A58 presentation. And click here to see the NEX-3n video. If you speak German you may check out the nice presentation made by Chip.de and ClubSonos.
The A58:
The A58 should be seen as the successor for the A37. If you see it from that perspective the A58 certainly is a nice camera and also priced well. Price for body with new 18-55mm SAM II kit lens $599 but preorders at Amazon and BHphoto will be online on Monday only. I know it sounds weird but the official US presentation will be made on Monday!
The NEX-3n:
The main coolness of this camera is the incredible tiny size (check the size comparison at ePhotozine)! It’s the smallest APS-C mirrorless camera of the world and the $499 price includes the 16-50mm pancake zoom. That’s a good price if you consider that the current NEX-F3 with the less good and much bigger 18-55mm lens has the same price (here at Amazon). Also the body quality has been improved over the NEX-F3 with a less “plastic” feeling.
And now tell us:





A55
3 months ago |Haha, nothing sudden with the vote results.
peter
3 months ago |sure mate, i m not willing to waste 3K for a lens… i found a D800 for 2000K. and if you add 1.2k you will have a nice 24-70 f2.8 … if they r willing to push their costumers away, i will do it, with no regrets!
ruffy
3 months ago |+100000000000
Steve
3 months ago |What lens is 3K?
That rumor is so yesterday…..
The 70-400/f4.5-5.6 is priced just $200 more than the one it replaced or about 1.8k
Beachrider
3 months ago |Au devoir!
DenGen
3 months ago |I must admit, the NEX-3N is so tiny and cheap, it’s almost tempting to buy it as a secondary camera, for situations, when my NEX-7 is too big.
And in addition, the body of the NEX-3N-Kit costs just $150 more than the 16-50…
ME
3 months ago |If the A58 is the successor of the A37, then where is the successor of the A57?
Steve
3 months ago |The A65 is already out.
ME
3 months ago |The A65 has been released 7 months BEFORE the A57, so that I would not speak of a successor.
Wheelus
3 months ago |I have to agree with Sony here. The idea is to keep it simple to not confuse the camera buyer. In fact I think all of the manufacturers have too many models causing lots of confusion. In the case of Sony for APS-C SLT cameras you now have low, medium, and high level cameras. No more low, kinda low, medium and high. What could be simpler for the consumer. And for Sony tooling costs are reduced so maybe they can put more energy into developing Alpha lenses.
Ian
3 months ago |In case anyone is interested – That A58 Video is all filmed in Australia – mostly Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Maybe a promotion for Sony Australia ?
Simon T
3 months ago |If you gave me an A58 I’d sell it on ebay straight away. What a let down from Sony we want a real A57 update please
elipsoid
3 months ago |What they say in the video about A58 is that it is basically inferior to A57, just might be cheaper (which it really isn’t).
The only improvements might be low-light performance and object tracking, both questionable at the moment.
LR
3 months ago |Have you ever looked into both LCD and OLED EVF?
elipsoid
3 months ago |Yes, I did (although it was a57 vs NEX-7). But the viewfinder won’t get me any better photos.
The same thing goes for 20 megapixels. I don’t do hi-res prints, I would be quite happy with 10 megapixels. Just give me bigger dynamic range and less noise.
elipsoid
3 months ago |Yes, I did (although it was a57 vs NEX-7). But the viewfinder won’t get me any better photos.
The same thing goes for 20 megapixels. I don’t do hi-res prints, I would be quite happy with 10 megapixels. Just give me bigger dynamic range and less noise.
Wheelus
3 months ago |What about 20 vs. 16 megapixels?
y2k
3 months ago |For Someone looking for A38 (me!), A58 comes as a great little Gift.(For some one looking for A58 you are Supposed to look at A66 and pay its price . If you’ve ever played TETRIS ,when the block underneath breaks,it feels good and the block above it takes its place.
this is what happened)
-OLED EVF
-20Mp
-8fps or (5 fps at 20MP)
-599$ price tag
-460K up from 260k
-Standard Hot-Shoe
-Multiple Interface Shoe
-Improved Battery (200 shots more) the greatest plus.
