If you own the A57 you can now update the firmware for SLT A57 at Sony UK (Click here). This utility updates the SLT-A57 firmware to version 1.02 , and provides the following benefits:
- Improved performance of AF in Continuous Advance Priority AE Mode (both Tele-zoom 12fps and10fps) under some specific conditions.
Digitalcamerainfo (Click here) posted the A57 first impression review: “In our time with the camera, though, we were seriously impressed by the A57’s sheer speed. It’s something we’ve come to expect from Sony’s line of SLT interchangeable lens cameras, but you never really get tired of hearing that shutter click more than 10 times every second. That the camera also continuously focuses during shooting (with moderate success) only enhances the feat.”
The camera itself is already in Stock at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here) and in Europa at Amazon UK (Click here), Amazon Germany (Click here) and Amazon France (Click here).
55 Responses
Old news, firmware has been available for over a week already.
hmmm… a rumor of a week old news???
Thanks for using my alias and making me look like a douchenozzle. Jerk.
I would just change your alias, problem solved.
So the mentioned review is already outdated, since we expect with this update some improvement in focusing during shooting in high-speed modes.
Did this update just won the award for being released soonest after camera release?
To me, this sounds like the camera wasn’t performing well enough in the particular modes in the first place, maybe some A57 owners could elaborate?
I should get mine tomarrow, so I appreciate the info!! I’ll download it now so it’s ready;)
Jay
I believe some scenes in the Hunger Games were shot on this camera
That cannot be possible.
The movie was shot last year and this camera did not existed at that time.
i thinks he meant the a55
First it was the NEX-7 and now the A57? Come on…!
That’s correct, but mostly “The Hunger Games” was shot with the NEX-3 and the amazing SEL16F28.
why is it more expensive now… i don’t get it… 825 Euro seems a bit much for the a57
I think the same. The A57 costs way more than a Nikon D3200 which has a higher megapixel sensor, has the OVF with a pentaprism which as per Sony is much more expensive to manufacture than the EVF. I really dont get it. Sony is outpricing themself out of the market.
Why do you only compare features that are important to you? Does the D3200 stabilize every lens you attach to it? Does AF work on movie mode? How many FPS does it shoot? Yes, the D3200 is a good camera. So is the A57. Different features, different price for different folks. Just enjoy the camera that you use. Why put other people’s choice down?
I don’t know if he was putting anyone down.
I think he was pointing out that Nikon is setting prices very low and Sony may need to rethink its price.
Also the new Nikon is reported to use the same sensor as the a77
The Sony a57 is a better camera and you get what you pay for.
the small keyhole evf of the 3200 is nothing to be proud of…
the D3200 only has a pentamirror OVF, which is quite a bit cheaper to make than a pentaprism and not as good. I’m not sure if the EVF is cheaper than a pentamirror, but it is cheaper than a pentaprism, more so with the FF pentaprism especially ones at 100% coverage like the A900 and 5DmIII
@whistler
D3200 has no pentaprism
A57 costs not “way more” than D3200 but just 100-200$. for that difference you are “forgetting” quite a lot of positive specs of A57 which D3200 does not have.
And yes, less megapixel on A57 is the answer on the perpetual nagging about much too much megapixel in A77/A65… now suddenly it calls that 24MP on APS-C is better? common, stay consistent in your moaning guys!
+1
Also the a57 does not compete with D3200…it will be the rumoured a37…
699$ = 825€ ????
Ok, to answer all – A57 has an OVF which Sony itself claimed is too expensive to make and that the EVF should be cheaper – it is not.
The A57 is some 200 USD more expensive – I think its too much, especially when expressed in percentage. The differences get more visible in Euroland.
The D3200 uses a sensor of the A77 which should be more expensive than the 16 mpx sensor of the A57. Yet, the A57 is more expensive.
The A57 does have SSS, which should mean that the Sony lenses should be cheaper as they have no in built OS. They are not.
Sony simply is getting nuts in terms of pricing currently. I simply do not see any reason which would justify it, especially when Sony is having a inferior lens system compared to Nikon and Canon. All this drives people away from Sony, I am leaving after 16 years using Minolta-Sony. Dont like where this is heading with the A-mount. Most likely some boogie-woogie marketing guru in Japan came up with the idea that the high prices will make people buy more Sony cameras than Nikons low priced ones.
So funny… Do you only consider hardware-cost/price ratio when you choose a product? The development of peak MF, multi-frame noise reduction, sweep panaroma, HDR, electronic level, data streaming of 10fps at full resolution with AF, all these cost money. But you just count the cost of hardware?
Well, when I need a new camera, I will consider a product’s functions over its price, but not simply cost over price 😉
LOL, he is probably just one of those Nikon trolls that have too much time at hand.
Honestly I see all of those things as stupid gimmicks I never used. Sweep panorama, built in HDR and MF Noise Reduction are not real features.
I agree prices are high, but all the Japanese companies are raising prices. Look at Canon 5D3 or new 24-70L. The companies are trying to compensate for their losses with higher prices. Doesn’t make sense.
