Sony DSLR-A560 Review

Overview

Sony A560
Overview

by Carl Garrard, Mike Tomkins, Shawn Barnett
and Zig Weidelich
Hands-on Preview: 08/24/10
Full Review: 03/03/11

Announced alongside Sony's attention-grabbing Translucent Mirror cameras, the A33 and A55, the launch of the Sony A560 perhaps was robbed of some attention -- and that's maybe a little unfair, because when compared to its predecessor, the A560 sports some genuinely useful changes.

The Sony A560, like the A550 before it, is based around a 14.2 megapixel, APS-C sized image sensor, although it now carries Exmor APS HD branding. Perhaps the most significant change in the A560 is a brand new autofocus system, based around a 15-point AF sensor, of which three are cross-type points. From the fifteen total points, eleven can be addressed directly, and four serve as assist points.

Also new to the Sony A560 is its high-definition movie recording capability, which is fast becoming a common function even among entry-level DSLRs, and an absolute must-have feature for enthusiast cameras. The Sony A560 can record movies at up to 1,920 x 1,080 pixel (Full HD) resolution, with stereo audio -- either from a built in microphone, or an external mic with 3.5mm jack. The A550's Smart Teleconverter button, which simply cropped the image when shooting at lower resolutions, has been abandoned in favor of a new dedicated Movie button.

Sony has also made some useful tweaks to the A560's body design. The Drive Mode and ISO buttons have both been moved nearer to the Shutter release button, making them easier to reach without having to change your grip on the camera. There's also a new Depth of Field Preview button just beneath the right side of the lens mount. The Mode dial is also a little larger, easier to grip, and clicks more firmly between positions so as to prevent accidental adjustment. The various scene modes on the Mode dial have been consolidated into a single Scene position, simultaneously reducing clutter and freeing up room for a new Sweep Panorama position.

Sweep Panorama has appeared in Sony's Cyber-shot and NEX-series cameras previously, and is now making its debut in an Alpha DSLR. The function, which offers 2D and 3D modes, automatically captures numerous images as the A560 is panned across the scene, and then stitches the result in-camera to create a single seamless image. The Sony A560 retains its predecessor's Auto HDR function, where the camera captures multiple images and merges them into one High Dynamic Range image, but now increases the number of images from two to three, as well as the possible strength of the effect, by doubling the step size to create a total range of up to 6 EV in 1 EV steps. High ISO Noise Reduction has also been adjusted, and now offers a choice of Auto or Weak modes, in place of the previous High or Normal positions. A new Multi-Frame NR function overlays six sequential images in-camera, to create one final exposure with about a two stop improvement in signal to noise ratio.

The A560 retains the articulating display screen from the A550 design, as well as the unusual Live View mode that uses a secondary, low-resolution sensor inside the pentamirror, so that phase detection autofocus can be offered during live view. The AF550's alternative MF Check LV mode -- which raises the mirror and exposes the imaging sensor like the live view modes on most other DSLRs -- has been renamed and greatly improved. It's now called Focus Check LV, and offers not only manual focusing or phase detection AF with a brief interruption to the live view stream, but now also offers contrast detection autofocusing.

A few other notable changes include slight updates to the Help Guide function and menu system, a change to Sony's new playback mode, which segregates still and video content, support for the latest generation SDXC cards, and the removal of PictBridge support.

Shipment of the Sony Alpha A560 in the US market, originally expected in October 2010, was postponed until the first quarter of 2011 due to component supply issues, but they seem to be shipping now. Pricing is set at US$650 body-only or US$750 with an 18-55mm kit lens.

Sony A560 User Report

by Shawn Barnett and Mike Tomkins

Look and feel. At first glance, the Sony A560's body is very close in design to that of its predecessor, the A550. Size and weight are unchanged, but on closer inspection, there are a number of relatively subtle changes made to accommodate new features, or improve accessibility of existing ones.

The duo-tone body of the previous design has been replaced with a more professional-looking all-black body, and a slightly more noticeable texture applied all over. It's a change that you'll only notice if you look really closely, and yet somehow it makes less obvious the fact that the A560's body panels are plastic. The shiny black accent strip on the front of the grip, which conceals the infrared sensor and self-timer lamp, has also been given a matte finish along the lower half of its length. Incidentally, the self-timer locks up the mirror first, to avoid mirror-slap induced blur. Just beneath and to the left of the lens mount in the picture above, you can see the new Depth of Field Preview button.

Like that of the A550, the Sony A560's grip is a little odd. It's rather slim left-to-right, and not really deep enough. This impression is increased by the unusual thickness of the body front-to-back. We really didn't find it very comfortable for long hand-holding. Here you see the switch for Live View, in the same location as past models. The Alpha a550's MF Check LV button, which puts the camera in Live View mode from the main imaging sensor, has been renamed Focus Check LV for the Sony A560. The name change hints at the fact that autofocus is now possible in this mode.

Dynamic Range, Drive mode, and ISO settings can also be adjusted on the top deck, and the latter two buttons have been moved closer to the shutter release, making them easier to reach when a quick adjustment is called for. Note the sloped area between the top and back, making operation a little easier from more angles. Also visible is the reworked Mode dial, which adds a Sweep Panorama position, and consolidates all of the Scene modes into a single shared position. The dial itself is a little taller and easier to grip, has a much stiffer detent, preventing accidental mode changes. The top of the dial has been changed from a smooth, screen-printed metal badge to a plastic one with raised, painted lettering. Also visible from this angle are the two four-hole grilles for the left and right channels of the new stereo microphone, located directly in front of the flash hot shoe.

The back view is nearly identical to the A350, except that the Smart Teleconverter function has been removed, and its button -- now silver with a central red dot -- acts as a Movie shutter button. This allows the movie function to be accessed in any operating mode, although ISO sensitivity, shutter speed and aperture for movie shooting remain under automatic control regardless of the mode currently selected.

As in the A550, the Function (Fn) button calls up the A560's Function menu, allowing quick settings changes for common exposure variables. When comparing the Sony A560 to the A550 from this angle, you can just notice the slight increase to the height of the mode dial. The only other visible change that would tip you off as to which camera you're looking at is the new Movie shutter button. Adopting the traditional design, in silver with a red dot, this button replaces the previous Smart Teleconverter button, and has the same shape and positioning.

The tilting LCD mechanism has the same generous angular mobility as that in the A550, able to tilt a full 90 degrees downward, and a little beyond 90 degrees upward. While it doesn't allow for framing of self portraits, it's very helpful when shooting overhead, or low to the ground. A small sensor on the lower right of the Sony A560's LCD can be set to dim or brighten the LCD's backlight automatically when needed.

Looking at the left of the A560's body, you can see the newly added three-hole speaker grille, directly above the forward most rubber compartment door. Behind the compartment door is the other notable change from this side of the camera -- a new 3.5mm stereo mic jack, allowing use of external microphones with the A560. Connectivity options behind the other compartment door include high definition video output, and USB 2.0 High Speed data. The Sony A560, like its predecessor, conspicuously lacks any provision for standard definition video output.

Image Sensor. At the heart of the Sony A560 is a Sony Exmor APS HD CMOS image sensor with dimensions of 23.4 x 15.6mm, roughly equivalent to a frame of APS-C film. The Sony A560's sensor has an effective resolution of 14.2 megapixels, and yields 3:2 aspect ratio images with dimensions of up to 4,592 x 3,056 pixels. In addition to two lower-resolution 3:2 modes of 3,344 x 2,224 and 2,288 x 1,520 pixels, the Sony A560 offers three modes that crop the sensor's output to a 16:9 aspect ratio, suitable for viewing on wide-screen HDTVs. The Sony A560's 16:9 image modes are 4,592 x 2,576, 3,344 x 1,872, and 2,288 x 1,280 pixels respectively.

The imager is mounted on a movable platter, allowing for Sony's SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization with all compatible lenses. The system is unchanged since the A550, and is said to offer 2.5 to 4 stops of correction. The sensor-shift mechanism is also used to shake dust from the sensor, as part of Sony's Anti-Dust system which also includes a charge protection coating on the low-pass filter. Output from the image sensor is handled by Sony's proprietary BIONZ image processor.

Noise Reduction. The Sony A560 uses a combination of on-sensor noise reduction at each photocell location, plus a two-step noise reduction procedure which operates both before and after analog-to-digital conversion, processing chrominance and luminance noise separately. The result is an unusually wide sensitivity range, from a minimum of ISO 100 to a maximum of ISO 12,800 equivalents, in 1 EV steps. Settings from ISO 200 to 1,600 are available under automatic control.

High ISO noise reduction is applied at sensitivities of ISO 1,600 or above, with auto or weak strength options available, rather than the A550's high or normal strength options. Long exposure noise reduction is also available at shutter speeds longer than one second, and can be disabled at the photographer's option.

Multi-Frame NR. The Sony A560 also includes a new Multi-frame NR function, which captures six images in sequence, and then combines them in-camera into a single image with reduced noise levels. When enabled, sensitivities from ISO 100 to 25,600 equivalents, plus an Auto ISO function, can be selected. The function is similar to Sony's Handheld Twilight mode -- which the A560 also offers -- but differs in allowing the desired ISO sensitivity to be selected manually, so it can function even at lower sensitivities. Of course, since it involves multiple exposures, it's only of use with relatively static scenes.

Autofocus. The Sony Alpha A560 offers an overhauled TTL phase detection autofocusing system, which now provides 15 AF points, six more than in the A550. Of these 15 points, three are cross-type points, sensitive to both horizontal and vertical detail. Only 11 of the 15 points are available for manual selection, with the remaining four points not directly addressable, and used only when the camera is set to automatically select the AF point. The new AF sensor has a slightly wider sensitivity range of -1 EV to +18 EV at ISO 100 equivalent, versus the 0 to +18 EV range of the A550.

Like its predecessor, the Sony A560 includes an AF-assist lamp to help with focusing in low-light conditions. Thanks to a secondary image sensor in the A560's prism assembly, Sony is able to continue using the standard phase-detection AF system while displaying a Live View image on the camera's LCD display. Dubbed Quick AF Live View mode by Sony, this is reminiscent of a system that was used in Olympus' EVOLT E-330 digital SLR, but with the addition of some current technologies.

For example, in Quick AF Live View mode, the Sony A560 is able to offer face detection when focusing with the phase-detection sensor. When a face is detected, the camera can automatically select the correct AF point, and adjust exposure, white balance, flash output, and other variables to ensure that your subject's face is correctly rendered. The extra information from the face detection system also allows an improved AF tracking function. The Sony A560's face detection system also allows a Smile Shutter function, which can automatically trigger the camera's shutter immediately when your subject smiles. The animation at right, courtesy of Sony Electronics, is from our A550 review. The function works similarly on the A560.

Focus Check LV. Alternatively, the Sony A560's Live View can function in Focus Check live view mode, accessed via a dedicated button on the camera's top panel. Previously called MF Check LV in the A550, the new name hints at a feature change. Unlike the equivalent mode in the A550, either contrast detection or phase detection autofocusing is now possible in this mode, as well as manual focusing. (The AF type is selected through screen 2 of the Record menu.) When activated, the camera displays a full-frame view of the scene on the LCD display, using information streamed from the main image sensor, and with the signal boosted if necessary to see the subject in poor lighting. Holding in the AF button, or keeping the Shutter button half-pressed, will trigger either a phase detection AF cycle (with a brief interruption to the live view stream), or a contrast detection cycle. The latter is rather slower, and hence only suited to static subjects but can be more accurate, depending on the subject type. The autofocus mode is locked to single whenever Focus Check live view is active. Pressing the Enlarge button then cycles through 7x or 14x magnified views, useful for confirming accuracy of or adjusting manual focus. Grid lines can also be overlaid on the display to help in precise alignment of the scene. The sensitivity range for contrast detection autofocusing is -2 EV to 16 EV at ISO 100 equivalent, using an F1.4 lens.

Movies. Also new to the Sony A560 is its movie recording capability, fast becoming a common function even among entry-level DSLRs, and an absolute must-have feature for an enthusiast camera. Sony has provided three choices for movie resolution, recorded in one of two formats. For high definition fans, there's a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel, interlaced AVCHD mode, saved at 59.97 fields per second with a bit rate of 17Mbps -- commonly known as Full HD or 1080i. Note, though, that the interlaced stream is actually constructed from sensor data clocked at 29.97 frames per second. There's also a 1,440 x 1,080 pixel, progressive scan, 12 Mbps MP4 mode recorded at 29.97 frames per second, which qualifies as high definition, although it uses a non-standard pixel size. Finally, there's a standard-def 640 x 480 pixel, 3Mbps MP4 mode which is also recorded at 29.97 frames per second. All these field/frame rates are applicable to cameras with NTSC video output. For PAL cameras, the 1080i mode uses 50 fields per second from sensor data clocked at 25 frames per second, and lower resolutions are also recorded at 25fps.

The A550's Smart Teleconverter button, which simply cropped the image when shooting at lower resolutions, has been abandoned in favor of a new dedicated Movie button, which starts and stops recording with consecutive presses. Like many video-capable DSLRs, the Sony A560 provides no direct manual control over video exposure, with the ISO sensitivity, shutter speed and aperture all selected automatically, regardless of the operating mode currently selected on the Mode dial. A degree of control is available during video capture through the auto exposure lock and exposure compensation functions, however, and variables such as white balance and creative styles can be set before video capture commences. It's also not possible to use autofocus during movie recording, so pulling focus manually is your only option.

Movie audio is recorded using a built-in stereo microphone, whose two tiny four-hole grilles can be found directly in front of the flash hot shoe, at the base of the popup flash. The A560 also accepts an external stereo microphone, thanks to a 3.5mm microphone input behind a rubber panel on the left side of the body. Directly above this is a three-hole grille for the A560's internal, monaural speaker. It's also possible to disable audio recording altogether, if desired.

Modes. The Sony A560 includes Auto, Program, Aperture- and Shutter-priority, and Manual shooting modes plus Sweep Panorama, Scene, and Flash Off modes. Unusually for a camera at this price point, the A560's Program mode lacks a Program Shift function, which would allows selection of different shutter speed / aperture combinations while maintaining the metered exposure -- an oversight shared with the previous A550 model.

The Sweep Panorama mode is has appeared in Sony's Cyber-shot and NEX-series cameras previously, and is now making its debut in an Alpha DSLR. The function, automatically captures numerous images as the A560 is panned across the scene, and then stitches the result in-camera to create a single seamless image. Both 2D and 3D modes are offered, with the latter mode separately considering the relative positions of subjects as they pass the left and right side of the frame, and then using this information to render separate images with left and right views. The result is saved as a multi picture object (MPO) file, containing both images with JPEG compression. This multi-picture file can be viewed in 3D displays such as Sony's latest Bravia 3D HDTVs. 2D Sweep Panoramas can be created at resolutions up to 12,416 x 1,856 pixels horizontally, or 2,160 x 5,536 pixels vertically. 3D Sweep Panoramas can only be captured horizontally, and with a maximum resolution of 7,152 x 1,080 pixels.

The selection of Scene modes, which help beginners get the results they desire with a minimum of effort, are now all accessed from a single position on the Mode dial. A total of eight Scene modes are available -- one more than in the previous A550 model -- and these include Portrait, Sports Action, Macro, Landscape, Sunset, Night View, Hand-held Twilight, and Night Portrait. Previously seen in Sony's NEX and Cyber-shot series cameras, the Hand-held Twilight mode captures multiple shots at high sensitivity, and then combines them in-camera to create a single image with reduced blur from camera shake. Available shutter speeds from the Sony A560's electronically controlled, vertical travel focal plane shutter range from 1/4,000 to 30 seconds, plus a bulb mode, and flash sync is available at 1/160 second.

Metering. The Sony A560 uses a 40-segment honeycomb-patterned SPC sensor to determine exposures in all modes except for Quick AF Live View and Focus Check Live View modes, where the secondary image sensor can be used to provide for more accurate 1,200-zone evaluative metering.

Metering modes available in the Sony A560 include Multi-segment, Center-weighted, and Spot. 2.0 EV of exposure compensation is available in 1/3 EV steps, and the Sony A560 also allows for three-shot bracketed exposures in 0.3 or 0.7 EV steps. White balance modes include Auto, six presets (Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, or Flash), and manual white balance -- including the ability to specify a color temperature. Three-frame white balance bracketing is also available, with two strength levels possible.

User interface. The Sony A560 retains Sony's excellent menu system largely unchanged, except for the addition of two new tabs, covering storage and clock settings, respectively. The Sony A560 also retains the A550's Function menu, with simple icons that line the screen left and right. The A560's Playback mode adopts the newer design from Sony's NEX-series single-lens direct view cameras, which is peculiar in that you can't review both images and videos at the same time. Playback confines the list of available items to whatever you shot last. That is, if you've been shooting stills and movies, and the last thing you shot was a still, when you press the Playback button you'll only see still images. To see movies, you have to switch to Movie mode and shoot a quick movie. You can also hit the Menu button, select the Playback menu item, and scroll down to Still/Movie Select, press that menu item, then select between Still and Movie on a separate screen.

Sony's user-friendly Help Guide Display is active by default, and shows a brief explanation as the Mode dial is turned, or when the active menu selection is changed. To reinforce the message for operating modes, Sony has added vivid example pictures that appear in the background of the A560's operating mode Help Guide displays, indicating for example that Manual mode might be appropriate for fireworks photos, and shutter priority to blur motion in a waterfall. In menus, a short time after the current selection is changed, a brief explanation of the newly highlighted item fades into view. You press the center button to make your selection, and you're taken to a submenu where the same basic help menu helps you understand the meaning of each item in plain text. When you're sufficiently versed on the controls (or sufficiently annoyed with the Help Guide Display) you can turn it off in Settings menu 1.

Flash. The Sony A560's built-in popup flash has a guide number of 12 meters at ISO 100, and 18mm coverage. Flash modes include Auto, Fill, Slow-sync, and Rear-sync, and 2.0 EV of flash exposure compensation is available in 0.3 EV steps. An intelligent hot shoe is compatible with Sony's HVL-F36AM, HVL-F42AM, HVL-F56AM, and HVL-F58-AM strobes, and high-speed sync / wireless flash are available with these units. Flash metering modes include ADI (Advanced Distance Integration) and Pre-flash TTL, and the internal flash has a recycle time of under four seconds.

Auto HDR. Like the A550 before it, the Sony A560 includes an unusual HDR mode. High Dynamic Range photos are created by combining three shots of varying exposure (versus two for its predecessor), allowing a greater dynamic range than can be captured in a single exposure.

The interactive animation above, from our Sony A550 preview, shows how Auto HDR works on the A550. Just click on the link to open the animation, then work the controls. Animation courtesy of Sony Electronics USA.

Sony's HDR mode captures two shots with anywhere from 1 to 6 EV between the exposures, set in 1 EV increments -- double the overall range of the A550, but with half the granularity, plus a third image at nominal exposure. An Auto HDR mode selects the appropriate range and step size automatically, depending on the range of brightness detected within the scene. The Sony A560 can also micro-align the source images in-camera, which means handheld HDR shooting is possible, and the stitching process requires only two seconds of processing per HDR image.