-New Sensor!!
But i had hoped for 60p video which would have thwarted the competition)
Enough for me.
Good JoB Sony.
elipsoid
3 months ago |Question – does the standard hotshoe mean I can use my Nikon flash with the A58?
Frank
3 months ago |No. It will fire at full power. There is no such thing as a “standard” hotshoe in reality. Your Nikon flash wouldn’t work on a Canon either.
ethan
3 months ago |You shoot your camera in manual. Yet you decide to let your flash decide how much light you need. Learn to manual flash.
Frank
3 months ago |I don’t shoot exclusively manual, what are you on about??
anon
3 months ago |You can still use TTL, just set EV compensation to -3 or something. I sometimes set my flash to manual mode even it can does TTL just to save battery life. An there’s a standard hot shoe, it’s defined by an ISO. The only non-standard about the hot shoe is the pin-out. The physical of the shoe is standard.
Frank
3 months ago |anon I am fully aware of ISO, the point is that it is not a standard in the sense that you can fit any flash of any brand on it and expect it to work.
Insisting that it is a standard like you are then leads to questions like, would a Nikon flash work on a A58, see above!
It also brings out idiotic reviews saying Sony do not have a “standard” hot-shoe and saying so in every bloody biased review they make of a Sony without giving the positives that iISO brings over ISO.
NONE of them are standard and it only serves to confuse new users.
Wayne Summers
3 months ago |Manual is not so bad. When I had a 58am flash which at the time was sonys flagship model I found that manual was all I used because I did events and used mostly bounce flash. I had to move around a lot and certain things in the environment would change so TTL was not working the way I wanted. It will make you a much better photographer in the end. I use a nikon sb-28 with my nex-6 with a mini bracket or just a pc sync cord in manual mode. To me the correct exposure is not always the right exposure creatively so manual is awesome because you are in control.
Hendrick
3 months ago |Maybe Sony should pay more attention to this guy because, in my opinion, he is a better shooter than Luca:
http://fajarpangestu.wordpress.com/category/project-365/page/6/
Same thing, 365 project, because its so special.
Sorry off topic
decato
3 months ago |Off topic and poor judgment IMHO.
These photos are not in the same league as Luca’s work. Not even close.
Kristoffer
3 months ago |This seems silly:
http://imgur.com/P0lbrJU
Fire1
3 months ago |70-400mm lens with a increase in price and no weather sealing? Sony is starting to loose it.
Frank
3 months ago |Sony started to lose it when the A55 wouldn’t work with studio flash and lacked tethering, then releasing the A77 without tethering.
Actually they lost the plot when they were releasing the A300, A330, A350, A380 and A390 etc., plus all the A5xx series and changing the spec every time. Just like they are doing with SLT, they NEVER learn.
In all this time, they forgot to make lenses too.
ageha
3 months ago |You forgot Sony isn’t a camera company.
Carl
3 months ago |If so, why are they making and selling cameras? I would have thought that was the definition of such a company.
Frank
3 months ago |Canon aren’t a camera company, they make printers.
xxxx
3 months ago |Leica as well, they make money. Hahaha..
Chris K.
3 months ago |The A58 is interesting, given the body-only option should be $500 or less. I have been shooting with my 70-400 and an A65 and love it but having another stop of headroom would really be useful (especially in winter when light is more limited…A little late, Sony.
But with Samyang lenses also makes for interesting indoor photography but I am looking more for the sensor improvements to make it into the NEX line for that use.
Chris K.
3 months ago |And is the 70-400 just a paint job change? The optics look the same. In-lense stabilization would have been super-cool. But heck, the lens has been one of my favorites so glad to hear they haven’t broken what works.