Overall as a Canon user, I’m impressed with the 2nd gen SLTs like A65 and the A57 is almost a 3rd gen. Sony did us right with the new 16-50mm kit and it’s just as good as the EF-S 17-55.
Don’t forget – D3200 doesn’t have in-body AF drive. As for me, ability to use every lens I want(with motor or without it) costs much more than $100
I just tried it today at B&H. It’s a nice compact camera that sits well in your hand, with good button lay out and convenient menu system. AF is quick and accurate, at this price point it’s easy to recommend to an enthusiast. The screen is easy to flip out for low angle work, the EVF shows you what your settings do in M mode.
One thing Sony got right at least is the menu and setting layout in the camera… I had to use other peoples Nikon during graduation and trying to change the WB drove me mad.
I for one do not understand why people keep comparing the a57 with the d3200. If my understanding of both Sonikon models are right, these 2 cameras are of different classes. The d3200 is supposed to compete with the rumoured a37 while the a57 should be in line with nikon’s D5XXX series…
The a77 will be in d300s territory while the a65 in d7000…
A65 doesn’t compete with the D7000. Other than that I would say you are pretty spot on. Oh the A77 sort of straddles the D7000 and D300S, so far as I can tell. The A65 was a bit of a strange beast, but seems to compete in the same space as the A57.
+1
you’re completely right..it’s just because people don’t get their facts right and like to be bitchin’ around. But if Sony releases a mediocre lower entry model with higher prices than their counterparts, I will support people against the Sony pricing logic.. for now let’s wait…
isn’t the D3200 priced on a level of A57?
All they talk about is the speed of the camera. What about image quality?????
I had it in hand and used for 2 weeks already. The image quality is great, both under low and high ISO. You don’t need to worry about anything using its 100-3200 Auto ISO.
Everything feels good so far except 3: no micro AF adjustment, no AF assist lamp, and no second dial. I understand the last 2 are hardware limitation because of product grading. But the first one is just a firmware function. Why not, Sony?
My canon shooting friend drools over what Sony delivers in color department. Sony currently has a great line of entry and mid level cameras that beat Nikon comparable models hands down in performance, versatility and ease of use. Where else do you get super fast focusing live view with tilt screen at 10fps, or 10fps for $800. One look at the number of people next to Sony camera both at B&H is enough to say that Sony is on the right track
The SONY a57 will likely be sitting in my camera bag alongside my KM7D soon. I intend to buy it along with the HVLF43AM flash unit as well. The only thing that I’d like for SONY to make available would be a Vertical Grip with a PC socket for studio flash for this camera. My old Minolta 800si has a vertical grip with a PC socket, and it is wonderful to use in a studio setting. For me anyway, this would be sweet….
I preordered the Sony SLT-a57 and received it yesterday from Amazon. I have used for only one day and I am very pleased with its performance and features. I would like to thank Sony’s engineers for the feature set. These forums are way to negative for me. I prefer to try a product myself. There are far too many fanboys, trolls and people who do not understand that photography is an art form and it is an inspiring hobby or occupation.
I would like to comment on a feature of the SLT-a57 (which also is available with the SLT-a77 and the Nex cameras) that I think is outstanding. Now that I have tried the focus peaking feature of the SLT-a57 with manual focusing I would buy a Sony product for this feature alone. I have poor eye sight and have had to rely totally on autofocusing in the past. I am thrilled to be able to manually focus a subject again. It is like I have received part of my sight back. So I tip my hat off to the people at Sony who engineered this feature. I do not feel like complaining about camera features. I am amazed what camera companies offer in their products and will offer in the future.
*pulls the had off* couldn’t put it any better. Focus peaking is a game-changer for me, one of the things that actually make you return back to history of photography, and get something better than a split-screen in any new DSLR enjoying the pleasure of manual focusing with primes 🙂
I right now cannot wait for collecting cash for my planned brand new manual Zeiss Planar T* 85mm f/1.4 – a lens I would never consider with any DSLR in my price range. 🙂
Got to agree that the a57 *looks* overpriced. I think that it’s not: as noted, there are some fine features that are up-market from the D32000… but it LOOKS overpriced.
For the relatively-new & somewhat naive buyer, the new 24MP Nikon looks pretty killer, in terms of price/performance.
Also, I’ve yet to see the Sony jpeg engine equal the Nikon, so out-of-camera pix are probably going to look better (once both get their fw sorted), particularly at higher ISO’s… actually looking forward to seeing what Nikon’s NR/sensor team does with this Sony sensor!
As long as EVF is not as good as OVF for bright outside action photos, I will not buy a new Sony. The D3200 has indeed the best price and you can better crop out of 24MP than 16MP a good sub-frame image for online or FullHD presentation. If you are on a low budget, D3200 is for now preferable to A57 or 1100D/600D unless A37 will challenge the Canikon’s with a better price (and higher MP) but admin told us this will not happen 🙁
And there is still the Canon 650D/T4i ! Just wait a few more weeks before buying and you will have enough information to chose your new entry DSLR between the 3 brands!