DRO. The Sony A560 also includes Sony's optional D-Range Optimizer function, which works from a single shot and hence isn't limited to static subjects. A function of Sony's BIONZ processor, D-Range Optimizer can function automatically or in one of five manual strength levels, and adjusts the tone curve to avoid blown highlights and blocked shadows.

Creative Styles. The Sony A560's Creative Style function offers six pre-defined creative image styles, which adjust image tonality, saturation, and contrast. Creative Style modes include Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, and B&W, and these can be fine-tuned to the user's preferences.

Continuous shooting. Burst shooting is possible at five frames per second when using the optical viewfinder. When in Live View mode, this is reduced to three frames per second -- a full frame per second slower than in the A550. A Speed Priority burst mode locks exposure and focus from the first frame, which allows an impressive seven frames per second when using either the viewfinder or Live View mode.

Burst depth is also significantly reduced since the A550. The Sony A560 is limited to approximately seven Raw frames in a burst, half as many as the A550. The decrease isn't as severe when shooting in Large / Fine JPEG mode, where the buffer depth falls from 32 to 27 frames. Hardest hit is the Large / Standard JPEG mode, where burst depth is slashed from 116 images to just 47. Interestingly, when shooting in Raw+JPEG mode, burst depth is unchanged at seven frames.

Storage. The Sony A560 can store images as Sony ARW 2.2-format Raw or EXIF 2.3-compliant JPEG files, with both formats using newer versions of their respective specification than in the A550. The A560 is also able to save each image in both formats simultaneously. Both sRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces are available. Images are stored on Secure Digital cards including the higher-capacity SDHC and SDXC types, or on Sony's own Memory Stick PRO Duo or PRO-HG Duo cards. A small switch is used to select the active card.

Ports. The Sony A560 includes an HDMI Type-C mini connector which allows display of images on high-definition displays (though no cable is included), as well as USB 2.0 High-Speed computer connectivity. One slight change here is that Sony seems to have dropped PictBridge support, which enabled earlier Alpha cameras to be connected directly to a PictBridge-compliant printer, allowing creation of prints without removing the memory card or using a computer. Composite video output is also not provided. There's also a remote port for the optional RM-S1AM or RM-L1AM Remote Commanders, a 3.5mm jack for an external stereo microphone, and a DC input jack for use with an optional AC adapter.

Power. Power is supplied by the same proprietary Sony InfoLithium NP-FM500H lithium-ion rechargeable battery that was used in the A550, but battery life has been improved noticeably. According to CIPA testing standards, the A560 is rated for 1,050 shots when using the optical viewfinder, or 560 shots in Live View mode -- an additional 100 shots with the viewfinder, or 80 shots in live view. The A560 also accepts the same portrait / battery grip as the A500 and A550, which is pictured at right.

Sony Alpha A560 Field Test

by Carl Garrard

Overview. Sony's Alpha A560 represents their second traditional DSLR model to receive an incremental upgrade treatment, and also the second to sport any kind of video. The Sony A560 is effectively replacing the Alpha A500 DSLR in Sony's lineup and comes with it a host of improvements of the body's exterior handing and a list of cool extra features.

Features like Multi-Frame Noise Reduction, Sweep Panorama, Hand Held Twilight, a Dual Axis Digital Level Gauge, and Focus Check Live View (which replaces Manual Focus Check Live View) are fun and useful. With the following additions, such as a Depth Of Field Preview button, The Two Second Timer Mirror Lock Up, Release w/out Lens menu option, and upgraded 15 point Auto Focus system w/three double cross sensors, the Sony A560 gave me the impression of a much more aggressive and refined mid-range DSLR offering.

Note: There are a couple of items worth mentioning about the units that Sony provided for review. Both cameras were focusing soft when using phase detection autofocus at wide-angle. I confirmed by switching to contrast detect autofocus during focus check live view with each camera and got sharper results. My personal retail purchased A580 doesn't have this issue, however. Overall the problem proved intermittent and inconsistent with both bodies, so it's hard to say if this is an isolated case or not. It's doubtful the autofocus issue will be a production unit issue but it's worth mentioning all the same.

Handling. Weighing in at about 24.5 ounces (695g) with a battery and two memory cards installed, the Sony A560 is by no means a heavy DSLR, but its no featherweight either. Weight seems to fall right where it should be considering where the A560 is placed in Sony's line up: a mid-range DSLR with a mid-range heft. It's very nice actually. My hand never tired holding the Sony A560 with a small to decent sized lens for extended periods of time while shooting with it. Volume wise, the Sony A560 is a chunky DSLR, but about the same size as competitors. I don't find the Sony A560's size too objectionably large at all, though other IR staff found it a little thick. For Alpha users who own any of the Sony A100/200/300 series DSLRs, the A560 is just slightly larger than these models, but you'll hardly notice it.

Attention was mainly given to redesigning the Power switch and Shutter release button, the Control dial, and the size and position of additional buttons on the top/and top right rear side of the camera. Because of these changes the Sony A560 operates in a much more fluid and functional manner. Handling is very important to me, controls ought to be placed in areas of the utmost priority based on the frequency of their use, and Sony has done an excellent job improving the handling interface of the A560 compared to its predecessor. The noticeably larger and slightly more angled front Control dial of the Sony A560 is easier to find and operate and is far enough away from the Power switch for almost no accidental tripping. Kudos, Sony.

Top left of the A560, the Mode dial improvements also help handling. The dial is higher off the body, has a springier action, and has a bit more tension to resist accidental mode changes. It is better organized for the enthusiast photographer, too: All of the Scene modes but Sweep Panorama have been organized under the SCN setting. Quick and easy.

And rounding things out, the addition of the Depth of Field Preview button on the front right side of the Sony A560, dedicated movie button, larger and raised EV (-/+) and AEL buttons, and smoother sliding AF/MF and Live View/OVF switches round out the improvements and handling changes to the exterior of the A560. All of these changes do make a quantifiable difference.

Sometimes it's the little things in life that make us most happy and I am pleased with how the A560 handles, all of the small improvements come together in concert with one another. In a way operating a camera is like using a musical instrument: you play better with it if everything you need is within easy reach and is second nature to control. I give the A560 a high score in this department.

Look and Feel. Although the exterior finish of a DSLR has little impact on the overall handling, the more durable finish of the Sony A560 means less worry about fine scratches plaguing your investment and lets you think more about shooting instead; plus it just looks a lot nicer. I prefer the all-black, more durable/professional looking finish of the Sony A560 and worried much less about scratching this model while shooting than I did with the camera it replaces.

The Sony A560's grip is mid-sized with a slight bias towards smaller hands. No doubt this is to appeal to a wider range of buyers. Supple and curvaceous are words that describe the A560's grip best yet there's a nice large indentation for the middle finger to keep the camera extra secure. In fact, only two digits are really needed to hold the A560 securely- the thumb and middle finger. This frees the forefinger to actuate main control wheel/on/off switch/drive/iso/focus-check live view without having to reposition your grip during the process. A nice layout, easy to use.

Build Quality. The Sony A560 is very similar in build to the A500/550 with the main difference being the finish, yet there are some small refinements in other areas worth noting as well. For example, the doors that house the Mic/Remote/USB and HDMI ports are a bit easy to open and close and seem to snap shut nicer. Buttons and switches seem to operate smoother and with more refined tolerances (no wiggling etc.) and are a bit snappier as well. There is less rattling inside the camera that I experienced with the A500/550 DSLRs that undoubtedly was caused by Sony's Quick Auto Focus Live View mechanisms.

Overall the Sony A560 is improved in build compared to the model it replaces, but I did find one small issue worth mentioning that has to do with the grip. The slim sensor cover on the front of the grip causes some creaking when you squeeze the grip. It took me some time to isolate where the creak was coming from, but indeed this is the cause. I don't recall hearing any creaking in the grip with the A500/550 DSLRs so I don't know what Sony changed, but nevertheless it is worth reporting.

Optical Viewfinder. The Sony A560's viewfinder is similar to the size of viewfinder that we saw in the A100 DSLR, and falls slightly behind a couple of its competitors on the market in terms of magnification. The viewing area is 95% accurate and has a 0.8x magnification ratio. The LCD overlay that highlights each individual autofocus point was a nice touch. When set to the wide AF setting, often a cluster of autofocus points will light up inside letting the photographer know where the Sony A560 is focusing. If you set the Sony A560 to Spot or Local autofocusing, the center or autofocus point you select will light up red when focus is achieved. If you choose AF area focusing, only one of the 11 autofocus points shows at all, that being the one you select manually. It's a nice little system to use once you get the hang of it, mainly because you can remove many of the autofocus points with a setting change.

Keep in mind, though, that as soon as you remove the battery, the LCD overlay system requires power, and the viewfinder will go dim, and details will go soft. This is normal, and part of the tradeoff of having the LCD overlay. So if you want to practice framing without having the camera on, be sure to keep a charged battery loaded, preferably with a spare onhand.

Autofocus. Sony's A560 has a peppy and eager autofocus system. I find the in-body autofocus motor to be slightly quicker to focus than the SAM system on the kit lens, and it's also slightly quieter, depending on the lens you use. Continuous AF mode in good light does pretty well at keeping up with the action, very similar to the A700's performance in speed, tracking, and hit rates when using the more sensitive three center double cross sensors. The outer autofocus sensors aren't as reliable.

Focus Check Live View. This mode replaces Manual Focus Check Live view and now allows two focusing options: Contrast-detect autofocus with SAM and SSM branded lenses (that includes third party makers such as Sigma and Tamron), and phase-detection autofocus. A live luminescence histogram has also been added to the party, and makes "FCLV" a much much better tool than "MFCLV" as a result. This is a huge addition to the Sony A560's functionality. The Sony A560 is now a very powerful photographic live view tool that exceeds any of the competition's live view experience.

Image magnification is the same as the A500/550: 7x and 14x magnification for hyper accurate manual focusing. Getting accurate exposure, framing, and focus is quite easy with the A560's layout. Macro shooting is a blast in this mode. I found contrast-detect autofocus to be a tad slow, but it's very accurate.

HD Video. The Alpha A560 is Sony's first traditional DSLR to have full HD video capture. Granted, this comes without autofocus capability, but I still find it very useful. I've never been a big video guy--I'm more of a family-designated videographer; however, I find the ability to get big, high quality video files in my DSLR a nice touch. In use I wasn't bothered much by the lack of real-time autofocus. I guess I just don't miss the loud distracting sounds other DSLRs make during autofocusing.

Full HD Video. Here is a sample video of an outbound train leaving the train stop at the San Juan Capistrano Train Station. (Translated to M4V by Handbrake; 102MB). Download the Y00000.MTS file (45.7MB).

I found the Sony A560's video implementation in Playback mode simple to operate and navigate. The built-in speaker doesn't really turn up loud enough during playback but this is pretty much par for the course on DSLRs I've used in the past. I didn't have to read the manual to figure out how to fast forward/rewind, turn up or down the volume or change folders back to still images after I was through watching the video. Pretty simple stuff. Note, though, that there are no in-camera editing tools for video.

Sweep Panorama. Here's a mode I had particular difficulty with. I find that it takes practice if you intend to get a clean image free of stitching or auto-aligning errors. Some scenes were just impossible to get with a perfectly clean final image and I gave up entirely. Either the camera cut off the last portion of the image leaving a section entirely black, or portions of the scene had stitching errors. Other scenes I could manage a clean shot eventually. I found that doing a practice sweep of my scene keeping the camera level and at a proper speed prior to making the final exposure helped matters greatly.

Panorama. I managed to get one good nearly error-free panorama here (the man walking in the left of the image had his left arm somewhat truncated). Click the image to enlarge.

Multi-frame NR. Here is a hand held example of ISO 3,200 using Multi-Frame Noise Reduction.

Multi-Frame Noise Reduction. Multi-Frame Noise Reduction is an ISO setting (it's not a Scene mode). The camera will automatically micro-align 6 simultaneous exposures accounting for some small hand shake movement. It is beneficial for static subjects only as a result. This is the trade-off relative to the rather wonderful advantage of low noise images you gain at every single ISO setting (yes even ISO 100 benefits as you'll soon see). I'm simply enamored by it. The fact that it also allows for some amount of handshake (due to auto-aligning of all six images during processing) means that I can handhold the camera and capture low noise high ISO images that would be throwaway images otherwise.

Sony claims a two stop advantage in lower noise at any given ISO setting. Getting keeper photographs up to ISO 12,800 is indeed quite possible. ISO 3,200 images look as nice as ISO 400 single exposure images in my opinion, noise and detail wise.

Handheld Twilight. Here is a handheld example of ISO 6,400 using Handheld Twilight mode. The aperture was set automatically to f/3.5.

Handheld Twilight. Although this Scene mode is largely automatic, I find it does exactly as its name advertises, and does quite a good job at that. My only quibble with it is that it defaults to selecting a very low aperture value (as low as it can go) to compensate for low light, instead of raising ISO values higher to compensate for light loss. It only seems to raise the ISO value if it needs too.

Niggles aside, the mode works quite well and is great for a quickie capture when you don't have time to think or adjust settings that much. I actually ended up liking it the more I used it--it's convenient for a quick grab. If I have time to make adjustments, it's time to use the superior (in just about every way) Multi-Frame Noise Reduction ISO setting. The samples clearly show the benefits.

Advanced DRO. The image on the top is before DRO+ is applied, and the image on the bottom set to DR0+5. The steps are more subtle than Auto HDR.

Advanced DRO. Sony's Advanced DRO calculates about 4,000 different areas of the scene in order to make single exposure images look as natural as possible. As the name implies it is adjustable in 5 steps. This is a mode best used at lower ISOs because shadow areas end up suffering more noise as you raise the ISO value and strength setting of DRO+. Auto DRO is much like the A100's version, nearly useless in comparison, but it does make some slight noticeable differences to the scene with a bias towards preserving highlight detail. Its main advantage is that it can be used with moving subjects, unlike the two previous modes I just discussed. It's a handy tool.

Auto HDR. The image on the top is before Auto HDR is applied, and the image on the bottom set to the Auto HDR (3EV) setting. A much wider range of adjustment than DRO as you can see.

Auto HDR. This is your tool for extreme lighting circumstances, and quite a powerful tool it is. Considerably more powerful than Advanced DRO. I found it best used when you use multi-segment metering to avoid biasing toward highlights or shadows when making an exposure reading.

Instead try to lock your exposure with fairly even metering of highlights and shadows (a centered histogram reading in other words). Rarely have I found a scene that requires the full six-stop setting to compensate for lighting extremes. Its like having six graduated ND filters built right into the camera. Pretty cool and nearly flawless, except that anything moving in the frame will have odd edges and ghost-like patterns as a result of the stacking. Lowered noise is another benefit of Auto HDR.

Speed Priority Shooting. With the A560's buffer and 7 frames per second Speed Priority shooting, it's quite the sports shooting camera as long as you aren't tracking a single object at high speeds and shoot JPEGs only.

Speed-priority. Thanks to its smaller buffer, I was unable to complete this sequence when recording RAW files. I shot this sequence with the A580, which easily finished up the job. Had I shot in JPEG only, it would have been no problem.

I find its buffer will handle only a few RAW files before the camera stops to write. After trying some actual real-life photography in this mode, I'm convinced it certainly has its place. If you want constant focusing and metering, the Sony A560 will still do 5 frames per second, which is still just as fast as Sony's highest-end DSLR, the A900, and plenty for most circumstances.

Exposure. Sony's 40 Segment Metering (in OVF mode) has gone unchanged since it first appeared in the A100 back in 2006. It has been used every DSLR since then (less the SLT models of course), and therefore I am intimately familiar with it. The A560 exhibits the same tendencies as all the other Alpha cameras do. You can count on Multi-Segment metering to slightly underexpose with evenly divided lighting by about -0.3EV, slightly over expose when a scene is dominated by shadows by about 0.3-0.6EV, and under expose scenes dominated by highlights by about 0.7-1.0 EV. Overall it is a pretty accurate and consistent metering system in my experience.

Metering. This image of "Lucy" is exposed well with no highlight or shadow clipping, but slightly under exposed by about 0.3 EV overall.

White Balance. Auto White Balance on Sony DSLRs first received refined treatment on the A230/330 and A380 DSLRs. In my experience with the A560 I found it will do a pretty accurate color job overall outdoors with a slight bias towards cooler temperatures. While indoors the Sony A560's performance has more trouble, emphasizing a much warmer temperature than it should. As long as you use the presets in the correct conditions, these settings are more reliable than Auto White Balance. In this aspect Sony has done a good job here. Use Focus Check Live View to dial in your white balance instead of Quick Auto Focus Live View and you'll get a more accurate color reading as you change your white balance settings to match your scene.

Battery Life. Does it ever die? That's a question I've yet to answer practically. Seriously though, the Sony A560 and A580 are hands down the most efficient DSLRs that Sony has made yet. Even without restricting my use of Live View, the A560 seemed to keep on going like the Energizer Bunny. If you are the type to strictly use only the optical viewfinder you'll get even longer life out of the battery. CIPA's rating of 1,050 shots seems conservative when using the camera in real life. One good charge should last for a full weekend of shooting with minimal power management.

Sony A560 Image Quality

Most digital SLRs will produce a great ISO 100 shot, so we like to push them and see what they can do at ISO 1,600 and 3,200. Recent advances in sensor technology have made ISO 1,600 look a lot more like ISO 100, but there are still cameras whose quality starts to fall apart at this setting. Both 1,600 and 3,200 are great for indoor and other low light shooting, but it's how much noise and noise suppression affect image color and detail that we're most concerned with, and why we make the crops we do.

Sony A560 versus Canon T2i at ISO 1,600

Sony A560 at ISO 1,600	Canon T2i at ISO 1,600
The 14-megapixel Sony A560 does reasonably well against the 18-megapixel Canon T2i, even though there's a noticeable difference in resolution. The back wall in the Still Life shot in the top crop seems unusually blurry, thanks to Sony's more aggressive noise suppression. Detail in the mosaic pattern is pretty good, though, and even the red swatch is handled reasonably well.

Sony A560 versus Nikon D5000 at ISO 1,600

Sony A560 at ISO 1,600	Nikon D5000 at ISO 1,600
Up against the 12-megapixel Nikon D5000, the Sony A560 looks pretty good. Detail in the bottle shot is sharper from the Sony when it comes to the letters, yet softer in the background, while the Nikon D5000 leaves more chroma noise in the background and its letters are softer. The Sony A560 also has more detail in the mosaic pattern, but loses to the Nikon D5000's better rendition of the red leaf fabric.

Sony A560 versus Pentax K-r at ISO 1,600

Sony A560 at ISO 1,600	Pentax K-r at ISO 1,600
The Pentax K-r renders the background more realistically, with less sharpening on the letters, just like the Nikon. Mosaic detail is a little more solid than the Nikon and Sony's, but there's still more detail in the Sony image. The K-r stomps on the contrast in the red leaf swatch, unfortunately, and renders the pink cloth dramatically more magenta.