Frank
3 months ago |The SSM is meant to be 4 times faster.
ageha
3 months ago |It’s your favorite and you ask for IS? lol
You know your system pretty well…
Frank
3 months ago |Lens IS is said to be better at longer focal lengths, so it’s a reasonable request.
Carl
3 months ago |Said by the internet echo chamber. In reality, the difference between them assuming equal tracking algorithms is fairly modest.
Frank
3 months ago |Having tested the A-mount Sigma 120-400mm with sensor stabilisation and then OS I agree, I couldn’t tell the difference. But OS is said to be better.
NEXfive
3 months ago |Well, as beautiful as the NEX-3N is, compared to the NEX-5R it’s lacking: ISO 100 & 25.600, Hybrid AF, 50/60P Slow Motion, Smart Accessory Port or at least Audio-in, Remote Control, Top Control Wheel, Fn Button, Wi-Fi, Tochscreen and probably some other firmware restricted features. Not a big surprise the audience here mostly votes for buying nothing or for the Zeiss lens probably to tease high standards
xxxx
3 months ago |Soccer moms don’t usually come here, so the voting result is not surprising. We are not the intended market.
Ambos
3 months ago |Video testing a58, 135mm stf, 70-400mm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BbrxEQXLcU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Mno
3 months ago |Admin,
Any word of a “true successor” for the a57? Perhaps some kind of a65 successor?
SQLGuy
3 months ago |The 3n for effectively $150, if you were intending to get the 16-50 is interesting, but on what do you base the statement that the 18-55 is “less good”? Certainly the PZ is smaller (when closed), which is nice, but most of the consensus on DPR’s NEX forum is that the 18-55 is the better lens.
ageha
3 months ago |The equation only works if you really believe the kit lens is worth the asking price.
glennpok
3 months ago |True that. I’d say the 16-50 lens is just worth $200 making the body around $300. Ebay right now has this lens around the $250 area.
SQLGuy
3 months ago |Just because you feel it’s only worth $200 doesn’t mean you can buy it for that. Having it sell for $250 used on eBay doesn’t make it sell for $200 new somewhere else either. The price is the price. What it’s worth to you determines whether or not you’ll buy it. What it’s worth in general is what other people are willing to pay for it, which is the price it sells for. Right now, if you want to buy a new 16-50, you’ll pay $350.
glennpok
3 months ago |You are correct sir, if you would be willing to pay $350 for that lens. That price is for being a stand-alone item, not in a bundle. Once an item is bundled with another, it’s value is less. But go ahead sir, suit yourself then in pretending it’s just $150 for the body.
SQLGuy
3 months ago |Also, the 3n is bigger than the EOS M in two of its three dimensions, and in volume, so I’m not sure it’s accurate to call it the smallest APS-C mirroless in the world.
ageha
3 months ago |EOS M doesn’t have an APS-C sensor, it has exactly APS dimensions.
SQLGuy
3 months ago |It’s Canon’s version of APS-C, which is a bit smaller than everyone else’s, but it’s still APS-C.
Per DPR (http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canon-eos-m): 18MP APS-C ‘Hybrid CMOS’ sensor
ageha
3 months ago |SQLGuy
3 months ago |APS C stands for APS Classic. If you look at an APS film camera you’ll see Classic, HDR, and Panorama as format options. APS H, as employed by Leica, comes from the HDR (full frame) APS format.
Here’s some detail on this from Ken Rockwell (http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/aps.htm) – note his comment specifically on Canon’s “APS-C” at the end:
Image Sizes
These are the actual image sizes on the negative, W x H. Labs only print about 92% of these dimensions.
30.2 x 16.7mm: The full frame; APS-H, 16:9. This is a perfect fit for HDTV monitors.
25.1 x 16.7mm: APS-C, Classic. The sides are ignored.
30.2 x 10.1mm: APS-P, Panoramic. The top and bottom are ignored.
What’s interesting, and more fuel for your BS detector, is that Canon refers to their 1.6x cameras as having “APS-C” sized sensors, but Canon’s 1.6x sensors are only 22.2 x 14.8 mm, smaller than APS-C. What a whacky world this is when Canon aspires to APS-C!
