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Review Sony A57 Kit 18-55

Review of SLR camera Sony SLT-A57

The main distinguishing feature of this model from its competitors is the use of a translucent mirror in the design, which is constantly stationary and transmits 70 percent of the light to the digital sensor.

This is quite enough for high-quality photography. The remaining 30 percent is directed to the focus sensor for fast and confident focusing. The sensor of the Sony SLT-A57 APS-C CMOS format architecture with a resolution of 16.1 megapixels, the sensor sensitivity range from 100 to 16,000 ISO.

The camera is equipped with Sony's proprietary SteadyShot INSIDE, based on sensor shift, so that when shooting at slow shutter speeds or using long-focal optics, the photos remain clear. Images are processed by a Bionz GPU.

There are 15 focusing points in the camera, three of them are cross-shaped. The Sony SLT-A57 is compatible with all Sony A-mount, AF Minolta and Konica Minolta lenses. The body of this camera is made of durable plastic combined with perforated rubber inserts. In the hands of the camera lies as if poured. The dimensions of the A57, as for a SLR camera, are average (132.1 mm x 80.7 mm x 97.5 mm), the body weight is 539 g.

The front part of the camera is reserved for the lens mount, to the right of it is the optics lock, below is the depth-of-field check key.

On the handle there is a perforated navigation roller, an infrared remote control receiver combined with a self-timer indicator.

On the top edge, a shooting mode dial, a hot shoe, a stereo microphone, a built-in flash, a switch between the display and a viewfinder, buttons for exposure compensation, ISO sensitivity, and a shutter release in the frame of the power activator found their place.

On the back panel, to the left of the electronic viewfinder, there is a key to enter the in-camera menu, to the right - direct activation of video shooting, next to it - the AEL button, which is responsible for locking the exposure in automatic shooting modes and for adjusting the aperture in manual modes. To the left of it is the digital zoom control key. The navipad wheel, Fn keys, entering the "View" mode and the button for deleting footage (in combination, it is also responsible for calling additional help) are located near the three-inch display.

Its resolution is 921,600 pixels. He has excellent color reproduction and viewing capabilities, allowing you to view the image from any angle. Moreover, it is swivel. However, since the hinge is located at the bottom, this does not provide tangible convenience when shooting.

As for the viewfinder, its resolution is 1,440,000 dots, it provides one hundred percent frame coverage.

The left side of the body is reserved for a switch between automatic and manual focusing when using lenses that are not equipped with an ultrasonic drive and autofocus, a speaker and a button for activating the built-in flash. Interface connectors, such as a standard 3.5 mm one for connecting an external microphone, USB, HDMI, as well as connectors for an uninterruptible power supply unit and a wired remote control are hidden there under rubber caps.

A metal tripod socket and a compartment for a lithium-ion battery, designed to provide the camera with power for 590 frames per charge, are located on the bottom plane. The memory card slot is on the right side. As storage media, both branded Sony Memory Stick PRO Duo cards and the more common SD format can be used.

The organization of the in-chamber menu in the A57 is done with dignity. To tune the system, the user does not need to fiddle with the instructions for a long time or wander for hours among incomprehensible bookmarks and modes. Everything is extremely simple.The shooting setting selector is no less successfully implemented. So, to select a specific function, just press the Fn key, after which a special tab appears on the screen. Here you can already change the drive mode, ISO, metering method, etc.

In this model, the image can be visualized using a liquid crystal display and an electronic viewfinder. You can switch between them either with the help of a special key, or simply by bringing the camera closer to your face. To help the photographer understand why and what he is changing while adjusting the system, a help system is implemented in the A57 menu. It is called using a separate key. In the set of modes, the usual place is occupied by an intelligent machine. In this model, it is divided into two subspecies. The first one is simple, where the A57 will independently select the optimal settings for sensitivity, shutter speed, etc. The second is more advanced, with automatic scene detection and multi-shooting. For example, HDR, where the camera takes a series of three images with different exposures and sequentially superimposes them on top of each other. The result is a snapshot with excellent rendering of both light and dark areas of the frame. Among the thematic settings in the camera, there are eight scenes such as sports, macro, landscape, portrait, sunset, tripod night, night portrait and twilight. The last preset makes a series of photos superimposed on each other, like in HDR, but already from six frames. This method will help, despite the dark time of the day, to make the frame not only less noisy, but also clearer without unpleasant blur. Even such an ordinary mode as portrait shooting is implemented in the A57 in a very unusual way. Here, the camera will frame the picture on its own according to the rule of thirds, discarding the excess and retaining both the original and the processed photo. In order to photograph individual subjects without the use of telephoto lenses, the A57 has a digital zoom. With its application, the image can be enlarged two times. However, the resolution will be lost. The manufacturers did not forget to endow the A57 with a panorama shooting function. It is available in simple and 3D versions. The latter can only be enjoyed on special devices.

To give the frame an unusual look, there are 11 art filters in the camera menu. So, the user can choose the effect of a toy camera, color manipulation mode, retro, soft focus, rich monochrome, miniature and picturesque HDR, which differs from the usual in more vivid colors. There is also a small complex of frame correction in contrast, sharpness and saturation in the camera, as well as the DRO function familiar to Sony. It allows you to programmatically lighten the darker areas of a photo.

Don't forget about manual settings. For those users who don't pay much attention to automation, it will be convenient to use the semi-automatic shutter priority and aperture priority modes, as well as fully manual control. The camera is able to save photos in both the usual JPEG and RAW formats. The SLT camera stands out for its high-speed burst shooting, and the A57 is no exception. This model is capable of speeds up to 12 frames per second, but at a resolution of 8.4 megapixels. Due to the crop factor of the matrix, the frame will be twice as large. In full resolution, the series is possible at a speed of 10 frames per second, and with refocusing for each frame separately.

As for video shooting, the user has two resolution options: 1920x1080 and 1440x1080 pixels, as well as a frame rate of 25 or 50 frames per second. It is also possible to use only manual settings and the imposition of some art filters. Shooting in this case will be carried out with stereo sound recording and tracking focus. The quality of the clips, without exaggeration, is one of the best among cameras in this price category. A bright and smooth picture, sufficient lighting dynamics, and generally good autofocus leave no room for critical remarks.

SLR camera Sony SLT-A57 with a standard lens DT 18-55 mm f / 3.5-5.6 SAM will delight you with excellent color reproduction. Sometimes it is too saturated, but this photo does not lose its attractiveness. The exposure dynamics in the A57 is average. Sometimes, when shooting in bright light conditions, there are still overexposed or underexposed areas in the frame. But special themed DRO and HDR modes can save you from such troubles. As far as the lens is concerned, it matches the kit status. Despite a certain amount of chromatic aberration and blurring of the frame at the edges, it still draws important details well and gives a good picture. By the way, the camera provides correction for chromatic aberration, vignetting and distortion. The camera will pass the color noise test perfectly, up to 1600 ISO the frame remains undistorted. But starting from a value of 3200, the color fades, the clarity of photos decreases.

We can summarize the following. The Sony SLT-A57 camera is one of the best models in its price range. It will delight both the novice photographer and the professional. She has an interesting functional content and excellent performance. Getting started with artistic photography should start with the Sony A57 as the most balanced and easy-to-use SLR camera.

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