Sony A560 versus Sony A33 at ISO 1,600

Sony A560 at ISO 1,600	Sony A33 at ISO 1,600
Since they both use essentially the same sensor, it's not a surprise that the Sony A560 and A33 look very close. There seems to be slightly lower contrast from the A33's files, and less of a sense of blur in the background of our test target. The red leaf swatch is also lighter, but all of these differences could come down to a fraction of a stop of exposure difference.

Sony A560 versus Sony NEX-5 at ISO 1,600

Sony A560 at ISO 1,600	Sony NEX-5 at ISO 1,600
Again, with the same 14-megapixel sensor there's only a little difference, which may be due to the exposure.

Today's ISO 3,200 is yesterday's ISO 1,600 (well, almost), so below are the same crops at ISO 3,200.

Sony A560 versus Canon T2i at ISO 3,200

Sony A560 at ISO 3,200	Canon T2i at ISO 3,200
At ISO 3,200, the Canon T2i's greater number of pixels means a little less. There's still more detail, but not nearly as much, and the red leaf swatch really falls apart in Canon's rendering.

Sony A560 versus Nikon D5000 at ISO 3,200

Sony A560 at ISO 3,200	Nikon D5000 at ISO 3,200
The Nikon D5000, on the other hand, does a little better overall when you factor in the red swatch. There are a few unreal color artifacts on the edge of the bottle in the top crop, though.

Sony A560 versus Pentax K-r at ISO 3,200

Sony A560 at ISO 3,200	Pentax K-r at ISO 3,200
The Pentax K-r swings back and forth, with a rather noisy shadow treatment, followed by a pretty good mosaic rendering, besting the Sony, ending with a nearly contrastless look at the red leaf swatch. Color from the Pentax is more rich overall.

Sony A560 versus Sony A33 at ISO 3,200

Sony A560 at ISO 3,200	Sony A33 at ISO 3,200
Not too much different here, as both cameras use the same sensor, though there's still a slight difference in contrast, which does affect how low-contrast noise is processed. The mosaic pattern is perhaps the best example of this possibility, but it's only conjecture at this point.

Sony A560 versus Sony NEX-5 at ISO 3,200

Sony A560 at ISO 3,200	Sony NEX-5 at ISO 3,200
Too close to call, again using the same sensor.

Detail: Sony A560 vs Canon T2i, Nikon D5000, Pentax K-r, Sony A33 and Sony NEX-5

Sony A560 ISO 100 ISO 3,200 ISO 6,400	Canon T2i ISO 100 ISO 3,200 ISO 6,400	Nikon D5000 ISO 100 ISO 3,200 ISO 6,400	Pentax K-r ISO 100 ISO 3,200 ISO 6,400	Sony A33 ISO 100 ISO 3,200 ISO 6,400	Sony NEX-5 ISO 200 ISO 3,200 ISO 6,400
Detail comparison. The Sony A560's 14-megapixel sensor does pretty well against its three rivals here. Though the T2i does outresolve it, both still show lines inside the letters, with the Sony A560 doing better on the lines within the "L" on Lager at ISO 3,200 than the T2i's 18-megapixel design. The Sony bests the Nikon D5000 for pure black and white detail, owing partly to its higher resolution, as well as its tendency to slightly oversharpen, compared to the Nikon's low sharpening. The Pentax K-r exhibits more demosaicing errors between the letters, especially at ISO 100, though the Sony also shows some as well. It's not worth trying to find a difference between the A560, A33, and NEX-5. They're here to see that they don't differ noticeably; it seems clear that they don't.

Sony A560 Print Quality

ISO 100 shots look great at 20x30, with good detail. It's not quite tack sharp, because it's very slightly soft, but unsharp mask or a settings change would fix that.

ISO 200 shots soften a bit at 20x30, looking better at 16x24 inches.

ISO 400 images look quite good at 16x24 inches, though detail in our red leaf swatch starts to soften.

ISO 800 gets a little softer at 16x24 inches, but maintains good detail, with only slight luminance noise in the shadows.

ISO 1,600 is a little too soft for 16x24, but looks quite good at 13x19 inches.

ISO 3,200 images look a little smudgy at 13x19, with a slight yellow tinge around the shadows. Printing at 11x14 improves the detail and noise, but that yellow tinge remains.

ISO 6,400 looks poor at 11x14, but comes back together at 8x12, with some noise in the shadows, but the chroma noise is reduced and saturation pumped just a bit.

ISO 12,800 are way too noisy and blotchy at 8x12, looking more like a sand painting; reduce resolution to 5x7 and they look like a different image, with very usable detail and good color.

Overall, the Sony A560 looks quite good at every ISO, starting out at 20x30, but requiring a size reduction sooner than the A580 did. In the end, though, their highest ISO setting still produced an impressive quality 5x7-inch print. Quite usable at every ISO setting, which is as good an outcome as one could desire.

In the Box

• Sony Alpha A560 body
• NP-FM500H battery pack
• BC-VM10 charger
• AC cord
• USB cord
• Camera strap
• Eyepiece cover
• Body cap
• Manual

Recommended Accessories

• Extra battery pack for extended outings
• Large capacity Memory Stick Duo PRO or SDHC/SD memory card. These days, 4-8GB cards are inexpensive.
• Camera case for outdoor and in-bag protection

Sony A560 Conclusion

Sony has taken the steps necessary to make a compelling digital SLR for the enthusiast in the continued absence of a replacement for the A700. Though some of us thought it was a little thick front to back, there's no denying that the Sony A560 is a formidable camera, with a faster live view autofocus mode than anything else on the market.

The Depth of Field Preview button is also an important inclusion, heretofore conspicuously absent from the A200, A300, and A500 Alpha models, and its return is welcome. Slick tricks like Sweep Panorama and Handheld Twilight are quite useful modes that have worked their way up from Sony's pocket cameras, then into the NEX series, and are now found in the new SLT line and both the A560 and A580. The Sony A560 looks like a good choice for the intermediate photographer who wants to try some of Sony's helpful features with the improved image quality we first saw in the Sony NEX cameras.

We've broken down the test results on the Image Quality and Optics pages, where we also show conversions from RAW, white balance performance, color, flash, and how the various special modes like HDR and DRO perform. Be sure to check those out. Auto white balance is a little warm in tungsten lighting, but that's not uncommon among SLRs, unfortunately.

The Sony A560's image quality is quite good, using the same sensor used in the NEX cameras, which frankly blew us away with their high ISO performance. Its JPEG images are capable of outputting excellent 20x30-inch prints from ISO 100 to 400, and ISO 800 and 1,600 shots look good at 16x24, which is really remarkable.

All told, the Sony A560 impressed us as a quality digital SLR camera with plenty of speed and very high image quality, making it a Dave's Pick.

Design

Sony Alpha A560 Design

Roll-over the various controls and features with your mouse for a brief description. Note: Rollovers are best viewed with the latest versions Firefox, Safari, or Opera browsers, or Internet Explorer 6 or earlier.

Sony A560 Front. Only a few controls are to be found on the front of the Sony A560. These include the Control dial at the top of the handgrip, the Lens Release button just to the right of the lens mount, and the Depth of Field Preview button at the lower left of the lens mount. The short vertical plastic strip in the handgrip hides a self-timer lamp at its upper end, and also conceals the infrared receiver for use with an optional remote control.

Sony A560 Left Side. This side includes a button to raise the built-in flash strobe, a focus mode selector switch that's only functional when the lens attached to the camera doesn't have its own duplicate switch, the left-hand microphone on top of the viewfinder / flash housing, a small three-hole speaker grille, and two compartment doors behind which the microphone jack, wired remote, HDMI, and USB connectors can be found.

Sony A560 Right Side. From this angle, the Sony A560 is free of controls, with the only notable features being the right-hand microphone on the viewfinder / flash housing, and compartment covers for the DC input and storage media slots. You can also see the diopter adjustment dial, tucked just inside the bottom of the viewfinder eyecup.

Sony A560 Top. Many of the A560's controls are to be found on its top panel. These include the power switch, shutter button, and mode dial, as well as the Live View / OVF switch (which enables or disables live view using a dedicated, secondary image sensor), Focus Check LV button (which iniates live view using the primary image sensor), D-Range button (which accesses dynamic range expansion and high dynamic range-mode options), Drive mode button, and ISO button. Angled for good visibility either from above or behind the camera are five more buttons -- the Menu, Display, Movie shutter, Exposure Compensation, and Auto Exposure Lock buttons, respectively.

Sony A560 Back. The rear panel of the Sony A560 is dominated by a 3.0-inch, 921,600 dot LCD display mounted on a mechanism that allows it to be tilted downwards 90 degrees, and upwards a little beyond 90 degrees. Controls on the camera's rear include a four-way controller with central OK button, serving double duty as an AF button. There are also dedicated Function, Playback, and Delete buttons. The Function button calls up a Function menu, providing quick access to adjust common exposure variables, and also rotates images in playback mode.

Sony A560 Bottom. There's not a lot to see on the base of the Sony A560, beyond the metal tripod mount, and the battery compartment door. The tripod mount is centered on the lens' axis, helpful for shooting panoramas, although it's a little in front of the sensor plane.

Operation

Sony A560 Operation

The Sony A560 relies on a large, color LCD screen for all user interaction, with its compact size not leaving room for the small LCD info displays that are common on many full-sized SLRs. The user interface is for the most part clear and straightforward, although the A560 does feature the same playback-mode design that we've seen in several of Sony's other recent SLR and SLD models, which separates movie and still image playback -- a confusing design with the potential to cause panic if you're not familiar with the camera. More on that in a minute. One user interface feature of the A560 that we do very much like is the infrared proximity sensor, which can optionally switch off the LCD screen and trigger autofocus operation when you hold the viewfinder up to your eye.

Menus can be navigated either by using the four way arrow pad, and the button in the center of the four-way arrow pad makes selections, although there is no marking on the central button to indicate this function. The control dial can also be used to navigate menus, although its main purpose is to adjust exposure compensation, shutter speed, or aperture, as applicable in the current exposure mode. Since there's only one control dial and two variables to adjust when in Manual mode, the Exposure Compensation button is held in to switch between the two variables. An autoexposure lock (AEL) button fixes the curent exposure level while held down, allowing a metering reading to be taken, and then the subject reframed as desired. Dedicated Drive Mode, ISO Sensitivity and D-Range buttons respectively call up dialogs allowing each variable to be adjusted without delving in the menu system. A dedicated Movie button is used to start and stop video recording, separate from the still image Shutter button. A Depth of Field Preview button adjacent to the lens mount will stop the lens down to the selected aperture while held in, allowing depth of field to be confirmed visually.

An OVF / Live View switch adjacent to the pentamirror / flash housing is used to switch between shooting through the optical viewfinder, and courtesy of a live view feed on the rear panel LCD display. Unusually, this feed comes from a secondary image sensor located in the pentamirror assembly, allowing use of the A560's phase detection autofocusing system during live view. For a higher quality live view feed, the A560 also offers what Sony refers to as Focus Check LV, which is accessed from another dedicated button, and dervies its data from the main image sensor in the same style as most live view-capable DSLRs.

Sony A560 Record Mode

Like Sony's other recent DSLRs, the A560 offers an optional information display in record mode when shooting with the optical viewfinder, which can be accessed by pressing the Display button. (A similar selection of information overlays are available in live view shooting, and are described on the Live View page of this review.) Two information display layouts are available: standard or graphic. The standard mode provides the maximum possible information in program, priority, or manual modes, and a subset of this information when in Auto or Scene modes, including the exposure mode, storage type, number of available images, resolution for still images and movies, compression for still images and movies, aspect ratio, battery status, flash mode, drive mode, focus mode, focus area, white balance mode, DRO / HDR modes, creative style mode, ISO sensitivity setting, metering mode, exposure and flash compensation, shutter speed and aperture settings, exposure level, autoexposure lock, and SteadyShot mode, etc. See the illustration below (courtesy of Sony America) for information callouts in record mode.

Sony A560 Record Mode Displays
Section 1
	Exposure mode		Image size of movies
	Memory card		Remaining battery
	Remaining number of recordable images		Overheating warning
	Image size of still images / Aspect ratio of still images		Database file full / database file error
	Image quality of still images		No audio recording of movies
Section 2
	Shutter speed indicator		Aperture indicator
	Exposure compensation / Metered Manual		Flash compensation
	EV scale		Drive mode
	Flash mode / red-eye reduction		Focus mode
	ISO sensitivity		D-Range optimizer / auto HDR
	AF area		White balance (auto, preset, custom, color temperature, color filter)
	Creative style		Metering mode
Section 3
	Shutter speed		Aperture
	Exposure		AE lock
	SteadyShot

Playback Mode Displays

Information Screens
In Playback mode, the default image display shows the most recently captured image or movie. Pressing the Display button cycles through the main display (with no information), a simplified display with basic information overlay, and a detailed thumbnail display with RGBY histogram, shooting info and blinking highlight/shadow display (overexposed areas are shown in black, underexposed in white). The most recent display type will be stored and shown the next time by default. Pressing the Right or Left arrow button or turning the Control dial displays the next or previous image (if currently viewing a still image) or movie (if currently viewing a movie). Curiously, there's no direct way to switch between viewing movies and still images. Instead, you must either go to the Index view (described below), then select the Movie or Still Image tabs at the left of the screen, or enter the Playback menu, then select the relevant type in the Still / Movie Select option. It's easy enough to switch when you're used to it, but if you frequently want to go from reviewing movies to stills or vice versa, the button-mashing can become a little tedious. If you're new to the camera, the design is prone to causing panic until you read the manual when you shoot a movie and then can't find your entire still image library, or vice versa.

Index View
Pressing the Exposure Compensation (Zoom Out) button switches to an Index view of either still images or movies -- but not both at the same time. You can view either four or nine thumbnails on screen at once in Index view. The Left, Right, Up, and Down arrow buttons move between the image thumbnails, and rolling the Control dial has the same effect. The OK key at the center of the four-way controller selects an image or movie for viewing. The Delete key deletes an image or movie. Two tabs at screen left are used to change between viewing still images, or viewing movies, since the A560 can't display both types at the same time.

Magnified View
Pressing the AEL (Magnify) button while viewing a single still image in Playback mode switches to the magnified view. Unless viewing a panoramic image, once in this view, you can press the Magnify and Zoom Out buttons to zoom in or out as much as 11.8x, while pressing the arrow buttons pans around the image. The Playback button exits magnified view, and the Delete button deletes the magnified image (after a confirmation screen), then returns you to full image view. For panoramic images, the first press of the AF (OK) button scales the panorama to fit the screen on its shorter side, then pans the length of the panorama automatically once, before returning you to full image view. Pressing the OK button while the panorama is panning will pause the display, at which point you can enter magnified view by pressing the Magnify button. This then allows you to pan and zoom exactly as you would with any other still image.

Movie Playback
Pressing the OK button while viewing a single movie in Playback mode launches movie playback. A second press will pause movie playback, and a third press will resume it. While the movie is playing, rotating the Control dial will cue forwards or backwards through the movie. Pressing the Down arrow button while paused brings up a volume adjustment control, allowing the volume to be adjusted within a seven step range, or the video muted altogether, by either turning the Control wheel or using the vertical arrow buttons. The Delete button deletes the magnified video (after a confirmation screen).

Optics

Sony A560 Optics

The Sony A560 features a bayonet lens mount, which accommodates a range of Sony and Konica Minolta lenses. The Sony A560 comes bundled with a Sony 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM kit lens, tested below. The lens features a built-in focus motor for fast, quiet autofocus, and is designed to be used with subframe Sony SLRs. For additional test results, see our review of this lens on SLRgear.com.

A small button on the front of the camera releases the lens from its mount, so it can be turned and removed. The A560's CMOS image sensor is smaller than a frame of 35mm film, so the angle of view at any given focal length will not be the same as on a 35mm camera. To find the approximate 35mm equivalent focal length, multiply the focal length of the lens by 1.5. (Thus, a 50mm lens will provide about the same view as a 75mm lens on a 35mm camera.)

Alpha lens mount. The Sony A560's Alpha lens mount is compatible with the full array of Alpha lenses, both screw-drive and electronic autofocus models.

The Sony A560 provides both manual and automatic focus control modes, set by the Focus Mode switch on the left side of the camera body, unless the lens itself has a Focus Mode switch. If there's a duplicate switch on the lens, it takes over this function, and the one on the body serves no purpose. With whichever switch is applicable, you can select between Auto and Manual focus modes. The Function button provides access to additional AF modes and AF Area options. The Autofocus Mode option under the Function menu offers Single-shot AF, Automatic AF and Continuous AF settings. Single-shot sets focus with each half-press of the Shutter button, while Continuous mode is constantly adjusting the focus, whether the Shutter button is pressed or not. The Automatic setting will lock focus on a still subject or continually adjust focus on a moving subject, for as long as the Shutter button is halfway pressed.

Autofocus Area also has three options available through the Function menu: Wide, Spot, and Flexible Spot (manual setting). The default option is a 15-point Wide Focus area, indicated by an array of square focus areas whose locations are indicated by small squares visible through the optical viewfinder. Note that of the 15 AF points, only three utilize a cross-type sensor sensitive to detail in both the horizontal and vertical axis, with the other 12 line-type sensors being sensitive to detail in one direction only. Wide AF bases its focus on the most prominent subject detail in the portion of the image that falls within the AF brackets, and the A560 can indicate which individual AF points achieved a focus lock by highlighting only those points in the optical viewfinder while the shutter button is half-pressed.

In Spot mode, the A560 uses only the centermost AF point, and only this point is indicated by a square target box in the center of the viewfinder. Finally, Flexible Spot mode is Sony's terminology for a manual AF area selection, and lets you manually set the main AF point by using the Multi-controller to highlight one of eleven AF points. (The remaining four points are considered to be assist points -- available for selection by the camera in Wide mode, but not for manual selection. The active AF area is briefly illuminated in the viewfinder upon focus lock as a visual reminder of which point was manually selected.

The Sony A560 also offers a Live View mode, although its manner of operation differs from those of most competing DSLRs. The A560 includes a secondary, low-resolution image sensor in its viewfinder housing, which allows it to use the same phase-detection AF sensor that's employed when framing images through the optical viewfinder, resulting in live view autofocus speeds that are just as fast. That's because the secondary sensor negates the need for the additional mirror flips required for phase detection AF in most other Live View implementations. The majority of competing DSLRs must either drop the mirror, focus with the phase detection sensor, and then raise the mirror again before taking a shot in Live View mode, or they must employ a slower contrast-detect autofocus method using data from the main image sensor. Since the image sensor feeding the A560's live preview is located above the mirror, the mirror stays down until the final exposure, exactly as it does in optical viewfinder mode. The downside, though, is less accuracy in framing images, since the secondary sensor only offers around 92% frame coverage. Also, because the optical path for focusing is different than that for capture, there can be issues with front- or back-focusing, just like when using the optical viewfinder.