Frank
3 months ago |Quoting Ken? That made me LOL.
usch
3 months ago |I *might* buy the 50mm Zeiss, but it depends on how much better it is compared to my Minolta 50mm/1.4.
Vivek
3 months ago |With the majority. I will buy none of these. I look forward to something more useful.
Stan
3 months ago |+1
I was hoping for a useful A58, but right now it feels like a downgrade from my A55 that I sold recently. Mostly on the LCD display…
I will of course wait for tests from DxOMark as well as DPR, but right now it looks like I might just wait for A78 no matter what.
glennpok
3 months ago |I guess I will just get the A57 for about $300, body only, after doing a combination of cashback sites, discounted gift cards and selling bundled items.
ArtoS
3 months ago |Thank you ADMIN for your reliable info!
For me is coming new 50mm f/1.4 Zeiss SSM and new flash HVL-20M and new multi-cabel
shamb
3 months ago |If Sony’s strategy is make NEX the entry level for POS converters (and it looks like it is), then releasing an a5x camera (and leaving it as the lowest Alpha camera) makes a lot of sense, and IMO is good for most alpha users, because Sony will clearly be moving alpha away from beginner (no more A2xx, a3x, a4x) and further towards prosumer/pro (i.e they spend more time on A6x/A7x/A9x and beyond).
AG
3 months ago |So the A58 takes the postion of A37/57, but will there be an A65 replacement or are we just looking at 2 models for Sony APS-C lines, A58 and A78 SLT ?
I could accept a more streamlined and focused approach by Sony.
Any rumor source that could be willing to talk about it ??
Hmmm
3 months ago |Two nice low end models. I have an F3, and the 3n is not compelling enough to upgrade, but they did a good job remodeling it. I bought my F3 last summer for a specific trip and it served me well. As for new cameras, right now I’m waiting on the 7n announcement.
butch
3 months ago |can i go to the sony app store and buy a steel mount and have them uncap the FPS to the 10/12 of the A57
maybe i can forfit the kit lens and have that $ used for the better parts and specs
i was so hopping for the A58 but now i feel like i must get a A57 or A65 before they are all sold out
this was to upgrade my A330
Frank
3 months ago |Either would be a great upgrade for the A330. Wait for street prices.
Bosse
3 months ago |More on the Sony A58 new 20 megapixel sensor:
It will have significantly better power consumption which almost certainly also means lower heat generation, in turn meaning lower noise and longer ‘safe’ durations for video.
The sensor also supports an extended TriLuminos colour gamut.
http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2013/02/20/colour-and-power-benefits-of-sony-20-megapixel-sensor/
xxxx
3 months ago |Is this the super reality sensor they talked about in 2011? -> http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sonys-wants-to-create-a-super-reality-sensor/
A99
3 months ago |Some wildlife (birds) pictures from A99 and 2.8/300G – http://500px.com/krzychum , i.e. http://500px.com/photo/25553545 .
Carl
3 months ago |300G I or 300G II? Some great shots there.
Frank
3 months ago |It will be interesting to see what the very soon to be announced D7100 brings.
Stan
3 months ago |+1
It will be either sell my one remaining all-around lens and go for Nikon or stay with Sony and go for A78.
Rob
3 months ago |I wonder how this new sensor will score with DxO??? Also, there doesn’t seem to be any sign that this sensor will be used by other manufacturers (or, am I wrong). If that’s correct, and the sensor is a significant improvemnt, then maybe Sony has decided to go after some market share rather than letting other companies eat their lunch.
xxxx
3 months ago |Let’s wait for the D7100 announcement. Is it Sony or Toshiba who won the contract for the new Nikon.
Steve
3 months ago |D7100 looks like a real nice camera at 24.1MP
Rob
3 months ago |Has autofocus in video mode improved in Nikon cameras? My pal bought one a few years back and was SO UNHAPPY when he found out AF was a joke.
