Sony SLT-A58 Alpha 58 Announced Specification and Release Date

Sony announced the Sony SLT-A58 Alpha 58, a mid-range SLT camera with a newly-developed 20MP sensor. Sony A58 will replace both the A37 and A57 models, helping to simplify the company’s lineup.

The A58 has a new 20.1 effective megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, ISO 100 to 16000, speedy 8fps shooting, 15-point AF system with Lock-on Autofocus, an OLED Tru-Finder, and Auto Object Framing.

The Sony SLT-A58 will be available in April, 2013 with a body price around £450.

Sony SLT-A58 Specifications

Sony SLT-A58 Official Video

Sony UK Press Release

Never miss a moment with the new α58 from Sony

Digital SLT camera with Translucent Mirror Technology

• Capture fine detail with a new 20.1 effective megapixels Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor
• Grab fast-moving action with speedy 8fps* shooting and new Lock-on Autofocus
• Shoot and view with confidence through a new OLED Tru-Finder
• Compose like a pro with new Auto Object Framing

* In Tele-zoom Continuous Advance Priority AE mode

Capture every second of life’s spontaneous moments with the new α58 interchangeable lens camera from Sony – with Translucent Mirror technology for speedy shooting and fast, accurate autofocus, it’s the must-have choice for grabbing those once-in-a-lifetime picture opportunities. If you’re new to interchangeable lens photography, you’ll enjoy image quality that effortlessly exceeds your point-and-shoot compact camera combined with premium features you would expect to see in a far higher-priced DSLR.

At the heart of the α58 is a brand new Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor with an extremely high resolution of (approx.) 20.1 effective megapixels. It’s teamed with an improved BIONZ image processing engine for exceptionally detailed, low-noise stills and Full HD video, plus an extra-wide sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 16000.

Pick from the choice of 35 interchangeable A-mount lenses (including two tele-converters) and experience flawless images in virtually any lighting conditions, from dimly lit interiors to atmospheric twilight scenes. Even if you’re shooting handheld, SteadyShot INSIDE keeps pictures crisp and stable, letting you shoot with confidence at slower shutter speeds or higher zoom settings, where wobbles are often a worry.

Unlike ordinary DSLR cameras, Sony SLT cameras use Translucent Mirror technology that directs light onto the main image sensor as well as a separate autofocus sensor. This means that subjects stay sharply focused at all times as you compose scenes with the tilt-angle LCD or through the high-resolution, high-contrast OLED Tru-Finder. Plus, with no moving mirror to slow you down, you’ll enjoy non-stop live image previews during speedy burst shooting or while you’re recording Full HD video.

The α58 is your ideal partner for grabbing the action as it happens – ideal for sports, wildlife or spur-of-the-moment fun with friends and family. Tele-zoom Continuous Advance Priority AE mode brings that decisive moment closer with a high-speed burst of sharp images at eight frames per second. The high-performance 15-point AF system now features Lock-on Autofocus with speedier, more accurate subject tracking. So now you can capture the athletic grace of a gymnast or animals in the wild with a burst of crisply focused images, even if your subject’s moving.

Featured on previous models, Auto Portrait Framing has now evolved into the even more versatile Auto Object Framing – helping you get better looking, more professional results without effort. The α58 judges what is in the scene – one person, two people, even moving objects or macro subjects – tracking, framing and cropping the shot to create powerful, professionally-framed compositions. Thanks to Sony’s Pixel Super Resolution Technology cropped images preserve the same resolution as the original exposure.

Instantly selectable from the mode dial, Picture Effect lets you pick from a palette of 15 artistic ‘in-camera’ treatments, including Toy Camera, Mono and Partial Colour.

Framing, focusing and viewing your shots is easy to do through the new OLED Tru-Finder. This bright, high resolution electronic viewfinder accurately shows the results of adjusting camera settings in real time. Instantly see the result of adjusting exposure compensation, aperture, ISO, white balance, Picture Effect and other parameters before you shoot – not after. It’s a great way to compose the perfect shot with confidence.

The α58 is the first-ever Sony A-mount interchangeable lens camera that offers support for new ‘TRILUMINOS Colour technology** – you’ll experience a dramatically expanded palette of vivid, ultra-realistic colours when videos and still images are played back on any BRAVIA TV that supports ‘TRILUMINOS Display’.

The new α58 interchangeable lens camera from Sony, with Translucent Mirror technology, is available in the UK from mid-April.

**New Sony TRILUMINOS colour technology enriches your viewing experience by introducing a wider palette of rich, ultra-real colours, including hard-to-reproduce reds and emerald greens, into your display.