An alternative to the standard Live View mode is Focus Check Live View mode, which derives its image from the main sensor. Unlike earlier Sony DSLRs, this now allows use of either phase detection or contrast detection autofocus, rather than being limited solely to manual focusing. This mode hence now operates in much the same manner as the live view functionality of most competing DSLRs, as described previously -- and with all the mirror flipping that implies, when using phase detection AF. The preview image in this mode can be magnified by 7x or 14x for critical manual focusing, and unlike the standard Live View  mode, frame coverage is 100%.

Both standard and Focus Check LV modes offer an advantage over shooting with the optical viewfinder when using the Wide area autofocus mode. Unlike the optical viewfinder, which simply indicates the location of all AF points at all times, the live view modes show which individual phase detection AF points achieved a focus lock, while the shutter button is half-pressed. This is indicated with a green highlight for these AF points, and is a great way to quickly confirm that the camera focused on the subject of your choice.

A couple of the more unusual features of the Sony A560 are its Face Detection and Smile Shutter functions. The former is available both in the standard Live View mode, and when using Focus Check LV, so long as phase detection AF is the type in use. (Perhaps due to the processing power requirements of both features, face detection isn't available with contrast detect AF.). Face Detection can detect up to eight faces, and adjusts focus, exposure, image processing, and flash output. Detected faces are indicated with white frames, and the dominant face with an orange frame. When focus lock is achieved, the camera indicates which faces it feels were correctly focused with a green frame -- but of course, since the phase detection sensor is being used, only faces that fall under an AF point can be focused upon (or their degree of focus judged by the camera). When no faces fell under a phase detection sensor, the A560 reverts back to showing the AF points that achieved a lock, instead. Smile Shutter, meanwhile, functions only in the standard Live View mode, and can be used to trip the shutter automatically when a smile is detected. You can adjust the "sensitivity" of Smile Shutter to either "Slight", "Normal", or "Big" smile, and a gauge at the left of the screen shows the degree of smile that the A560 is currently detecting, along with a mark indicating the point at which the shutter would be triggered.

A depth-of-field preview button can be found adjacent to the grip, at the base of the lens mount. When held in, the A560 stops down its aperture to the selected value, allowing preview of the depth of field available in the scene. Depth of field preview is only available when using the optical viewfinder, or in Focus Check LV mode, but not in the standard live view mode. As with any SLR, the view through the optical viewfinder will dim while the aperture is stopped down. In Focus Check LV mode, though, the A560 adjusts preview sensitivity to attempt to show the image with correct brightness, making it easier to gauge depth of field with small apertures (but perhaps making the preview image grainy in low light conditions).

Sony A560 AF Assist

The Sony A560 uses its built-in flash head as a very bright AF-assist light for better focusing in dim lighting. This has the advantage that the light from the flash is very bright, but the downside is that you can only get AF assist when the flash head is raised. This is a real limitation for available-light photography, as the camera can expose at light levels well below those it can focus at. (Although its low-light focusing ability is much better than average.) If the camera is fixed on a tripod, you can work around this limitation, but it's somewhat awkward. With the flash head up, you must half-press the shutter button to make the camera focus, then switch the focus mode to manual focus, being careful not to touch the focus ring on the lens. Stow the flash head, and you can then take your picture. (But don't forget to switch back to AF mode for the rest of your shooting!)

Sony A560 Anti-Shake

The Sony A560 also employs Sony's SteadyShot Inside anti-shake technology, which uses a highly sensitive accelerometer, and a moveable platter on which the CMOS sensor assembly is mounted. Together, these allow the A560 to counteract camera movement with movements of the image sensor, rather than the more common approach of moving an optical element inside the lens.

Sony claims that the SteadyShot Inside anti-shake system in the A560 provides a 2.5 to 4-stop reduction in the blurring produced by camera shake. Translating that into real-world shutter speeds, a two-stop improvement means that a shutter speed of 1/30 second would give you the same resistance to blur from camera shake that a speed of 1/120 would without anti-shake. A 4-stop improvement would mean you could shoot as slow as 1/8 second and get the same results (blur-wise) as when shooting at 1/120 second unaided. Even the lower end of the specified range of effectiveness means a pretty significant improvement in one's ability to hand-hold long exposures.

When SteadyShot Inside is activated, the SteadyShot scale on the right side of the viewfinder display indicates the degree of stabilization. A downside to Sony's body-based SteadyShot approach is that while you can see the results of stabilization on competing lens-based designs, you have only this scale to tell you how the A560's SteadyShot mechanism is doing, at least while using the optical viewfinder. When using live view, the result of the Steadyshot system is shown in the live view feed, just as it would be with a lens-based system. The upside, though, is that the SteadyShot scale does give you a very good idea of how hard the SteadyShot mechanism is working, so you can choose a moment when the camera is moving less to snap the shutter, thus maximizing your chances for a sharp image.

Sony A560 Anti-Dust Technology

To help combat dust particles on the CMOS sensor from changing lenses, Sony has included both an anti-static coating on the low-pass filter and anti-dust vibrations to automatically shake the sensor with the anti-shake mechanism each time the camera is shut off. There is also a manual cleaning mode, where the camera first triggers a longer burst of sensor shift shaking, then lifts the mirror and opens the shutter, allowing access to the sensor for use with a blower or other cleaning device. We've generally found dust-removal systems based on cameras' anti-shake systems less effective than those that use an vibrate the sensor ultrasonically, but it bears noting that no dust removal system completely eliminates the need for occasional manual sensor cleaning. Copper Hill Images is an advertiser of ours, but we'd recommend their wet/dry cleaning system even if they weren't (it's what we use in our own lab): See the Copper Hill website for details.

Sony A560 Optical Test Results

Below are the results of our optical tests with the Sony A560 and the bundled 18-55mm kit lens.

Lens Test Results

Zoom
Good performance with the 18-55mm kit lens.

The Sony A560 is available bundled with a 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM lens. This lens possesses a very typical optical zoom ratio of about 3x, with a 35mm equivalent focal range of about 27-83mm because of the A560's 1.5x "crop factor". Results were good at 18mm with good detail across most of the frame, though there was some minor softening in the extreme corners, even at f/8. Coma distortion in the trees was low in the corners, but chromatic aberration was moderately high along high contrast elements near the edges of the image. Results were also good at the 55mm setting, with sharp detail across most of the frame. Chromatic aberration at full telephoto was negligible. Overall, good results for a kit lens.

Macro
An average sized minimum coverage area, with very good detail. Flash throttled down well.

As with zoom performance, the Sony A560's macro performance will depend entirely on the lens in use. However with the 18-55mm kit lens set to 55mm, the Sony A560 captured an average sized minimum area measuring 2.56 x 1.71 inches (65 x 43 millimeters). Detail was quite good in the center, though the corners were moderately soft. (Most lenses have some softening in the corners at macro distances.) The flash did a good job throttling down, resulting is a well exposed image. The flash also had no trouble clearing the lens as there is no detectable shadow, though the bottom of the image is slightly darker than the top.

Geometric Distortion
Higher than average geometric distortion at wide-angle, very low at telephoto.

Barrel distortion at 18mm is 1.0 percent

Distortion at 55mm is less than 0.1 percent

The Sony A560's 18-55mm kit lens produced about 1.0 percent barrel distortion at wide-angle, which is higher than average and noticeable in some of its images. At the telephoto end, there's hardly any geometric distortion. This is the tendency for the lens to bend straight lines outward (like a barrel -- usually at wide-angle) or inward (like a pincushion -- usually at telephoto).

The Sony A560 does not appear to be applying any geometric distortion correction to its JPEGs, as uncorrected RAW files show the same amount of distortion.

Chromatic Aberration and Corner Sharpness
Moderately high chromatic aberration at wide-angle; low levels at full telephoto. The lens produced some soft corners, especially at wide-angle.

Chromatic Aberration. Chromatic aberration in the corners with the A560's 18-55mm kit lens at wide-angle (18mm) is moderate in terms of the number of pixels, but quite bright, so the effect is noticeable in some shots. At full telephoto (55mm), C.A. is is much lower and less noticeable. Color fringing gradually reduces in brightness and width as it approaches the center of the image, where it is very low at wide-angle and telephoto.

Corner Softness. At full wide-angle, our copy of the 18-55mm lens was quite soft on the right-hand side, and the softness extended pretty far into the frame. The left side wasn't nearly as soft, with only minor to moderate blurring in the extreme corners. The center of the image was sharp with good contrast. Some vignetting (corner shading) is also noticeable at full wide-angle. At full telephoto, the top left corner was the softest, but with only mild blurring. The other corners were sharper, and the center was also fairly sharp, but the lens had lower contrast overall at full telephoto. A slightly below average performance overall for a kit lens here. (Note that the lens was "wide-open" for these shots, and corner sharpness generally improves when a lens is "stopped-down" a couple of f-stops below full aperture.)

The Sony A560 doesn't appear to be applying any chromatic aberration in its JPEGs, as uncorrected RAW files show similar amounts. 

The images above were taken from our standardized test shots. For a collection of more pictorial photos, see our Sony Alpha DSLR-A560 Photo Gallery .

Exposure

Sony Alpha A560 Exposure Options

The Sony A560 offers all the same exposure options you'd expect in a mid-range SLR camera, plus a few Sony-specific options. Available exposure modes include Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual modes, with shutter speeds from 1/4,000 to 30 seconds, as well as a Bulb setting available in Manual mode only, for longer exposures. The x-sync speed for flash photography is 1/160 second. A fully automatic mode places the camera in control of almost all functions, to try to deliver optimum results under a wide range of conditions. Basic options such as exposure compensation aren't available to the photographer in this mode, but the A560 will still allow you to select from a subset of drive modes and flash modes, lock exposure with the AEL button, focus manually or automatically, and enable or disable the face detection and smile shutter functions. The Sony A560 also offers a number of Scene modes, including Portrait, Sports Action, Macro, Landscape, Sunset, Night View, Hand-held Twilight, and Night Portrait, all accessed from a shared Scene (SCN) position on the Mode dial. There's also a separate Flash Off mode which merits its own position on the dial, as does a Sweep Panorama mode that captures and stitches a multi-image panorama with a single press of the shutter button. A Multi Frame NR function likewise captures multiple images with a single shutter press, but then merges these into a single exposure with reduced noise. See the Modes and Menus page for more details.

When framing using the Live View or Focus Check LV modes, the Sony A560 offers an optional live histogram function in all operating modes. Located near the bottom right corner of the LCD panel, it's rather small, and offers only a luminance readout rather than a full RGBY histogram, but it's still very useful for ensuring your exposures are correct. Another feature that's rather more common, but still very welcome, is the exposure display, visible both on the LCD for Live View shooting, and in the optical viewfinder's info display, when the camera is in Manual exposure mode. This shows the amount the camera thinks an image will be over- or underexposed within a range of +/-2.0EV, based on the settings you have selected, to help you find the best exposure for the subject. (Beyond the 2.0EV range, arrows on either end of the scale blink to emphasise that the metering system's limit has been reached.) Together, the live histogram and exposure display make it relatively easy to get suitable exposures even when shooting manually.

Sony A560 Face Detection
The Sony A560 includes Face Detection capability, capable of locating up to eight faces in the scene simultaneously. This information is taken into account when determining several exposure variables -- focus, exposure, flash and white balance. The A560 doesn't go as far as some cameras that try to recognize specific individuals, nor is it able to differentiate between adult and child faces. It does, however, includes a related feature that is now pretty common in point-and-shoot cameras, but relatively unknown in large-sensor cameras. Dubbed "Smile Shutter", this allows the A560 to automatically trigger the shutter, capturing photographs by itself when a smiling face is detected within the image frame. The A560's implementation is perhaps best suited to portraits of individuals, since the shutter is tripped when only one face within a group is smiling. There's a three-step control over the degree to which a subject must smile before the shutter is tripped. and when Smile Shutter is enabled, the A560 also provides a graph at the left of the screen that indicates how close a particular expression has come to passing the required threshold for the shutter to be tripped. In our testing we found the feature a little hit-and-miss, however, consistently spiking to the top of the scale and tripping the shutter for some individuals with barely the slightest smile, even when set to require a big smile. We also noticed that it locked up altogether a couple of times, and stopped detecting smiles altogether, until we removed the battery from the camera and reseated it.

Sony A560 ISO Range
ISO sensitivity ranges from 100 to 12,800, a wider range than that offered by many recent SLRs. The ISO sensitivity is adjusted in Program, Priority, and Manual modes by pressing the dedicated ISO button on the A560's top panel, or through the ISO option in the Function menu, and adjustments can be made in one-stop increments.

In Program and Priority modes, but not in Manual mode, an Auto ISO mode is available, and in Auto, Scene, Flash Off, and Sweep Panorama modes, it's the only option. The function is limited to a maximum of ISO 1,600 in all modes.

In addition, the Sony A560 offers a Multi-Frame NR function, which combines multiple shots into a single output image, in a similar manner to the Hand-held Twilight mode. The difference between the two functions is that Multi-Frame NR allows direct control over ISO sensitivity. Multi-Frame NR is available only in the Program, Priority, and Manual modes, and is accessed from the ISO sensitivity dialog. When using Multi-Frame NR, the maximum ISO sensitivity limit is expanded to ISO 25,600 equivalent.

Sony A560 Noise Reduction
The Sony A560 gives you only two choices for High ISO noise reduction, neither of which allows the function to be completely disabled. The default is to leave High ISO NR entirely in the camera's control, but if the maximum image detail is desired (or you prefer to do your noise filtering in post processing), a "Weak" option is also available in Program, Priority, and Manual modes.

A separate Long Shutter noise reduction On / Off setting is available in Program, Priority, and Manual modes, for dark frame subtraction when shooting exposures of one second or longer. If enabled, this approximately doubles the exposure time for each shot, allowing the second dark frame exposure to be captured with the shutter closed.

Sony A560 White Balance Options
White balance modes on the Sony A560 include Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, and Flash. A direct Kelvin temperature setting is also available, ranging from 2,500K to 9,900K, as is a Custom white balance setting, for setting white balance from a white or grey card. The A560's popup flash strobe can be used when determining a custom white balance, and unusually, the camera also provides a Kelvin readout of the measured color temperature -- a great feature which lets you subsequently dial the temperature in directly if you're shooting in familiar conditions. The effect of changes in white balance settings is shown in real-time on the LCD monitor.

In all of the preset white balance modes, you can fine-tune the color by pressing the left / right arrow keys on the four-way controller while in the White Balance menu. Blue / red adjustment is possible within a range of -3 to +3 arbitrary units for all but the fluorescent mode, which offers only a -1 to +2 unit range. In Kelvin white balance mode, there's also a color filter function which offers a magenta - green filter within a fairly wide range of -9 to +9 arbitrary units.

Custom white balance is set by selecting Custom Setup from the white balance menu, and pointing the camera at a neutral white or grey card under the lighting you'll be shooting in, filling a frame in the center of the display with the reference target, then pressing the Shutter button.

In addition, the Sony A560 can bracket white balance using the White Balance Bracketing (BRK WB) option in the Drive Mode menu. For each shutter release, the A560 records three separate image files, varying only the white balance between each image. Two step sizes are available -- 10 mireds when using the BRK WB Lo setting, and 20 mired steps with the BRK WB Hi setting.

Sony A560 Metering Options
The Sony Alpha A560 offers three metering modes, selected via the Metering Mode option in the Function menu: Multi-pattern, Center-Weighted, and Spot. All three modes operate on data from the camera's CMOS image sensor. When using the optical viewfinder, the default Multi-segment metering mode divides the image into 40 segments, and compares these to determine exposure. For Live View or Focus Check LV exposures, a much finer-grained 1,200 segment metering zones are evaluated in Multi-segment mode. Center-Weighted gives precedence to the center of the image while reading the whole frame. Spot metering is useful for high-contrast subjects, as it bases the exposure reading on the very center of the image, letting you set the exposure based on a small portion of your subject. When the camera is operating in Auto or Scene modes, the metering mode is fixed to Multi-pattern, and cannot be changed.

By default, you can lock an exposure reading separately from autofocus lock by pressing and holding the AEL button. Alternatively, the AEL button behaviour can be changed so that pressing and releasing the button will set and release the autoexposure lock on subsequent presses.

Sony A560 Exposure Compensation & Bracketing
The Sony A560's Exposure Compensation adjustment increases or reduces the overall exposure from -2 to +2 exposure values (EV) in one-third stop increments, and like White Balance, the effect of Exposure Compensation is simulated on the preview if framing your scene using Live View or Focus Check LV. In addition, the A560 offers -2 to +2 EV of flash exposure compensation, in 1/3 EV increments, set through the Function menu. A Continuous Bracketing feature captures multiple shots with different exposures. See the Drive Mode section on Continuous Bracketing below for more details.

Sony A560 DRO / HDR
The Sony A560 offers two different functions aimed at handling high-contrast scenes, each functioning in a rather different manner. The Dynamic Range Optimization (DRO) function adjusts the tone curve of captured images, bringing out shadow detail without adversely affecting highlights. As well as an Auto DRO mode, there are also five different levels of DRO available. Alternatively, Sony has included a high dynamic range (HDR) mode, which captures three separate images with varied exposures, and then combines the images in-camera, creating a single image with significantly increased dynamic range. The A560 can either automatically select the exposure variation, or a value can be selected manually in 1EV steps within a range of 1EV to 6EV.

The DRO and HDR modes can't be used together, and each brings its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Since DRO only works from a single shot, it must operate entirely within the dynamic range available from the image sensor, where the HDR mode is able to capture a significantly greater dynamic range than is possible in one shot. Since DRO is effectively amplifying the signal in shadow areas of the image, it also brings increased noise (or increased noise reduction) in the shadows. HDR mode, meanwhile, is suitable only for relatively static subjects, given that it requires multiple exposures. Thanks to microalignment capability, Sony's HDR mode is at least able to deal with the slight changes in framing caused by shooting handheld, but subject motion or camera shake will likely cause unacceptable artifacts in HDR images.

Both DRO and HDR can be disabled altogether if desired, although the default on the A560 is for DRO Auto mode to be left enabled.

Sony A560 Hand-held Twilight
Another function which the Sony A560 has inherited from the company's point-and-shoot camera line is its Hand-held Twilight mode, which is accessed from the Scene (SCN) position on the Mode dial. Hand-held Twilight mode shoots a burst of six images with a single press of the shutter button, using as high sensitivity as is necessary to offer hand-holdable shutter speeds. The A560 then combines all six source images into one image with reduced noise in static areas, as compared to a single shot taken with the same exposure settings. Cleverly, Hand-held Twilight mode is able to deal with moving subjects, by making the assumption that the first frame includes your intended subject. Areas of subsequent images which match up with the first image are factored into the final result, but areas that don't match -- either due to subject or camera motion -- aren't used in creating the final image. This does, however, mean that the moving subject doesn't benefit from the same degree of noise reduction as the rest of the image.