Are you STILL here? If you aren’t interested in buying a Sony, then go and comment in CaNikon forums.
It’s really bizarre the number of people here that aren’t interested in buying a Sony, but still hang around here.
haha yes, I told you I will follow news here till 650D is out… but I am quite happy with the D3200 specs. So, still have to choose between Canon and Nikon. And I will keep my A550 because of nostalgic reasons!
I even bought a Sony bridge HX100V (€335) for conveniences of 800mm zoom … oh God, what an awful EVF is has 😉
But the beauty of an SLT is that you don’t have to use the EVF unlike an SLR. It is to camera’s what the Prius is to cars.
Some people don’t want to be stuck with a viewfinder to compose shots as they get old and wear thick glasses.
It’s about developing new techniques and style of shooting.
Can’t use OVF in video either.
The Sony EVF is far better than what I have seen in m4/3 and this is great new type of camera. I’m a Canon guy and we should all live and let live.
I can’t really understand how fanatically blind fanboys can be.
If Sony brings 24MP on APS-C it means “disaster”, “no way” and “stupid MP-race”. No one of fanboys even wanted to hear to such arguments like cropping, NR-resampling, moiré-resampling etc. Now Nikon is doing quite the same, even on the same sensor from Sony and each fanboy is now happy like a little child getting cute pink pony to his birthday.
I suppose that if Canikon jumping to the SLT-technology everybody will just praise that incredible technology. And the EVF and the pellicle-morror will be called as a tremendous technological progress and innovation in comparision to the old, bulky, unhandy and primitive OVF with flapping mirror…
Crazy, heh?
lol. Yea. That’s truth. Even more: when fanboys jump on you every time you try to say that it’s Sony sensor, not Nikon’s awesome design – and if there’s a fanboy who thinks Sony got anything to deal with their precious sensor: he will instantly correct you to “Sony just manufactured it”. ROTFL.
Instead of enjoying that Nikon get get sensors cheaply from Sony, cheaply enough to put 24 MPx into entry level, they make some ridiculous anti-sony arguments with no point what so ever.
Fact is that Nikon is first offering the Sony 24MP chip at a reasonable price for €600 ! Why wasn’t Sony doing this almost a year ago instead of putting an unfinished A77 for €1400 into the market? And if you argument that the A77 has better AF and video, again fact is that many photographers just don’t need these and consequently don’t want to pay for useless features. Even if I can live with the A77, I pretend that A65 and A57 weren’t needed and should have been replaced by a traditional A600 with 24MP for €600 … and if so, no one would now consider D3200 as an interesting and cheap cam, but Sony made it wrong an even doesn’t seem to use its chance to correct this with the coming A37. High sale figures of D3200 will show this in the months to come ! I pretend this without being a fan-boy of any thing 😉
Why Sony didn’t do a D3200? Probably because they thought that it’s better to couple high resolution to a higher level/price tag. Or probably for some other reason. Sony didn’t do anything wrong, only differently.
From a typical consumer point of view, the difference between 16 and 24 MP is negligible. A typical consumer tends to use it’s camera like a point and shoot, doesn’t print billboard sized photos and doesn’t crop that often (if at all). So it will just be a spec to market the camera. Personally, as a Sony shooter, I like this move from Nikon, since other manufacturers have to rethink their strategies when this becomes a succes. But, it seems to me that you (blabla) just want an OVF camera, which is not going to happen and you know it. So I don’t know what you are doing here until the 650D comes out.
The OVF is just not going to happen if no one asks for! That’s why I am here. Remember that OVF always came with top line cams where EVF came from bridges and the like (bottom line), so in the mind of real photographers EVF is rubbish!
Sony should come again with both OVF and EVF models in the FF world unless they will loose once more a lot of money.
The day the A950 or A600 comes out, please remember that it was ‘blabla’ who made this gem happen 😉
“The OVF is just not going to happen if no one asks for!” – man speaks truth. Beer for him!
I strongly suggest anyone interested in this camera go ahead and try it YOURSELVES! At the moment Sony SLT line delivers far more advantages over the entry and mid level cameras from Nikon and Canon. Try them side by side, the choice will be obvious. Especially when you try applying changes to ISO, WB, AF mode, Drive etc. Do it!
I was planning to upgrade from A55 to A77 this spring. I revised my equipment purchases to A57 and the rumored A9X for 2012. A57 is a sufficient upgrade to my A55 because: (1)some improvement in IQ, (2)some improvement in AF, (3)manual video controls & 60p& 24p , and (4)switchable EVF simulation for studio flash use.
Not to mention the ergonomics, a57 fits like a glove in my big hands, while a55 was a no show for me.
SO, what happened to a57 conversation here? any update?
I’ve tried both Canon 650D side by side with Sony SLT-a57. I prefer Canon for its reliable brand name in photography history; but when i tried the a57, i can’t believed that Sony finally made something different! Really! it’s an amazing camera.