Sony adds to its Alpha DSLR camera line the latest Alpha A57 camera with Translucent Mirror technology. replacing the one-and-a-half year old Alpha A55. According to Sony, the Translucent Mirro design directs incoming light to the CMOS image sensor and the AF sensor at the same time, allowing full-time continuous AF during both still and video shooting. The DSLR packs a 16.1 Megapixel APS-C Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor and a latest-generation BIONZ engine. It offers an ISO range from 100 to 16,000 and extendable to up to ISO 25,600.
Sony’s new A57 features the 15-point AF system with 3 cross sensor, the newly-enhanced Object Tracking AF that keeps faces or other selected objects in sharp focus and SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization. The camera is capable of up to 12fps high-speed shooting in the new Tele-zoom Continuous Advance Priority AE mode. There is 2x Clear Image Zoom technology to doubles the effective magnification of your lens, which is coupled with Sony’s By Pixel Super Resolution Technology that maintains superb image details, allowing users to get closer to the subject. The A57 is the world’s first camera to feature Auto Portrait Framing, in which the camera uses face detection and the compositional ‘rule of thirds’, and identifies your subject’s position, trimming the scene to create tightly-framed, professional looking pictures in vertical (portrait) or horizontal (landscape) orientation.
The Aplha A57 features the Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder with 1440k dot resolution and a 100% field of view, and a 3-inch Xtra Fine LCD display. The shooter comes with a range of in-camera Picture Effect modes with 11 different effects and 15 total variations, and users can preview results directly in live view mode on the LCD screen or in the new Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder while shooting either Full HD video or stills. It records Full HD video at 60p, 60i or 24p frame rates and provides mini HDMI connector. “Movie-making options are enhanced further with full control over P/A/S/M shooting modes for virtually limitless creative expression.”
The new Sony Alpha A57 will be available in April as body-only (model SLT-A57) for $699 or with an 18-55mm kit zoom lens (model SLT-A57K) for $799.
| Key Features | SLT-A57 |
| Type | Interchangeable lens digital camera with built-in flash |
| Lens Compatibility | Sony A-mount lenses. Operation also confirmed with Minolta and Konica Minolta AF lenses |
| Image Sensor | APS-C type (23.5 x15.6 mm), Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor with RGB primary colour filters |
| Processor | BIONZ™ image processor |
| ISO Sensitivity Range | AUTO (ISO 100 – 3200), ISO 100 – 16000 selectable, Multi Frame NR (extendable up to ISO 25600) |
| Image Quality Modes | RAW, RAW&JPEG, JPEG Fine, JPEG Standard |
| HDMI Connector and BRAVIA Sync | HDMI mini connector (Type-C), BRAVIA Sync (link menu), PhotoTV HD |
| Image Size: 3:2 (pixels) | L: 4912 x 3264 (16M)M: 3568 x 2368 (8.4M)S: 2448 x 1624 (4.0M) |
| HD movie record | Recording format: AVCHD 2.0 / MP4Video compression: MPEG-4 AVC (H.264)Image size (pixels) (PAL): AVCHD: 1980×1080 (50p / 28M / PS, 50i / 24M / FX, 50i / 17M/FH, 25p / 24M / FX, 25p / 17M / FH), MP4: 1440×1080 (25fps / 12M), VGA: 640×480 (25fps / 3M) |
| Electronic Viewfinder | SVGA 1.2 cm (0.46 type) electronic viewfinder (colour), Xtra Fine (1,440,000 dots effective resolution (when viewfinder magnification is set to maximum setting), with 100% frame coverage, five display modes and grid line display modes. |
| LCD | 7.5 cm (3.0-type) wide type Xtra Fine LCD with 921k dot resolution; Tilt angle: downward 180 degrees. Rotation angle: leftward 270 degrees from position in which LCD is facing forward. |
| Other features | Face Detection, Auto Portrait Framing, Smile Shutter, Shooting Tips, Help Guide |
| Clear Image Zoom | Yes |
| Digital zoom | Smart Zoom, Digital Zoom |
| SteadyShot™ INSIDE | YES |
| Anti-dust System | Charge protection coating on low-pass filter and image-sensor shift mechanism |
| Focus Modes | AF/MF selectable.AF modes: Single-shot AF, Automatic AF, Continuous AF |
| Autofocus System | TTL 15-point phase detection AF system with 3 cross sensors |
| Exposure Modes | iAUTO, Flash Off, Superior Auto, Scene Selection, Sweep Panorama, 3D Sweep Panorama, Continuous Advance Priority AE, Movie, Programmed AE (P), Aperture priority (A), Shutter-speed priority (S), Manual (M) |
| Exposure Metering System | 1200-zone evaluative metering |
| Exposure Metering Modes | Multi-segment, Centre-weighted, Spot |
| Scene Selection | Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports Action, Sunset, Night Portrait, Night View, Hand-held Twilight |
| Picture Effect | 11 modes (15 effects): Posterization (Colour, B/W), Pop Colour, Retro Photo, Partial Colour (R,G,B,Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera, Soft High-key, Soft Focus, HDR Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome, Miniature |
| Creative Style Settings | Standard, Vivid, Portrait , Landscape, Sunset, Black & White[Contrast (-3 to +3steps), Saturation (-3 to +3steps), Sharpness (-3 to +3steps)] |
| Sweep Panorama | YES (2D and 3D) |
| Auto HDR | YES (available in P/A/S/M modes) |
| Shutter Speed (stills) | 1/4000-30sec, Bulb |
| Exposure Bracketing | 1/3EV, 2/3EV increments, 3 frames |
| White Balance Settings | Auto WB, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent (Warm white/Cool White/Day white/Daylight), Flash, C. Temp 2500 to 9900K, C Filter G7 to M7, 15-step, Custom, AWB micro adjustment |
| Continuous Advance Shooting | Tele-zoom Continuous Advance Priority AE: Maximum 12 images per secondContinuous Advance Priority AE: Maximum 10 images per secondContinuous shooting: Hi: Maximum 8 frames per second / Lo: Maximum 3 frames per secondTele-zoom Continuous Advance Priority AE mode: Fine: 23 images, Standard: 25 imagesContinuous Advance Priority AE mode: Fine: 23 images, Standard: 27 images, RAW & JPEG: 18 images, RAW: 21 images
Continuous shooting: Fine: 25 images, Standard: 29 images, RAW & JPEG: 19 images, RAW: 21 images |
| Approx. no. of Shots | Approx. 550 shots with Tru-Finder, approx. 590 shots with LCD monitor (CIPA standard) |
| Built-in Flash | Auto pop-up, GN10 (in metres at ISO 100), FOV coverage up to 18mm |
| Flash Modes | Flash off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync., Red-eye reduction (on/off selectable), Wireless*, Hi-Speed Sync.** With external Flash HVL-F58AM, HVL-F56AM, HVL-F43AM, HVL-F42AM, HVL-F36AMFlash control (ADI flash/ Pre-flash TTL) |
| Media | Memory Stick PRO Duo / Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo; SD / SDHC / SDXC memory card |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | Approx. 132.1 mm × 97.5 mm × 80.7 mm |
| Weight | Approx. 539g (body only)Approx. 618g (with battery and Memory Stick PRO Duo) |
[Sony]