The Sony A560's implementation of Hand-held Twilight does have one important difference from the similar mode found on its point-and-shoot siblings. Where the existing cameras have been able to use an electronic shutter to capture the source images, the A560 must instead rely on its physical shutter. The A560's mirror slap isn't the quietest we've heard, and with six frames captured in a rapid burst, its Hand-held Twilight mode can have bystanders turning around in expectation of seeing a paparazzo in their midst. ;-)

Sony A560 Multi-Frame NR
Another function that's closely related to Hand-held Twilight is Sony's Multi-Frame NR mode. Also available in Sony's SLT-series cameras, Multi-Frame NR has several important differences from Hand-held Twilight. Most significantly, it functions in the A560's Program, Aperture- or Shutter-Priority, and Manual modes. In all but Manual mode, it offers the ability to let the camera choose the sensitivity automatically, but unlike Hand-held Twilight it also allows manual selection of ISO sensitivity (and indeed, for Manual exposure shooting, that's the only option given.) One further difference of note is that in Multi-frame NR mode, the maximum ISO sensitivity limit of the Sony A560 is raised from its standard ISO 12,800 equivalent, to an impressively high 25,600 equivalent.

Sony A560 Sweep Panorama
The final mode inherited from Sony's Cyber-shot point-and-shoot lineup is the A560's Sweep Panorama function, with which it can automatically capture a burst of images, and stitch them into a single panoramic image in-camera. Both 2D and 3D modes are offered, with the latter cleverly comparing the relative positions of subjects as they pass the left and right sides of the lens, and using this information to create a 3D image consisting of separate 2D views, stored in a Multi Picture Object file.

Again, since there's no electronic shutter to rely on, the mirror slap noise means you won't be catching anybody by surprise, That said, the feature functions pretty well if you've a reasonably steady hand, and your subject matter isn't too close to the camera. If your subject matter is too close to the camera, or your panning isn't smooth and straight, the seams between separate images can become fairly noticeable. Focus and exposure are locked from the first frame of the panorama, so you'll want to pick your starting point carefully. From there, you can pan left, right, up, or down, simply sweeping the camera across your subject matter after pressing the shutter button.

Two panorama sizes are available -- standard, or wide. Standard horizontal panoramas are limited to 15 megapixels, and vertical panoramas to 8.4 megapixels. In Wide mode, horizontal panoramas are 23 megapixels, and vertical panoramas are 12 megapixels. For 3D mode, only horizontal panoramas are possible, with the standard size providing 5.3 megapixel resolution, and the wide size offering 7.7 megapixels. There's also a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel mode designed to match the resolution of a Full HD display, available only for 3D panoramas.

A darkened mask over the left third of the LCD display shows an area of the frame that won't be included in the final output image, and an on-screen message warns you if the Alpha A560 wasn't able to track your panning, prompting you to recapture the panorama. (Depending on how much was captured, the A560 sometimes retains a partial panorama with the uncaptured portion of the image left as a flat grey.)

Sony A560 Drive Modes
The Sony A560 offers a variety of shooting modes, accessed via a dedicated Drive Mode button on the camera's top deck, or through the Drive Mode option under the Function menu. Available in all shooting modes except Sweep Panorama, and Hand-held Twilight, drive options vary depending on the shooting mode, but include Single Shot Advance, two Continuous Advance modes, Speed Priority Continuous, two Self Timer modes, Continuous Bracket, White Balance Bracket, and Remote Commander. Single-shot, as you'd expect, captures a single image with each press of the shutter button. When using the optical viewfinder, Continuous Advance captures images at either five frames per second in Hi mode, or three frames per second in Lo mode, while the shutter button is held down. With Focus Check Live View, only the five frames per second rate is available, while the standard Live View mode offers only a three frames per second rate. As many as 7 RAW or 27 Large / Fine JPEG shots can be captured in a burst, adjusting focus and exposure between shots as necessary.

In Speed Priority Continuous mode, the Sony A560 boosts its frame rate even further, to a generous seven frames per second, but with an important proviso. Both autofocus and autoexposure are fixed from the first shot in the burst -- so this mode is only useful for subjects under relatively even illumination, and whose distance from the photographer remains within the available depth of field, unless you've the skill required to pull focus manually.

The Self-timer modes offers a choice of either two or ten second timers. Continuous Bracket mode lets you take a sequence of three shots with either 0.3 EV or 0.7 EV exposure variation steps, with the sequence order being to shoot the metered exposure first, followed by the underexposed and overexposed frames. White Balance Bracket captures three images with varied white balance settings, as describe in the white balance section of this page. Finally, Remote Commander mode configures the A560 to capture images as directed by the optional RMT-DSLR1 wireless remote control, which communicates with the camera via an infrared receiver hidden behind a shiny plastic trim piece in the top of the hand grip's front surface.

Sony A560 Creative Styles
Finally, the Creative Style option on the Function menu allows photographers to set the A560's color mode. Six preset options are available -- Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, and B/W. For all six choices, Contrast and Sharpness levels may be adjusted in seven steps. In addition, all but the black and white mode offer seven-step control over saturation. A separate Color Space option under Screen 3 of the Record menu lets you choose between sRGB and AdobeRGB color spaces, with sRGB being best for viewing images on a computer, and Adobe RGB the best choice for printing images.

The images above were taken from our standardized test shots. For a collection of more pictorial photos, see our Sony Alpha DSLR-A560 Photo Gallery .

Not sure which camera to buy? Let your eyes be the ultimate judge! Visit our Comparometer(tm) to compare images from the Sony Alpha DSLR-A560 with those from other cameras you may be considering. The proof is in the pictures, so let your own eyes decide which you like best!

Performance

Sony A560 Performance

Imaging

Sony A560 Image Quality

Color

Saturation & Hue Accuracy
Very good overall accuracy and saturation, with relatively minor shifts in hue and intensity.

In the diagram above, the squares show the original color, and the circles show the color that the camera captured. More saturated colors are located toward the periphery of the graph. Hue changes as you travel around the center. Thus, hue-accurate, highly saturated colors appear as lines radiating from the center. Click for a larger image.

Saturation. The Sony A560 pushes strong reds, orange, dark blue and some greens, browns and purples just a little, but actually undersaturates aqua and cyan tones slightly. Its overall color saturation (11.8% oversaturated) is quite typical for a consumer oriented SLR. Most consumer digital cameras produce color that's more highly saturated (more intense) than found in the original subjects. This is simply because most people like their color a bit brighter than life.

Skin tones. Here, with the color balanced properly for the light source, the Alpha A560's skin tones looked pretty good. There were some slightly reddish tints in places and darker areas were a bit orange, but overall skin tones looked fairly natural. Where oversaturation is most problematic is on Caucasian skin tones, as it's very easy for these "memory colors" to be seen as too bright, too pink, too yellow, etc.

Hue. The Alpha 560 showed only a few small color shifts relative to the mathematically precise translation of colors in its subjects, but had pretty good accuracy overall. Most noticeable were shifts in reds toward orange, orange toward yellow, cyan toward blue, as well as some shifts in yellow and purples. (The cyan to blue shift is very common among the digital cameras we test; we think it's a deliberate choice by camera engineers to produce better-looking sky colors.) Hue is "what color" the color is.

Creative Style
The Sony A560 offers six preset "Creative Style" options. You can adjust contrast, saturation, and sharpness for any of the settings.

Creative Style Options
Standard	B&W	Landscape
Portrait	Sunset	Vivid

Mouse over the links above to see the effect of the presets on our Still Life target. Click on a link to load the full resolution image.

Saturation Adjustment
The Sony A560 has a total of seven saturation settings available, three above and three below the default saturation. This covers a pretty wide range of saturation levels, about as wide a range as you're likely to find photographically relevant, apart from special effects that are arguably better achieved in software. The fine steps between settings mean you can program the camera to just the level of saturation you prefer, a feature we look for in cameras.

Saturation Adjustment Examples
-3	-1	0	+1	+3

The table above shows results with several saturation settings including the default and both limits. See the Thumbnails index page for more (look for the files named A560OUTBSATx.JPG). Click on any thumbnail above to see the full-sized image.

Sensor

Exposure and White Balance

Indoors, incandescent lighting
Very warm cast with Auto, but good color with the Incandescent setting. Manual was slightly greenish while 2,600 Kelvin had a slight blue cast. Slightly above average positive exposure compensation required.

Indoors, under normal incandescent lighting, the Sony Alpha 560 produced overly warm color with its Auto white balance setting. The Incandescent setting was pretty good, just slightly warm. The Manual white balance setting produced a slightly greenish tint, while the 2,600 Kelvin setting which should match our lighting had a bluish tint to it. Overall, we preferred the Incandescent setting as it conveyed some of the warmth in the lighting. At +0.7 EV, the exposure compensation required was slightly above the average for this shot. The average among cameras we've tested is +0.3 EV. Our test lighting for this shot is a mixture of 60 and 100 watt household incandescent bulbs, a pretty yellow light source, but a very common one in typical home settings here in the U.S.

Outdoors, daylight
Good results under harsh lighting, with good handling of contrast, detail, and color, though default exposure is quite hot in our "Sunlit" Portrait shot.

Outdoors, the Sony Alpha 560 performed reasonably well, but produced a slightly overexposed image of our "sunlit" portrait shot without any exposure compensation. This is however better than average performance, since most cameras we've tested required +0.7 EV compensation to keep the model's face bright. Contrast is a little high, as you might expect under such harsh lighting, and there are quite a few highlights blown in the model's shirt. Only a few highlights were blown in the House shot at the default exposure, however. Color balance is good as well, with good white balance and saturation considering the bright lighting. Finally, the camera's contrast adjustment did a very nice job of toning down the exposure without creating any strong color variations in the skin (though skin tone did change slightly - See the Contrast series under the Extremes section below). Overall, a good performance.

See full set of test images with explanations
See thumbnails of all test and gallery images

Resolution
Very high resolution, 1,900 ~ 2,100 lines of strong detail from JPEGs, slightly more from RAW.

Our laboratory resolution chart revealed sharp, distinct line patterns down to about 2,100 lines per picture height in the horizontal direction, and about 1,900 in the vertical direction. Complete extinction didn't occur until around 3,000 lines in the horizontal direction, and to about 2,600 lines in the vertical. Adobe Camera Raw was able to extract a bit more detail, and extended complete extinction to the limit of our chart (4,000 lines) in the horizontal direction, and to about 2,800 lines in the vertical direction. Adobe Camera Raw also showed quite a bit more moire interference patterns than the camera JPEG near the limits of resolution. Use these numbers to compare with other cameras of similar resolution, or use them to see just what higher resolution can mean in terms of potential detail.

See full set of test images with explanations
See thumbnails of all test and gallery images

Sharpness & Detail
Good detail but slightly soft images at default settings, with relatively minor edge-enhancement on high-contrast subjects. Low to moderate noise suppression visible at base ISO.

Sharpness. The Sony A560 produced good detail, but softness in its kit lens didn't show off the camera's abilities to best advantage. The crop of the house and trees above is from an image shot with Sony's 24-70mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss zoom, a really excellent optic, and shows the good detail the A560 body is capable of. Though images are still slightly soft with the sharper lens, and some minor edge enhancement artifacts are visible on high-contrast subjects such as the crop above left, overall results are still pretty good. (You can always adjust in-camera sharpening for sharper JPEGs, but best results would be obtained by dialing down the in-camera sharpening an using strong/tight unsharp masking in Photoshop or other image editing software, or by shooting RAW and using a good RAW converter.) Edge enhancement creates the illusion of sharpness by enhancing colors and tones right at the edge of a rapid transition in color or tone.

Detail. The crop above right shows low to moderate noise suppression, as the darker areas of the model's hair still show a lot of detail. Individual strands do merge together when local contrast is low, and as shadows deepen. All in all, a good performance here, especially considering the high resolution. (Sony seems to have made real strides in their noise-reduction processing in the last year or so, as the 2010 Alphas do a much better job of holding onto subtle subject detail than did last year's models.) Noise-suppression systems in digital cameras tend to flatten-out detail in areas of subtle contrast. The effects can often be seen in shots of human hair, where the individual strands are lost and an almost "watercolor" look appears.

RAW vs In-Camera JPEGs
As noted above, the Sony A560 produces slightly soft JPEG images at default settings. More detail can usually be obtained from carefully processing RAW files, without introducing additional sharpening artifacts. Take a look below, to see what we mean:

Camera JPEG (Fine)	RAW via Sony IDC (Default settings)	RAW via Sony IDC (Sharpening = 100)	RAW via ACR

In the table above, mousing over a link at the bottom will load the corresponding crop in the area above, and clicking on the link will load the full resolution image. Examples include (from left to right): an in-camera Fine JPEG, RAW file processed through Sony's Image Data Converter SR version 3.2 software at default settings, another processed with IDC's sharpening turned up to +100, and one processed in Adobe Camera RAW 6.3, and sharpened in Photoshop using unsharp mask of 300% with radius 0.3 pixels.

As you can see, the Sony IDC version at default settings is somewhat softer than the in-camera JPEG. (Color rendering is also slightly different, which is a bit of a surprise.) Increasing the sharpness helped, but the resulting image doesn't really show any additional detail. There is also an odd green coloration along some of the white trim on the house that's not present in the camera JPEG, so it's possible IDC still needs some work to properly support the Sony A560's ARW files. Adobe Camera RAW was able to extract more fine detail, especially noticeable in the pine needles, but it also shows a bit more noise.

ISO & Noise Performance
Better high ISO noise performance than previous generation Sony APS-C SLRs, with very good results up to ISO 800.

Default High ISO Noise Reduction
ISO 100	ISO 200	ISO 400
ISO 800	ISO 1,600	ISO 3,200
ISO 6,400	ISO 12,800

The Sony A560's images are quite clean at ISOs 100 and 200, and ISO 400 is almost as good. Some noise "grain" is noticeable at ISO 800, and there's a bit of chroma noise in the shadows, but the camera doesn't smudge away as much fine detail as most others at this ISO. There's some stronger smudging of fine detail at ISO 1,600, but the A560 still does better than most at this ISO for its resolution. At ISO 3,200, fine detail suffers from more aggressive noise reduction, but there is still some detail left, and chroma noise really isn't an issue. Detail takes larger hit at ISO 6,400, and above. There's also quite a bit of chroma noise in the form of purple and yellow blotching, especially at ISO 12,800. Overall though, these are very good results, similar to the NEX-3 and NEX-5, which is no surprise since they likely share the same sensor. As always, see the Print Quality section below for maximum recommended print sizes at each ISO.

A note about focus for this shot: We shoot this image at f/4, usually using one of three very sharp reference lenses (70mm Sigma f/2.8 macro for most cameras, 60mm f/2.8 Nikkor macro for Nikon bodies without a drive motor, and Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/2.0 for Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds bodies). To insure that the hair detail we use for making critical judgements about camera noise processing and detail rendering is in sharp focus at the relatively wide aperture we're shooting at, the focus target at the center of the scene is on a movable stand. This lets us compensate for front- or back-focus by different camera bodies, even those that lack micro-focus adjustments. This does mean, though, that the focus target itself may appear soft or slightly out of focus for bodies that front- or back-focused with the reference lens. We know this; if you click to view the full-size image for one of these shots and notice that the focus target is fuzzy, you don't need to email and tell us. :-) The focus target position will have been adjusted to insure that the rest of the scene is focused properly.

Noise Reduction Oddity. The "Weak" high ISO NR setting smudges the red leaf pattern in our Still Life target setting more than the "Auto" setting at higher ISOs. The Auto setting does reduce chroma noise compared to the Weak setting though (lower crops), and we confirmed the filenames are correct. We saw similar behavior with previous models such as the NEX-5/3 and A550/A500.

Extremes: Sunlit and low light tests
Very high resolution with excellent shadow detail, though highlights are quite hot at default exposure. Good low-light performance, capable of capturing bright images in near darkness, however manual exposure was required and autofocus struggled at lower light levels.

Sunlight:
The Sony Alpha 560 struggled a bit with the deliberately harsh lighting in the test above. The default exposure did the best job here, as the model's face was properly exposed, though quite a few highlights were blown. The camera's contrast adjustment did a good job of decreasing overall contrast without producing strong color variations; see the section below. These shots were captured with the Sony A560's DRO (Dynamic Range Optimizer) control set to its default of "Off". See below to see how Contrast and DRO settings helped with the high contrast in this shot. Also, be sure to use fill flash in situations like the one shown above; it's better to shoot in the shade when possible.

Because digital cameras are more like slide film than negative film (in that they tend to have a more limited tonal range), we test them in the harshest situations to see how they handle scenes with bright highlights and dark shadows, as well as what kind of sensitivity they have in low light. The shot above is designed to mimic the very harsh, contrasty effect of direct noonday sunlight, a very tough challenge for most digital cameras. (You can read details of this test here.)

Contrast Adjustment
We really like it when a camera gives us the ability to adjust contrast and saturation to our liking. It's even better when those adjustments cover a useful range, in steps small enough to allow for precise tweaks. Just as with its saturation adjustment, the Sony A560's contrast setting meets both challenges.

Minimum Contrast
Contrast set to lowest, Auto Exposure	Contrast set to lowest, Auto Exposure

At its lowest contrast setting, the A560 did a good job of preserving highlight detail, maintaining natural-looking skin tones, and holding nice detail in the shadows, though ideally this shot should have been taken with some negative exposure compensation. The A560 captures good color outdoors, though just slightly on the warm side. Overall, good results here, especially when the contrast setting is tweaked.

Contrast Adjustment Examples
-3	-1	0	+1	+3

The series of shots above shows results with several different contrast adjustment settings, showing the minimum step size around the default, as well as both extremes. While you can see the extremes, it's hard to really evaluate contrast on small thumbnails like these, click on any thumbnail to go to the full-size image.

One very nice feature of Sony's contrast adjustment is that it has very little effect on color saturation. Contrast and saturation are actually fairly closely coupled, it's a good trick to be able to vary one with out the other changing as well. Sony did a good job here.

DRO Examples
DRO Off	DRO Auto	DRO Level 1	DRO Level 5
Highlight Retention
Shadow Detail / Noise (Levels adjusted equally in Photoshop on the right-hand side to show noise)

Dynamic Range Optimization is Sony's name for their dynamic range enhancement technology. DRO divides the image into small areas, analyzes the range of brightness of each area, and adjusts the camera's image processing parameters accordingly to make the best use of the available dynamic range. Auto DRO is enabled by default on the Sony A560. You can also set the level manually, from 1 ("weak") to 5 ("strong"), or turn it off. As one would expect, DRO is only available for JPEG files.

The above images and crops show the effects of DRO disabled, set to Auto (the default), Level 1 ("weak") and Level 5 ("strong") for our "Sunlit" Portrait shot with no exposure compensation. As you can from the crops, Auto DRO had only a slight effect on the highlights in this shot, with higher levels clipping just slightly more highlights. You'll want to expose for the highlights by using some negative exposure compensation in cases like this. The bulk of the difference between different levels of DRO is found in the shadow areas. The stronger the level, the more boost is applied to the shadows. Along with that boost is an increase in shadow noise, though noise is not as much of an issue as we expected for a 14-megapixel subframe sensor.