Kursad Sezgin
3 months ago |Seing A58 as the successor of A37… what kind of a marketing is this? Can you think Canon introducing 5D Mark III as the successor of 600D? If A58 is the successor of A37, then it’s price should be well below $400.
MdB
3 months ago |Sony A37 with kit lens MSRP = $599
Sony A57 with kit lens MSRP = $799
Nikon D3200 with kit lens MSRP = $699
Canon 1100D with kit lens MSRP = $599
Sony A58 with kit lens MSRP = $599
You do the math on what it is replacing / competing against.
RD
3 months ago |A37 retailed at $599 with the kit lens although it’s on sale for $499 now. The a57 retailed at $799 and sells for $599 now. I’m not sure how on Earth you figure the a58(or any DSLR) should be sold for “well below $400″.
Twaddler Belafonte
3 months ago |Sad times: NEX-3n, most compact APS-C — NEX has no quality compact primes. lol?
HoHo
3 months ago |Would the NEX-3N with 16-50 be the RX-100 killer? $499 vs $649?
SQLGuy
3 months ago |I guess that depends on how “compact.” The SEL35F18 is pretty small and quite good. The Sigma 30/2.8 is not as fast, but is also pretty small and very good.
Almazar80
3 months ago |Some people have managed to take great images with the lowly 16mm pancake. And they have the 20mm pancake coming out soon.
LR
3 months ago |yes But someway it’s kind of sad using slow primes on such a big sensor. I can take good landscape picture out of my canon s100 or even my phone.
Even though i think Canon failed with their mirror less system, they have a 22mm f/2. I think it win the compactness / speed ratio over the 20mm 2.8 sony.
SQLGuy
3 months ago |Hmm… the EOS M 22/2 seems like a pretty good lens. It’s a stop faster than the Sony and 3mm longer (physically). It has to cover a slightly smaller sensor, but that shouldn’t make that much of a difference. Regardless, if the Sony 20 is good wide open, I don’t see such a huge difference here. On the other hand, if you’re happy with the quality of landscape pictures you get with the pin sized sensor in your phone, you really don’t need to worry about what size lenses Sony has for NEX, though.
LR
3 months ago |Put aside the dynamic range.
You can achieve good pictures with a small sensor if you increase the shutter speed. But there is no way to get a narrow depth of field.
This is the reason why I think it is preferable to take advantage of the sensor and use the narrow depth of field possibility by using a fast lens.
AquilaN
3 months ago |Greetings,
do You know when SAL50F14Z and other stuff would be published at US and JP Sony sites (not only as info at news panel)? I am very interested in MTF and cross out of new lens…but even after an announcement – they are missing at two main sites. I don’t understand why European Sony Sites do not publish MTFs and lens cross-outs.
Best regards, WZ.
Carl
3 months ago |The 500mm and 300mm appeared on the Japanese site on release day, so probably same story with the 50 and 70-400.
SQLGuy
3 months ago |F2 or F2.8, at +/- 20mm focal lengths you’re talking about, at best, 5 feet DOF on the EOS M (probably more) and 10 feet DOF on on the NEX, with 10 foot subject distance.
You can’t have it all. At least not with current technology. You can have a small lens. You can have a big sensor. You can have a fast lens. You can have a small body. But you can’t have a big sensor, in a small body, with a fast small lens that’s long or fast enough to produce thin DOF.
I think you should cheer up. It’s really not worth being sad about not being able to get 35mm/F0.95 on an APS-C sensor that will fit in your pants pocket. Sure, it would be nice, but not worth being sad over that it’s not (at least currently) possible.
SQLGuy
3 months ago |Sorry. This was supposed to be in reply to LR.
LR
3 months ago |Yes, totally agree.