Outdoor Portrait HDR Examples
HDR Off	HDR Auto	HDR 1 EV	HDR 6 EV
Highlights
Shadows

High Dynamic Range. The Sony A560's HDR mode takes three images in rapid succession, one nominally exposed , one underexposed, and one overexposed, then combines them into one high dynamic range JPEG automatically. Lighter areas from the underexposed image are combined in-camera with darker areas from the overexposed image to produce an image with increased dynamic range. The camera then saves a single composite image, as well as the nominally exposure image. The overlaid images are micro-aligned by the camera, but it can only correct for so much movement. If it can't micro-align successfully, an icon indicating HDR capture failed will appear. For best results, the subject should not move or blink, so it's not really intended for portraits. There is also a manual mode where you can select 1 EV ("weak") to 6 EV ("strong") difference in exposures. As you can see, the Auto setting produced an image that looks a little flat and unnatural with this scene. The higher the setting, the more highlights were toned-down, and shadows opened up. The lowest manual setting of 1 EV did a great job at preserving clipped highlights and boosting shadows. Surprisingly, there was more noise noticeable in the shadows with the Auto setting. Looking at the highest setting (6 EV), shadow noise appears to be better controlled. In fact, shadow noise is lower since the overexposed image would have less noise in the shadows than the nominally exposed image.

	1 fc 11 lux	1/2 fc 5.5 lux	1/4 fc 2.7 lux	1/8 fc 1.3 lux	1/16 fc 0.67 lux	1/16fc No NR	1/16fc MF NR
ISO 100	2 sec f2.8	4 sec f2.8	8 sec f2.8	15 sec f2.8	30 sec f2.8	30 sec f2.8	30 sec f2.8
ISO 200	1 sec f2.8	2 sec f2.8	4 sec f2.8	8 sec f2.8	15 sec f2.8	15 sec f2.8	15 sec f2.8
ISO 400	0.5 sec f2.8	1 sec f2.8	2 sec f2.8	4 sec f2.8	8 sec f2.8	8 sec f2.8	8 sec f2.8
ISO 800	1/4 sec f2.8	0.5 sec f2.8	1 sec f2.8	2 sec f2.8	4 sec f2.8	4 sec f2.8	4 sec f2.8
ISO 1600	1/8 sec f2.8	1/4 sec f2.8	0.5 sec f2.8	1 sec f2.8	2 sec f2.8	2 sec f2.8	2 sec f2.8
ISO 3200	1/15 sec f2.8	1/8 sec f2.8	1/4 sec f2.8	0.5 sec f2.8	1 sec f2.8	1 sec f2.8	1 sec f2.8
ISO 6400	1/30 sec f2.8	1/15 sec f2.8	1/8 sec f2.8	1/4 sec f2.8	0.5 sec f2.8	0.5 sec f2.8	0.5 sec f2.8
ISO 12800	1/60 sec f2.8	1/30 sec f2.8	1/15 sec f2.8	1/8 sec f2.8	1/4 sec f2.8	1/4 sec f2.8	1/4 sec f2.8
ISO 25600	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1/8 sec f2.8

Low light. The Sony A560 was able to capture bright images at the lowest light level with the lowest sensitivity setting (ISO 100), but required the use of manual exposure mode. The A560's auto exposure (metering) did not work well at all at lower light levels, resulting in very underexposed images. Noise is quite low up to ISO 800, and at higher ISOs noise grain is pretty fine, but chroma noise gets a little blotchy at the highest ISOs. There's no sign of any banding issues or uncorrected hot pixels. Color balance looked good with the Auto white balance setting, though chroma noise impacts the color of darker midtones and shadows at higher ISOs. The right-most column shows the results with Multi-frame NR active. It works really well at reducing noise compared to a single frame, and allows ISO sensitivity to be expanded to 25,600 equivalent.

The camera's autofocus system was able to focus on the subject down to below the 1/16 foot-candle light level unassisted, which is excellent.  The Sony A560 was able to focus in complete darkness with the AF assist enabled. Keep in mind that the longer shutter speeds here demand the use of a tripod to prevent any blurring from camera movement, Sony's SteadyShot not withstanding. (A useful trick is to just prop the camera on a convenient surface, and use its self-timer to release the shutter. This avoids any jiggling from your finger pressing the shutter button, and can work quite well when you don't have a tripod handy.)

How bright is this? The one foot-candle light level that this test begins at roughly corresponds to the brightness of typical city street-lighting at night. Cameras performing well at that level should be able to snap good-looking photos of street-lit scenes.

NOTE: This low light test is conducted with a stationary subject, and the camera mounted on a sturdy tripod. Most digital cameras will fail miserably when faced with a moving subject in dim lighting. (For example, a child's ballet recital or a holiday pageant in a gymnasium.) Thanks to their phase-detect AF systems, digital SLRs like the Sony A560 tend to do much better than point & shoots, but you still shouldn't expect a quick autofocus lock with moving subjects. (A useful trick is to just prop the camera on a convenient surface, and use its self-timer to release the shutter. This avoids any jiggling from your finger pressing the shutter button, and can work quite well when you don't have a tripod handy.)

Low Light Hand-Held Twilight
Manual, 1/30s, ISO 6400	Hand-Held Twilight, 1/40s, ISO 6400
Detail
Noise

Hand-Held Twilight. A feature inherited from Sony's Cyber-shot point-and-shoot cameras, Hand-held Twilight mode shoots a burst of six images with a single press of the shutter button, using high enough sensitivity to hand-hold the camera in fairly low light. The A560 then combines all six source images into one image with reduced noise in static areas, as compared to a single shot taken with the equivalent exposure settings. In the example above, Hand-Held Twilight mode chose ISO 6400 at a shutter speed of 1/40s. As you can see, the camera managed to get an image almost as sharp with similar noise while being hand-held (on right) as with the same ISO on a sturdy tripod.

Low Light Multi-frame NR
Manual, 1/4s, ISO 12,800	Multi-frame NR, 1/4s, ISO 12,800
Detail
Noise

Multi-frame Noise Reduction. This new feature is similar to Hand-held Twilight mode, but gives you control over the ISO used, so you may still need to use a tripod depending on the ISO you select. (We frankly don't see the value to this mode when using a tripod, as selecting a lower ISO and longer shutter speed will produce a clean image as well.) As you can see, the image captured with Multi-frame Noise Reduction (right) is cleaner than the standard image (left) despite both being shot at ISO 12,800. An added bonus is that ISO 25,600 equivalent is available with MF NR.

Output Quality

Print Quality

Excellent 20x30-inch prints from ISO 100 to 400; ISO 800 and 1,600 look good at 16x24; ISO 12,800 prints look great at 5x7.

ISO 100 shots look great at 20x30, with good detail. It's not quite tack sharp, because it's very slightly soft, but unsharp mask or a settings change would fix that.

ISO 200 shots soften a bit at 20x30, looking better at 16x24 inches.

ISO 400 images look quite good at 16x24 inches, though detail in our red leaf swatch starts to soften.

ISO 800 gets a little softer at 16x24 inches, but maintains good detail, with only slight luminance noise in the shadows.

ISO 1,600 is a little too soft for 16x24, but looks quite good at 13x19 inches.

ISO 3,200 images look a little smudgy at 13x19, with a slight yellow tinge around the shadows. Printing at 11x14 improves the detail and noise, but that yellow tinge remains.

ISO 6,400 looks poor at 11x14, but comes back together at 8x12, with some noise in the shadows, but the chroma noise is reduced and saturation pumped just a bit.

ISO 12,800 are way too noisy and blotchy at 8x12, looking more like a sand painting; reduce resolution to 5x7 and they look like a different image, with very usable detail and good color.

Overall, the Sony A560 looks quite good at every ISO, starting out at 20x30, but requiring a size reduction sooner than the A580 did. In the end, though, their highest ISO setting still produced an impressive quality 5x7-inch print. Quite usable at every ISO setting, which is as good an outcome as one could desire.

Testing hundreds of digital cameras, we've found that you can only tell just so much about a camera's image quality by viewing its images on-screen. Ultimately, there's no substitute for printing a lot of images and examining them closely. For this reason, we now routinely print sample images from the cameras we test on our Canon Pro9000 Mark II studio printer, and on the Pixma MP610 here in the office. (See the Canon Pixma Pro9000 Mark II review for details on that model.)

Viewfinder

Sony A560 Viewfinder

The Sony A560 features a digital SLR design, so the optical viewfinder offers a true, through-the-lens (TTL) display. A dioptric adjustment dial to the right of the eyepiece accommodates eyeglass wearers, letting them adjust the viewfinder optics between -2.5 to +1.0 diopters. The viewfinder eyepiece has a fairly typical eyepoint, specified at 19mm from the eyepiece, or 15mm from the eyepiece frame. Magnification is fairly low at only 0.80x for a 50mm lens and -1 diopter of dioptric correction. This is likely due to the room needed for the Live View sensor. Coverage is specified at 95%, typical for non-pro SLRs.

Like the Sony A550, the A560's viewfinder uses a pentamirror design. The advantage of a pentamirror is it's lighter and less expensive; however an all-glass pentaprism design delivers more light to the viewfinder eyepiece, thanks to its more efficient internal reflection. A solid pentaprism isn't compatible with Sony's tilting-mirror Live View mechanism, though. A pair of horizontal infrared sensors just below the viewfinder detect your eye as it approaches the viewfinder, and deactivates the LCD information display if you have the Auto Off w/ VF option enabled in the Custom menu. You can also set these sensors to initiate autofocus whenever your eye is in range of the eyepiece (Eye-Start AF), which makes the A560's autofocus seem more responsive.

Sony A560 Viewfinder Callouts
	AF area		Spot metering area
	Shooting area for aspect ratio 16:9		Flash compensation
	Flash charging		Wireless flash
	High-speed sync		Manual focus
	Focus		Shutter speed
	Aperture		EV scale
	AE lock		"Shooting unavailable" warning
	Camera shake warning		SteadyShot scale
	Aspect ratio 16:9

The Sony A560's extensive information display features a series of focus target marks in the center of the view that highlight briefly when the AF system is activated. Against uniform, light backgrounds, extremely fine lines can be seen leading up to each active target mark from the left or right sides of the frame, but these aren't in the least obtrusive. Note that, while the autofocus sensor has fifteen individual focusing points, only eleven of these are manually addressable, and only these points' locations are shown in the optical viewfinder. For those familiar with older Sony SLRs, it's also worth noting that while the AF point displays are now all boxes, only three AF sensors at the center of the frame are cross types, with the remainder being line-type sensors.

Camera information appears beneath the image area in a small strip, and reports all of the major camera settings, such as shutter speed, aperture, flash mode, EV compensation, etc. To the far right side of the strip is the Super SteadyShot (anti-shake) scale, indicating the degree of stabilization whenever anti-shake mode is activated. The information readout in the viewfinder activates whenever you half-press the Shutter button, and remains active for a few seconds afterward.

Viewfinder Test Results

Coverage
Fair accuracy from the optical viewfinder, and Quick AF Live View mode was even less accurate. Focus Check Live View mode was very accurate, though.

The Sony Alpha 560's optical viewfinder showed about 94 percent coverage accuracy with our Sigma 70mm f/2.8 prime lens, almost matching Sony's 95% specification. That's lower than average even for a consumer SLR. The image also appears slightly tilted and shifted vertically relative to the imaging sensor, which we're unfortunately seeing more and more frequently in consumer SLRs these days. The amount of tilt and shift on the Sony A560's finder isn't as bad as many we've seen, though.

Quick AF Live View mode had slightly less coverage at about 91%, but was also tilted and shifted very slightly. We're used to seeing close to 100% coverage from cameras' LCDs in Live View mode, but Sony's approach of using a secondary image sensor for Quick AF Live View rather than the main imager means that lower coverage and minor misalignments like this can occur. (The upside, of course, is much faster shutter response than most Live-View SLRs that use the main image sensor for the Live View viewfinder display.)

Coverage in Focus Check Live View mode, which displays an image derived from the main imaging sensor, is 100%. Excellent results here.

Live View

Sony A560 Live View

Like most SLRs these days, the Sony A560 offers the ability to frame images not only through its optical viewfinder, but when in live view mode, also on its rear-panel LCD monitor. As in several of Sony's past models, the live view functionality of the Alpha A560 is unusual in that it offers two operating methods. The default live view mode in the A560 derives its image from a secondary sensor in the viewfinder assembly, an uncommon technique that allows the camera's phase detection autofocus system to operate without interrupting the live view feed. This method also has the advantage of not warming the main image sensor during live view operation, which could raise noise levels in the final image -- especially during long exposures. The approach has a couple of drawbacks, though. Because the secondary sensor is relatively small compared to the primary image sensor, the live view feed can be noisy in low light. A combination of the secondary sensor's low resolution and difficulties in precisely matching the point of focus between main and secondary sensors also conspire to make it relatively less useful for manual focus adjustment, unless you've a generous depth of field to work with. It also has rather looser frame coverage, as detailed on the Optics tab.

For that reason, Sony offers a secondary live view mode, dubbed Focus Check LV, which uses the more traditional live view method found in most DSLRs, with the live view feed derived from the main image sensor. This mode offers much higher resolution, and since the primary image sensor is being used to frame the image, you can confirm the point of focus with confidence. (To make things even easier, the A560 provides a focus assist zoom function that allows any area of the image frame to be enlarged by 7x or 14x, making it really easy to confirm the precise point of focus -- at least, if your subject isn't moving too much.) As with most DSLRs offering live view, the A560 doesn't allow phase detection autofocusing in Focus Check LV mode without a brief interruption to the live view feed, during which time the reflex mirror is dropped to allow light to reach the dedicated AF sensor, then raised again to resume the live view feed. Unlike in past Sony cameras, this mode now also offers contrast detection autofocus capability, which is slower than phase detection autofocus, but doesn't interrupt the live view feed, and can potentially offer greater accuracy (as well as the ability to focus anywhere within the image frame) when shooting relatively static subjects.

In both the traditional and Focus Check live view modes, the Sony A560 also offers a face detection function, capable of identifying the locations of up to eight faces in the image frame. Detected faces are identified with a white frame, which turns orange when the camera determines that it can attempt to focus on a particular face. When focus is locked, the frame turns green, letting you see which subjects were given priority by the camera, when setting focus and exposure. Curiously, when in Focus Check LV mode, the face detection function is only available when using phase detection autofocusing, but not with contrast detection. This of course means that the A560 can only focus on detected faces if they fall under one of the fixed points on the autofocus sensor, perhaps robbing the function of a little versatility. (Some competing cameras offer face detection with contrast detect autofocus, allowing the camera to handle focusing on subjects located anywhere within the image frame.)

As you change exposure variables in either mode, the Sony A560 updates its preview display to reflect what the captured image will look like, also known as "exposure simulation." In addition, the Focus Check LV mode allows preview of depth of field and exposure simultaneously, as the camera stops down its lens aperture to the selected value while a dedicated button is held in on the front panel. The Live View / OVF switch on the A560's top deck is used to enable or disable Live View mode, while Focus Check LV mode is activated with an adjacent, dedicated button. The camera needn't be placed into Live View mode before Focus Check LV can be initiated, as the button also functions when the camera is currently in OVF mode. Live view is available in all shooting modes.

The Sony A560's live view mode feature set is comprehensive, and the display offers a lot of information such as current settings, exposure, and composition aids (shown in the illustration below, courtesy of Sony USA). Allowing quick access to camera settings, the Sony A560's Function Menu is available in live view shooting, with the live view image shown in the background of the menu so that you can keep tabs on your subject. Text in the menu is in white with a fine black outline, ensuring it remains readable against both light and dark backgrounds. The selection of options in the Function menu is identical to that for non-live view shooting, and is detailed on the Modes & Menus page.

Sony A560 Record Mode Displays
Section 1
	Exposure mode		Image quality of still images
	Memory card		Image size of movies
	Remaining number of recordable images		Remaining battery
	Image size of still images / Aspect ratio of still images / Image size of Sweep Shooting		Overheating warning
	Database file full / database file error		No audio recording of movies
Section 2
	Spot metering area		AF area
	Shutter speed indicator		Aperture indicator
	Focus check Live View		Recording time of the movie
Section 3
	Focus		EV scale
	Shutter speed		AE lock
	Aperture		Camera shake warning
	SteadyShot scale
Section 4
	Drive mode		AF area
	Flash mode / red-eye reduction		Face detection
	Focus mode		Smile shutter
	Smile detection sensitivity indicator
Section 5
	ISO sensitivity		Metering
	Flash compensation		White balance (auto, preset, custom, color temperature, color filter)
	D-Range optimizer / Auto HDR		Creative style

You can enable one of three different overlays, each of which applies only when framing images in Focus Check LV mode, and/or when automatically reviewing images after capture. The three grids all include four marks that show the outer corners of the area that will be captured in movie mode, along with one of three grid overlay types. Rule of 3rds Grid overlays a 3x3 grid which matches the rule of thirds layout, with the other columns being wider than the central one. Square Grid overlays a 6x4 grid, and oddly, the grid isn't comprised of squares, but of rectangles that are taller than they are wide. Finally, Diag. + Square Grid overlays a 4x4 grid whose elements are indeed square, except for the leftmost and rightmost columns, which are rather wider than they are tall. This overlay also includes two 45-degree lines crossing at image center, and not quite reaching as far as the sides of the image frame where they cross the top and bottom.

A nice feature of Sony's implementation for both live view and Focus Check LV is that the camera doesn't immediately stop the live view feed when you enter the camera's menu system, or switch between operating modes. Some rival cameras will immediately terminate the live view stream and drop the camera's mirror in either instance, causing unnecessary wear and tear on the mirror and shutter mechanisms if you were intending to immediately continue live view shooting. You can display either the live view or Focus Check LV image on a TV via the optionally available HDMI cable. The Sony A560 comes equipped with a temperature sensor, and if the internal temperature exceeds an undisclosed threshold, Live View will be disabled to protect internal circuitry from overheating. A high temperature icon is displayed on the LCD monitor to warn the user that image degradation may be occurring, and that the camera may disable Live View until normal operating temperature is restored.

Like a larger version of the optical viewfinder display, the Live View display reports the exposure information along the bottom of the screen. Additional settings and info can be overlaid on top of the live view feed along the left, right, and top of the image. The locations of focus area(s) are indicated in light gray until a lock is achieved, and then the area(s) which locked focus are outlined in green. The amount of information displayed can be varied by pressing the INFO button, toggling through four display modes -- image plus basic exposure information, image plus basic info and either a graphic display or a luminance histogram, and image plus detailed exposure information. The unusual graphic display option allows you to see both shutter speed and aperture represented on gauges, showing their current position relative to the available range for each exposure variable. In Focus Check LV mode, one additional option is added: image plus a dual-axis tilt display reminiscent of an aircraft attitude indicator. Markings on the indicator illuminate in green to show when the camera is level in one or both axes.

Sony A560 Live View options
The Sony A560 offers four different display overlays in Focus Check LV mode. The standard live view mode offers the same displays, with the exception of the dual-axis level. In both modes, the luminance histogram can be replaced with two gauges showing the shutter speed and aperture values.	Two sets of marks on the dual-axis level turn green when centered, helping confirm precise alignment.
The few options relating to live view can be found in Record Menu 2 (AF method) and Custom Menu 2 (Grid Line and Histogram).	A Rule of 3rds Grid can be overlaid to aid composition or alignment.
There's also an alternate Square Grid overlay...	...as well as a Diag. + Square Grid overlay.

Video

Sony A560 Video Recording

Video capability. There is no separate video recording mode on the Sony A560: Video can be initiated from any still-capture mode by pressing the video Movie button on the angled rear face of the body.

Over the last couple of years, high-definition video capture has become a fairly common feature for interchangeable-lens cameras, available in many single-lens reflex and single-lens direct view cameras at all price points. The various implementations to date have spanned the gamut from models that keep control entirely in the camera's own domain, to those which offer significant creative possibilities, and here the Sony A560 falls in the middle ground. Some manual control is possible: metering mode, white balance mode, and creative style can all be defined prior to movie recording, and exposure compensation and lock are available at all times. As well as a stereo internal microphone, connectivity is available for an external microphone. The A560 doesn't offer full manual control, however, and nor is autofocus possible during video capture. As in many DSLRs to date, you're instead restricted solely to pulling focus manually during video capture, a notoriously difficult skill to master.

Let's look at the Sony A560's video capabilities in a bit more detail:

Sony A560 Basic Video Specs

• 1080i (1,920 x 1,080), 59.94i (interlaced) fields/second, 17 Mbps HD recording (50i in European versions) in AVCHD format (MPEG-4 AVC / H.264 w/ Dolby Digital audio)
• HDV 1080i (1,440 x 1,080 rectangular pixels), 29.97 fps, 12 Mbps, HD recording (25 fps in European versions) in MPEG-4 format
• VGA (640 x 480), 29.97 fps, 3Mbps standard-definition recording (25 fps in European versions) in MPEG-4 format
• Maximum clip length is 2GB or 29 minutes
• Automatic exposure only
• Manual focus only during video capture
• Exposure compensation available both before and during movie capture
• SteadyShot image stabilization, white balance, creative style, and metering mode can be set before movie capture begins
• Maximum clip length is slightly reduced to 24 minutes, if SteadyShot is enabled
• Stereo audio recording via built-in microphones or via a standard 3.5mm external mic jack
• Audio recording can be disabled altogether
• Video is cropped slightly from sensor data, with optional crop marks available in Focus Check live view mode only
  
  

Sony A560 Video: Image Size, Frame Rate, and Encoding

The Sony A560 records at three different video resolutions, and can record high-definition movies in either AVCHD or MPEG-4 formats. Audio is encoded during movie recording in Dolby Digital (AC-3) for AVCHD and AAC-LC for MPEG-4. No spec is provided for the sampling rate of the audio tracks, though video players report 48 kHz at 256 kbps for AVCHD and 48 kHz at 128 kbps for MPEG-4.

The table below shows the specs for various video recording options.

As noted above, the Sony A560 offers two video recording formats, either the HD-only AVCHD format or the less space-efficient but more computer-friendly MPEG-4. The MPEG-4 file format is a bit less efficient in its use of memory card space for a given image quality level, but is more widely supported, and seems to be a bit easier for older computers to read. AVCHD is the best choice if your primary output is going to be directly to a HD television, but MPEG-4 probably a better choice for your computer, particularly if it's more than a year or two old.

In AVCHD mode, the pixel resolution is 1,920 x 1,080, and the data stream on our test sample seemed to be recorded at an average rate of 2.1 MB/second, the maximum rate according to the "Main Profile" spec for AVCHD. No options are offered for lower bit rates, but in our experience, there wouldn't be much point to them: We've generally found lower AVCHD bit rates to result in poor detail and excessive artifacts, especially in higher-resolution and higher frame-rate cameras. At ~17 Mbits/second, file sizes are modest enough that we see little or no benefit in greater compression. (You'll definitely want to buy a really big memory card for use with your A560, though: Even with AVCHD compression, video files take up a lot of card space.)

With a frame rate of 60 fields-per-second (interlaced), the Sony A560 produces smooth motion, though not as smooth as could be possible with a sensor running natively at 60i. The A560's sensor is read at 30 frames-per-second (progressive) and video is interlaced to 60i by extracting alternate field pairs of each 30p frame. (The AVCHD standard does not define 1,920 x 1,080 at 30p, so providing 60i from a 30p sensor makes perfect sense.) While this is not true 60i from the sensor, it does have the advantage of making de-interlacing much easier, though sophisticated de-interlacers can certainly produce more fluid looking motion from true 60i video.

MPEG-4 mode offers a choice of two resolutions both recorded at 30 frames/second (progressive), with data rates and compression ratios as detailed in the table above. The MPEG-4 formats on the Sony A560 actually use slightly less memory card space than does its AVCHD format. This may in part be due to their lower frame rate, but also reflects the reduced resolution and significant compression that the A560 applies to these files.

Sony recommends use of a Memory Stick PRO Duo Mark 2, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, or SD / SDHC / SDXC Class 4 rated memory cards for movie recording, to ensure that card write speed isn't a limiting factor in clip length. (Slower cards will likely still work to some degree, but with a reduction in clip length, especially in AVCHD mode.)

Here are some examples of video shot with our sample of the Sony A560:

Sony A560 Video Samples
AVCHD, 1,920 x 1,080, 60fps interlaced View on Vimeo | Download Original (12 seconds, 24.8 MB)
MP4, 1,440 x 1,080, 30fps progressive View on Vimeo | Download Original (11.5 seconds, 16.6 MB)	MP4, 640 x 480, 30fps progressive View on Vimeo | Download Original (14.0 seconds, 5.2 MB)
MP4, 1,440 x 1,080, 30fps progressive View on Vimeo | Download Original (13 seconds, 18.8 MB)	AVCHD, 1,920 x 1,080, 60fps interlaced View on Vimeo | Download Original (23 seconds, 45.6 MB)

Sony A560 Video-Mode Focusing

Prior to recording, you can let the camera set focus either using phase detection if framing your subject through the optical viewfinder or in the standard live view mode (and with a brief interruption to the live view feed when in Focus Check LV mode), or using contrast detection (available only in Focus Check LV mode). Once video capture has started, though, autofocus is no longer available, and you're restricted solely to adjusting focus manually.

The lack of autofocus during movie recording with the Sony A560 is something that may give many potential owners pause, as focus is so critical in still photography, and dealing with moving subjects would seem to make it even more so. In practice, we were surprised to find it not nearly the issue we expected it to be. This may be because the lower resolution in video mode greatly increases the effective depth of field: Subjects that would be well out of focus when shot at the A560's maximum still-image resolution of 14 megapixels often looked just fine when viewed at even the maximum video resolution of 1,920 x 1,080. Lower resolutions only increase this effect. And it's not just the resolution, either, the video compression introduces quite a bit of softness on a frame-by-frame basis, further masking softness due to defocusing.

Still, the Sony A560's manual-only focusing in movie mode means that a whole new generation of non-professionals will now learn what it means to "pull focus" while recording movies, as the point of interest move from one subject to another, or if the subject moves significantly closer to or further from the camera during a segment. "Focus pulling" is a cinematic technique often performed by someone other than the camera operator, who is usually too busy framing the image to attend to focus as well. But millions of Sony A560 owners will be able to try a technique that few camcorder owners can.

In our own experience playing with the Sony A560 (and many other DSLRs which lack live video AF), we've found pulling focus during a recording to be a skill that requires some learning, particularly if there are things going on in the scene that need paying attention to. If we knew the approximate locations where the subject would be at the start and end of a clip (think of a video of a Little Leaguer sliding into home), we could check the corresponding positions of the focus ring and then try to repeat them while the action was taking place. This is a little hard to do with only a ring to grab onto, though, as the tactile reference for the different focus positions is pretty weak.

If you don't know in advance how the subject is going to move, you can try to judge focus from the image on the A560's rear-panel LCD and adjust accordingly. The high resolution and sharpness of the LCD makes this more practical than it might sound. Once again, some practice (and inherently good reflexes) are required, but given enough practice, it can work reasonably well.

Sony A560 Video Exposure Control

Sony A560: Non-functional aperture control
Aperture-priority, f/4.5 set, actual aperture unknown
MP4, 1,440 x 1,080, 30fps progressive View on Vimeo | Download Original (8.0 seconds, 11.5 MB)
Aperture-priority, f/25 set, actual aperture unknown
MP4, 1,440 x 1,080, 30fps progressive View on Vimeo | Download Original (8.0 seconds, 11.5 MB)

While the Sony A560 lets you record movies directly from any of its still-image exposure modes, including aperture-priority, shutter-priority, and full manual exposure modes, exposure is controlled automatically. Regardless of mode dial position, the shutter speed, lens aperture and ISO settings for video recording are always automatically controlled. The user manual states that aperture control is possible in aperture-priority mode, but we found during our testing this is not true for the A560. The camera simply ignored the selected aperture once recording began, and selected its own. The ability to stop down the aperture would have been particularly useful since you can only focus manually during video recording, as it provides a means to increase depth of field (and hence, the chance that your chosen subject is in focus), so it's a real shame that the Sony A560 doesn't provide it. Aperture selection before movie recording begins is available with the Sony A580 however.

Exposure compensation adjustments made in still-capture modes do carry over into movie recording, provided that there's enough light. (That is, if it's too dark, boosting the EV adjustment won't make your video any brighter.) It's also possible to adjust exposure compensation during movie recording. White balance settings also carry over to video mode, as do the metering modes and creative styles, but these can only be set prior to capture.

Shutter speed is one aspect of video exposure we've recently become more aware of. It turns out that slower shutter speeds tend to produce more natural-looking videos than faster ones: The motion blur associated with a slower shutter speed tends to smooth-out transitions between frames with rapidly-moving subjects: Cameras with 30fps recording, but shutter speeds 1/100 second or higher produce somewhat choppy, artificial-looking movie footage, while cameras with exposure curves biased toward shutter speeds in the 1/30 - 1/60 second range show a lot more motion blur, but the end result looks more natural to the eye. Unfortunately, there's no way to adjust or influence shutter speed during movie recording on the A560.

Sony A560 Movie-Mode Image Stabilization

Sony is unique among camera manufacturers, in having both body-based and lens-based image stabilization technology in their product lines. In the case of the A560, image stabilization happens in the body, and so it is available with all lenses. Sony claims that the SteadyShot anti-shake system in the A560 provides a 2.5 to 4-stop reduction in the blurring produced by camera shake. Translating that into real-world shutter speeds, a two-stop improvement means that a shutter speed of 1/30 second would give you the same resistance to blur from camera shake that a speed of 1/120 would without anti-shake. A 4-stop improvement would mean you could shoot as slow as 1/8 second and get the same results (blur-wise) as when shooting at 1/120 second unaided. Even the lower end of the specified range of effectiveness means a pretty significant improvement in one's ability to hand-hold long exposures. Since the A560 uses sensor data to provide a live view feed on the LCD display during video capture, the effect of stabilization can be monitored. A SteadyShot scale on the right side of the viewfinder display further indicates the degree of stabilization.

One drawback of the Sony A560's in-body image stabilization is that, when enabled, it somewhat reduces maximum clip length, although not to the same extent as in some other Sony cameras. The reduction is likely an indication of heat created by operation of the sensor shift mechanism, leading to the sensor itself heating up more rapidly. When disabled, the Sony A560 can record clips as long as 29 minutes at an ambient temperature of 68F (20C), presuming the file size limit of two gigabytes isn't reached first. With SteadyShot enabled, though, the clip length is reduced by five minutes, to around 24 minutes -- unlike the A580, which has a much more drastic reduction to just 14 minutes. Of course, if you frame your movie in the Focus Check LV mode before capture starts, you're already using the main image sensor and stabilization mechanism, and so this will further eat into your available capture time. That's important to note, because Focus Check LV mode is the only one that provides any indication of the crop that will be applied during movie capture, so you're presented with a choice of either being able to precisely frame the start of your movie, or of maximizing your clip length -- but not both.

Sony A560 Video: Audio recording

External Mic. The Sony A560's optional external stereo mic plugs into a standard 3.5mm jack under a rubber flap on the left side of the camera body.

Like most competing SLR cameras with video recording capability, the Sony A560 features a built-in microphone, but it goes some of its competitors one better, in that this actually consists of two internal microphones, located on either side of the flash / electronic viewfinder housing, providing stereo sound. It also provides for recording via an external stereo microphone, courtesy of a standard 3.5mm jack located under a rubber flap on the left side of the camera body. Sony's only published spec for the A560's audio recording capability simply says "Dolby Digital / MPEG-4 AAC-LC", so we don't officially know the sampling rate or number of bits of A/D resolution employed, although third-party MPEG players suggest a 48 KHz sample rate.

As with with most video-capable SLR and compact system cameras we've tested, the A560's internal microphones are exquisitely sensitive to noise produced when operating the camera's controls or even moving your hands on the body. Since the A560 doesn't allow autofocus during video, and Alpha-mount lenses feature a direct mechanical coupling for manual focus, drive noise from AF motors isn't an issue, but moving your hands on the camera body or operating controls such as the focusing mode switch (to enable manual focus) or exposure compensation are likely to leave noticeable noises on the recorded audio track.

As with most video-capable interchangeable lens cameras, the Sony A560 doesn't have any provision for manual audio level control, whether working from the internal or optional external mic. Of course, this isn't likely to be an issue for the A560's primary target buyers.

Sony A560 Movie Recording/Playback User Interface

The Sony A560 makes movie recording very easy, as you can initiate it at any time, regardless of the mode-dial setting: Simply press the prominent Movie Record button with the red dot at its center on the camera's top panel, and the camera will start recording video. The only slight hiccup is that only a portion of the sensor data makes it into the final movie -- that is to say, the A560's movie is cropped somewhat from the total sensor area. If you're using the viewfinder to frame images, the area that will be cropped isn't indicated, and nor is it shown by default in live view mode. If you enable one of the three grid displays in Custom Menu screen 2, small framing marks will be shown along with your selected grid when in Focus Check live view mode, mitigating the issue, but potentially reducing your video clip length, since this mode operates off data from (and hence warms) the main image sensor. It's not possible to preview the crop area at all in standard live view mode. The cropping does also make truly wide-angle videography a little more difficult to achieve, although at the same time, it adds a slight boost at the telephoto end, where we'd wager it is likely of more use to many consumers anyway.

Normally, this is where we'd list the Movie-mode menu items, but the A560 has no separate movie menu. In fact, the only menu items exclusively related to video recording are the choice of file format (AVCHD or MPEG-4), the image size (1,920 x 1,080 for AVCHD; 1,440 x 1,080 or 640 x 480 for MPEG), and whether movies should be recorded with or without an audio track.

Playback mode on the Sony A560 is decidedly odd. The odd part is that the A560's playback is an either/or proposition, relative to stills and videos: If you've just shot a video and press the playback button, you'll see only movies that are stored on the card; not the still images. Likewise, if you've just shot a still image, you'll only see other stills when you hit the playback button. To switch between the two modes, you have three options -- either drop into thumbnail view and scroll over to the left, to select the correct tab on that screen, or visit the Playback menu and change the Still / Movie Select option, or simply grab a throwaway exposure of the type you want to view. We actually found it much more convenient to hit the Movie Record button twice (to record a brief video clip) than to navigate through the playback menu to change the playback mode. Sony introduced this playback mode in its NEX-series SLD cameras, where it caused us some consternation until we figured out what was going on. "Where'd all my movies/stills go?" RTM, as they say, but we can only imagine the dismay many users will experience (if only until they read the manual) when they think all their vacation photos disappeared after they'd finally shot a video. Since so few people actually do read manuals, we also suspect this is going to be the source of a lot of service calls to Sony's support centers.

The likely reason for this odd either/or choice for movie/still playback reveals itself when you try to scroll through movies you've recorded, to find a particular one you want to play back: Scrolling through recorded movies is just ineffably slow. Well, perhaps not ineffably; it's a matter of a couple of seconds per movie, but that's slow enough that navigating through more than two or three movies can be seriously painful. Why so slow? The camera is lightning-quick scrolling through still images, and doesn't it save a JPEG thumbnail of each movie, for just this purpose? This is another area in common with the NEX-series cameras that's going to produce a lot of frustration with users.

While it pales beside the slow playback scrolling, we missed one other playback option that's become increasingly common on both digicams and compact system cameras; namely the "trim" function. Whenever you record a short video clip, it's inevitable that you'll start earlier and keep recording longer than the action you're interested in. (If you don't do this, you're almost certainly going to miss action you're interested in.) While "padding" like this is important and necessary, we like to keep our videos concise by trimming away the extraneous material at the beginning or end of the clip after they're recorded. Many cameras support doing this in-camera these days, but the A560 does not. You could certainly import the video clips to your computer and do the trimming there, but that's awfully cumbersome. Far easier to simply trim and toss away the unwanted footage on the camera. (More grist for the mill, for the first firmware update to the A560... ;-)

Rolling Shutter Artifacts

Sony A560: Rolling Shutter Artifacts
AVCHD, 1,920 x 1,080, 60fps interlaced View on Vimeo | Download Original (4 seconds, 7.7 MB)
MP4, 1,440 x 1,080, 30fps progressive View on Vimeo | Download Original (4.5 seconds, 6.5 MB)

Essentially every video capable digital SLR/SLD currently on the market exhibits some level of motion-related distortion called rolling shutter artifacts. These are caused because the image data is captured and then read off the chip sequentially by rows, rather than each frame's data being captured all at once. In the case of the Sony A560, this means that image data for the last row of a given frame is captured and read out anywhere from 1/25th to 1/60th second after the data for the top row was captured. The effect on moving objects is like that of a focal plane shutter in an SLR, but more pronounced, because the video frame is read out much more slowly than the slit of a focal plane shutter moves across the sensor.

For a camera that scans video frames vertically (as all do that we're aware of), rolling shutter artifacts will be most noticeable for subjects that are moving rapidly side to side, or when the camera itself is being panned horizontally. Verticals in the scene will appear tilted to the right or left, depending on the direction of camera motion. As an example, consider the case of a camera being panned from left to right, with a flagpole or other vertical object in the middle of the scene when recording for a particular frame begins: If the top of the object was centered horizontally when the first line of the video frame is acquired, by the time the last line of the frame has been captured, the bottom of the object will have shifted to somewhere left of center: As a result, the vertical object would appear to be leaning to the right.