But as an SAR reader, I am hopeful in the future of ingineering and technology
JEFF
3 months ago |“less good and much bigger 18-55mm lens”
This is wrong, much bigger true but 18-55mm is a better lens optically
MinoltaGuy
3 months ago |I am still upset that Sony’s dslr suffers from losing light with transclucent technology, its ISO performance will NEVER be as good as Canikon counter parts…I was going to switch back to A99 but theres just too much detail loss at high iso :-/
MdB
3 months ago |Lets be clear here, despite the name the A58 is replacing the A37 at least in price point. I remember the A37 coming out and everyone having a cry that Sony needs something better to compete with the D3200. Well here it is people! You are getting an A57/65 body (mostly) with improved sensor, higher end AF than its competitors, better viewfinder, much improved battery life (especially compared to A37 it replaces), far better live view than competitors, better video, better body. Here is a vastly superior camera to those entry level crap boxes, where you are essentially getting a higher end camera, with a couple minor things taken out – yet we all have a massive sook fest.
To put it in perspective it is like if Canon took their 650D, put a slightly crappier screen on it and a plastic mount, but with a brand new sensor and improved viewfinder and called it the 1200D – everyone on here would be moaning about Sony not competing with their ‘crappy’ A37 and how Sony are going to sink into oblivion under the weight of Canon and Nikon.
This IS a very smart move for Sony. It is EXACTLY what SAR readers have been suggesting, that Sony needs to compete on PRICE! So they bring out a 650D/D5200 class camera, with a couple of very minor cutbacks and sell it for 1100D money, $100 cheaper than the D3200, with the latest and greatest sensor. Yet the bitching on here about how much better Canon and Nikon are continues. The A58 is WORLDS better than a 1100D. MILES better than a D3200 and quite a bit better than an A37.
Sony A37 with kit lens MSRP = $599
Sony A57 with kit lens MSRP = $799
Nikon D3200 with kit lens MSRP = $699
Canon 1100D with kit lens MSRP = $599
Sony A58 with kit lens MSRP = $599
So could we, for a moment, sit back and say ‘hell yeah! Sony have an ass kicking entry model that competes with the big 2 on price, but obliterates the competition in everything else’.
Then you can go back to your regularly programmed schedule of bitching and moaning
y2k
3 months ago |most here are confused by the naming.
Simon T
3 months ago |Nobody cares about the A58 it’s just another cut down plastic cheap Sony and everyone will buy a Canon 650d which is better built and has a proper swivel LCD.
Sony are no longer competitive in the entry DSLR market they’re a running joke after abandoning SLR’s they’re not cutting back their SLT models to the point they are irrelevant to most buyers anyway.
A57 is the last reasonable price SLT model from Sony that was good. A77 is too noisy for most, A99 too expensive and priced out of the market. Sony are finished in this market it’s NEX toys for everyone next year.
clau
3 months ago |i dont understand why everyone its mad at the a58.
i buy an a57 3 months ago and would upgrade in the blink of an eye “IF” sony had let untouched the articulated screen, not a big fan of the new one.
the price its good, the oled viewfinder and more pixels were the only that keep the a57 and a65 apart, and they baked in at the price of an a37!!!
sorry… but sony take the a37,a57,a65 fuse them and give us the a58 at the lowest price!!! thats good news no matter the angle you look at it.
seems like sony its going low a58 and pro a78 apsc only (maybe a medium a68 30mp) and the ff a88
now, if you ask me… i will put in that mix an a38 (smaller body without evf and fixed lcd) with just a 10mp sensor in a kit with dt 1.8 prime for $399
Frank
3 months ago |The OLED EVF on the A57 is not the same as the A65/77.
butch
3 months ago |im not mad i think its a great entry level body (hard to beat bang for the buck)
my problem is i didnt want to “upgrade” from entry level to new entry level body
i dont need pro but i want more options (mid range was my goal )
knurd
3 months ago |If those are the actual pics then I’m sold.
icancwhatusay
3 months ago |Can somebody please explain the point of the mirror on this camera given that the viewfinder is OLED?