Computer Requirements for Viewing HD Video

A typical computer these days has little trouble dealing with still images, but high-definition video can be another matter. Depending on the file format involved, it can take a pretty beefy computer to handle HD-resolution video playback without stuttering or dropping frames. The Sony A560 supports both AVCHD and MPEG-4 recording formats, although its highest-resolution video is only available in AVCHD format, and lower resolutions only in MPEG-4. The AVCHD format is slightly more space-efficient on the memory card relative to its quality level, and displays well on HD television sets, but is less widely supported by computer playback and editing software. If most of your video playback will be on a computer, you may find MPEG-4 to be more to your liking. On the other hand, if your computer supports AVCHD fine, that would be the preferred format, given its space efficiency.

Here are some additional examples of video shot with the Sony A560:

Sony A560 Additional Video Samples
AVCHD, 1,920 x 1,080, 60fps interlaced View on Vimeo | Download Original (12 seconds, 26.0 MB)	AVCHD, 1,920 x 1,080, 60fps interlaced View on Vimeo | Download Original (14 seconds, 29.0 MB)
MP4, 1,440 x 1,080, 30fps progressive View on Vimeo | Download Original (13.5 seconds, 19.5 MB)	MP4, 1,440 x 1,080, 30fps progressive View on Vimeo | Download Original (15.5 seconds, 22.6 MB)
MP4, 640 x 480, 30fps progressive View on Vimeo | Download Original (18.5 seconds, 6.9 MB)	MP4, 640 x 480, 30fps progressive View on Vimeo | Download Original (16.0 seconds, 6.0 MB)
AVCHD, 1,920 x 1,080, 60fps interlaced View on Vimeo | Download Original (13 seconds, 26.5 MB)	MP4, 1,440 x 1,080, 30fps progressive View on Vimeo | Download Original (13.5 seconds, 19.5 MB)
MP4, 640 x 480, 30fps progressive View on Vimeo | Download Original (13.5 seconds, 5.0 MB)

Flash

Sony A560 Flash

The Sony A560 features a built-in, pop-up flash, which operates in either Auto, Fill-Flash, Slow-sync, Rear Sync, Wireless, and Flash-off modes. To release the flash from its compartment, press the button on the left side of the pentamirror housing. Close it again by pushing the flash head back down.

The Flash mode is changed from the Function menu. In Auto flash mode (available only in the camera's Auto, Auto+ or Scene Selection modes), the camera automatically determines when to fire the flash based on lighting conditions, and will pop-up the flash automatically. In Fill-Flash mode, the flash fires with every exposure, regardless of ambient lighting. Slow-sync mode fires the flash for foreground fill exposure, while allowing the background to "burn in". The Rear Flash Sync mode fires the flash at the end of the shutter time, rather than the beginning. If you have moving objects in the scene with lights, such as a car, this will produce a sharp image of your subject, with a "motion trail" following behind it when shooting at slower shutter speeds. The flash is off when Flash Off mode is selected, or when the flash is down in non Auto exposure mode.

A Flash control option in Record Menu 2 allows you to select between ADI and Pre-Flash TTL. The only difference between the two is that ADI takes into account focus distance information from the lens, which can make for more accurate flash exposures -- especially with highly reflective subjects. A Red-Eye Reduction option is available through Custom Menu 1. When Red-Eye reduction is enabled, the camera will fire a few low-power flash pulses before it actually snaps the picture, to make the pupils of your subjects' eyes contract.

Flash exposure compensation can be set via the Function menu, measuring two stops lower or greater, in 1/3-stop increments. This is in addition to standard exposure compensation.

The A560's built-in flash has a Guide Number (GN) of 12 meters or 39.4 feet at ISO 100. That's about average for the consumer SLRs we've tested. Maximum sync speed is 1/160s. High Speed Sync (HSS) shooting with shutter speeds up to 1/4000s is available with Sony HVL-F58AM and HVL-F42AM external flash units.

The A560 also has a top-mounted hot shoe for attaching an external flash unit. The shoe design and contact arrangement are proprietary, set up for Sony's own dedicated flash units. As is usually the case for consumer SLRs, no PC-sync terminal is provided.

The Wireless mode lets the Sony A560 work with compatible remote flash units with wireless capability, specifically the Sony HVL-F58AM and HVL-F42AM. Four separate control channels are available for wireless operation, to allow multiple photographers to work wirelessly in the same area without interfering with each other. You're limited to a single external flash unit vs the 3 groups that you can control with Sony's higher-end models, but it still opens a lot of creative possibilities, when the flash doesn't have to be attached to your camera. Operating in Wireless mode with a compatible external flash unit, the Sony A560's flash exposure compensation adjustment can adjust the intensity of the external flash remotely, once the camera and flash unit have been initially synced to each other.

Flash Test Results

Coverage and Range
Very good flash range with uneven coverage at wide-angle. Our standard shot required an average amount of exposure compensation.

Coverage. Flash coverage was uneven at wide-angle (18mm), but much more uniform at telephoto (55mm). Uneven coverage at wide-angle isn't unusual, though.

Exposure. The Indoor Portrait test scene required an average amount of exposure compensation. (Most cameras we've tested required about +0.7 EV for this scene.) The camera's Slow-Sync flash mode produced bright, even results with +0.3 EV compensation, though with a stronger pinkish-orange cast from the room lighting.

Flash Range: Wide Angle
6 ft	7 ft	8 ft	9 ft	10 ft	11 ft
1/60 sec f3.5 ISO 100	1/60 sec f3.5 ISO 100	1/60 sec f3.5 ISO 100	1/60 sec f3.5 ISO 100	1/60 sec f3.5 ISO 100	1/60 sec f3.5 ISO 100
12 ft	13 ft	14 ft	15 ft	16 ft
1/60 sec f3.5 ISO 100	1/60 sec f3.5 ISO 100	1/60 sec f3.5 ISO 100	1/60 sec f3.5 ISO 100	1/60 sec f3.5 ISO 100

Flash Range: Telephoto
6 ft	7 ft	8 ft	9 ft	10 ft	11 ft
1/100 sec f5.6 ISO 100	1/100 sec f5.6 ISO 100	1/100 sec f5.6 ISO 100	1/100 sec f5.6 ISO 100	1/100 sec f5.6 ISO 100	1/100 sec f5.6 ISO 100
12 ft	13 ft	14 ft	15 ft	16 ft
1/100 sec f5.6 ISO 100	1/100 sec f5.6 ISO 100	1/100 sec f5.6 ISO 100	1/100 sec f5.6 ISO 100	1/100 sec f5.6 ISO 100

ISO 100 Range. With the 18-55mm kit lens, flash exposure started out a bit dim at 6 feet at wide-angle but became quite bright at 7 feet and remained bright all the way out to 14 feet. Flash exposures were still usable all the way out to 16 feet, the limit of our test. At full telephoto, flash exposures also started out a bit dim at 6 feet, peaked in brightness at 8 feet, then gradually became dimmer as distance increased. Good results here.

Manufacturer-Specified Flash Range
Wide Angle	Telephoto
11.2 feet ISO 100	7.0 feet ISO 100

Manufacturer Specified Flash Test. The Sony A560's built in flash is rated with a Guide Number of 12m at ISO 100. That works out to about 11.2 feet at f/3.5 and 7.0 feet at f/5.6, the maximum apertures of the kit zoom lens. In the shots above, the Alpha 560 performs as Sony says it will at wide-angle producing a good exposure at the rated distance with its ISO set to 100, though results are a little dim at full telephoto. Our standard test method for flash range uses a fixed setting of ISO 100, to provide a fair basis of comparison between cameras. We've now also begun shooting two shots using the manufacturer-specified camera settings, at the range the company claims for the camera, to assess the validity of the specific claims.

High ISO Noise Reduction

Sony A560 High ISO Noise Reduction

The Sony A560 offers only two high ISO noise reduction settings: Auto and Weak, with Auto being the default. Sony documentation does not say at what ISO noise reduction kicks in, so we've included crops starting from the base ISO of 100. We've also included crops from the new Multi-frame Noise Reduction mode, which shoots a burst of six images with a single press of the shutter button and combines them in-camera to average out a lot of noise.

See for yourself how the noise reduction works under daylight-balanced lighting. Click on any of the crops below to see the corresponding full-sized image.

High ISO Noise Reduction Comparison Daylight-balanced illumination
	Weak	Standard	Multi Frame
I S O 1 0 0
	Weak	Standard	Multi Frame
I S O 2 0 0
	Weak	Standard	Multi Frame
I S O 4 0 0
	Weak	Standard	Multi Frame
I S O 8 0 0
	Weak	Standard	Multi Frame
I S O 1 6 0 0
	Weak	Standard	Multi Frame
I S O 3 2 0 0
	Weak	Standard	Multi Frame
I S O 6 4 0 0
	Weak	Standard	Multi Frame
I S O 1 2 8 0 0
	Weak	Standard	Multi Frame
I S O 2 5 6 0 0	N/A	N/A
	N/A	N/A
	N/A	N/A

The above crops show the effects of the Sony A560's two high ISO noise reduction settings, plus Multi-frame Noise Reduction under our studio HMI lighting we use to simulate daylight. As you can see, the "Weak" setting does result in more chroma noise than the Auto, but it also smudges the detail in the red fabric at higher ISOs. (You can really see a difference at ISO 1,600 and above.) It would have been nice if Sony gave us more flexibility in NR settings or at least a truly "Weak" setting.

The new Multi-frame Noise Reduction mode takes a burst of 6 shots and combines them to average out noise. This mode is similar to Hand-held Twilight, but gives you control over ISO and exposure mode (PASM). It produces some very clean, detailed images and also extends the available ISO settings to 25,600, but still requires the use of a tripod at slower shutter speeds, so similar results can be obtained by simply shooting at a lower ISO with longer exposures if you're already using a tripod.

Let's see how the Sony A560 compares to similarly priced cameras such as the Canon T1i, Nikon D5000 and Sony A33.

High ISO Comparison with Canon T1i, Nikon D5000, and Sony A33 (In-camera JPEGs, all default NR) Daylight-balanced illumination
	Sony A560	Canon T1i	Nikon D5000	Sony A33
I S O 8 0 0
	Sony A560	Canon T1i	Nikon D5000	Sony A33
I S O 1 6 0 0
	Sony A560	Canon T1i	Nikon D5000	Sony A33
I S O 3 2 0 0
	Sony A560	Canon T1i	Nikon D5000	Sony A33
I S O 6 4 0 0
	Sony A560	Canon T1i	Nikon D5000	Sony A33
I S O 1 2 8 0 0			N/A ISO 12,800 not supported
			N/A ISO 12,800 not supported
			N/A ISO 12,800 not supported
	Sony A560	Canon T1i	Nikon D5000	Sony A33
I S O 2 5 6 0 0		N/A ISO 25,600 not supported	N/A ISO 25,600 not supported
		N/A ISO 25,600 not supported	N/A ISO 25,600 not supported
		N/A ISO 25,600 not supported	N/A ISO 25,600 not supported

The Sony A560 competes well within this group, though the Nikon D5000 still has the edge when it comes to rendering the red leaf pattern at higher ISOs. At ISO 6,400 and above, though, the Sony pulls ahead of the Nikon. Compared to the Canon T1i, the A560's images exhibit lower luminance and chrominance noise, and the Sony also doesn't smudge the red leaf pattern nearly as much as the Canon at higher ISOs. To our eyes, the A560 does slightly better than the Sony A33 in terms of noise, even though they share the same sensor. This is likely because the translucent mirror in front of the A33's imager is reducing the amount of light striking the sensor (by some 30% or 1/2 f-stop). The Sony A33's sensor gain has probably been increased to compensate, resulting in slightly higher noise levels under the same conditions. That's just a theory, though. We'll know better once we can examine the A33's RAW files with a raw converter that doesn't apply noise reduction (dcraw).

Note that the last set of crops here were taken with Sony's new Multi-frame Noise Reduction feature, so noise levels are vastly lower than they would be if the cameras supported ISO 25,600 in the standard single-capture mode.

Imatest Results

Sony A560 Imatest Results

We routinely use Norman Koren's excellent "Imatest" analysis program for quantitative, thoroughly objective analysis of digicam test images. I highly recommend it to our technically-oriented readers, as it's far and away the best, most comprehensive analysis program I've found to date.

My comments below are just brief observations of what we see in the Imatest results. A full discussion of all the data Imatest produces is really beyond the scope of this review: Visit the Imatest web site for a full discussion of what the program measures, how it performs its computations, and how to interpret its output.

Here's some of the results produced by Imatest for the Sony A560:

sRGB Accuracy Comparison
Sony A560	Sony A33	Sony NEX-3	Sony NEX-5	Canon T1i	Nikon D3100

Like most recent Sony SLRs, the A560 showed generally good color accuracy, with only minor oversaturation of bright reds and deep blues, and to a lesser extent, some oranges, greens, purples and browns. Hue accuracy was also generally good, with the typical (typical meaning significant) cyan shift we see in most cameras we test, and also a little shift in other colors such as aqua, red, orange and yellow. Average saturation for the Sony A560 was 111.8% (oversaturated by 11.8%). Average "delta-C" color error was 4.71 after correction for saturation, while not as good as some of the others in this group, results are better than average. (Delta-C is the same as the more commonly referred to delta-E, but delta-C takes into account only color differences, ignoring luminance variation.) All in all, another very good color response for this class of camera. Mouse over the links below the illustration above to compare results with the others in this group.

Adobe RGB Accuracy Comparison
Sony A560	Sony A33	Sony NEX-3	Sony NEX-5	Canon T1i	Nikon D3100

Most SLRs/SLDs oversaturate colors when shooting in Adobe RGB mode, and the Sony A560 follows suit. Average saturation was 117% which is about 5% higher than the sRGB result (though not as high as some of the others in this group), and average saturation-corrected hue error was 4.94 "delta-C" units, just slightly less accurate than sRGB. A typical result. Again, mouse over the links below the illustration above to compare results with the same group.

This image shows how the Sony A560 actually rendered the colors of the MacBeth chart, compared to a numerically ideal treatment. In each color swatch, the outer perimeter shows the color as actually captured by the camera, the inner square shows the numerically correct color after correcting for the luminance of the photographed chart (as determined by a second-order curve fit to the values of the gray swatches), and the small rectangle inside the inner square shows the numerically correct color, without the luminance correction. This image shows the Sony A560's generally very good hue and saturation accuracy. Most colors are rendered reasonably close to the correct brightness, the most obvious exceptions being the red and cyan swatches, which are noticeably brighter than the luminance-corrected versions. Overall, though, the Sony A560's color is quite good.

The bottom row of the chart shows exaggerated white balance errors, revealing that the camera produced a slightly cool color balance when using Custom white balance, with a WhiBal card as the reference.

As always, there's more in this particular graph than we really have room to go into here. (Also note that this set of plots has also changed a few revisions back in Imatest. Some of the plots that were once shown here are now shown in other Imatest output. Since we largely focus on the Noise Spectrum plot, we only show the graphic above, which includes that plot.)

In comparing these graphs with those from competing cameras, we've found that the Noise Spectrum graph at lower right is often the most important. Cameras that manage to shift their noise spectrum to higher frequencies have much finer-grained noise structures, making their noise less visually objectionable. In the graph above, this would show up as a noise spectrum curve that remained higher on the right side, representing higher noise frequencies.

Above, we see the results at ISO 100. The luminance curve is reasonably flat, but the red, blue and green channels exhibit much higher noise values at lower frequencies. The dominance of low frequencies in the color channels points to some low-level blotchiness that cab be seen in darker midtone and shadows of the Sony A560's ISO 100 images, but only with extreme pixel-peeping. Overall noise levels are relatively low, though, as indicated by the upper right and lower left plots, and slightly lower than the Sony A33, which uses the same sensor but loses some light transmission to its pellicle mirror.

As we saw with previous Sony SLRs, there are spikes that occur in the Noise Spectrum plot every 0.125 or 1/8 cycles per pixel. The source of the noise spikes appears to be the sometimes slightly lighter pixels along the edges of the 8x8 pixel blocks used in the A560's JPEG encoding. Overall noise levels are so low however that the noise spikes aren't really visible under normal conditions.

Above is the same set of noise data at ISO 1,600. Here, the overall Noise Spectrum graph is shifted a fair bit toward the left-hand, lower-frequency side than it was at ISO 100, coarsening the "grain" of the image noise patterns. There's much less difference between the color channels in this plot, with green and blue channels tracking luminance noise very closely, and only the red-channel noise being a bit elevated at the lowest frequencies, no doubt due to noise reduction processing. This translates to ISO 1,600 images with pretty low levels of chroma noise, while luminance noise is competitive to, or slightly lower than other models in its class.

Here's the same set of noise data at ISO 3,200. Here again, the Noise Spectrum graph is shifted even more toward the left-hand side, coarsening the "grain" of the image noise patterns further. Overall noise levels are again competitive to its peers and slightly lower than its translucent mirrored cousin.

This chart compares the Sony A560's noise performance over a range of ISOs against that of a few other SLR and SLD cameras. While we continue to show noise plots of this sort because readers ask for them, we each time point out that the noise magnitude is only a small part of the story, the grain pattern being much more important, not to mention what the camera does to achieve a given noise level. (Some cameras obliterate subject detail along with noise, so the camera with the lowest noise levels on MacBeth chart swatches may not necessarily produce the most appealing images.)

Here, the Sony A560's luminance noise is slightly lower than most of the cameras in this group across much of the ISO range, except for the Nikon D3100 at ISOs above 1,600. Sony's recent advances in noise reduction techniques continue to work well to maintain very good levels of detail in A560 high ISO files while keeping noise in check. The Sony A560 noise levels are very similar to the NEX series which is no surprise since they share similar sensors. The A33 also shares a similar sensor, but its noise levels are higher across the range of ISOs, presumably because its sensor's gain has likely been boosted to compensate for the loss of light caused by the translucent mirror. Bottom line, the Sony A560's high ISO performance is quite good, though we wish Sony would have provided more flexibility in noise reduction settings (there are only two: "Weak" and "Auto", with the above results taken at the default "Auto" setting).

 

Sony A560 Dynamic Range Analysis

A key parameter in a digital camera is its Dynamic Range, the range of brightness that can be faithfully recorded. At the upper end of the tonal scale, dynamic range is dictated by the point at which the RGB data "saturates" at values of 255, 255, 255. At the lower end of the tonal scale, dynamic range is determined by the point at which there ceases to be any useful difference between adjacent tonal steps. Note the use of the qualifier "useful" in there: While it's tempting to evaluate dynamic range as the maximum number of tonal steps that can be discerned at all, that measure of dynamic range has very little relevance to real-world photography. What we care about as photographers is how much detail we can pull out of the shadows before image noise becomes too objectionable. This, of course, is a very subjective matter, and will vary with the application and even the subject matter in question. (Noise will be much more visible in subjects with large areas of flat tints and subtle shading than it would in subjects with strong, highly contrasting surface texture.)

What makes most sense then, is to specify useful dynamic range in terms of the point at which image noise reaches some agreed-upon threshold. To this end, Imatest computes a number of different dynamic range measurements, based on a variety of image noise thresholds. The noise thresholds are specified in terms of f-stops of equivalent luminance variation in the final image file, and dynamic range is computed for noise thresholds of 1.0 (low image quality), 0.5 (medium image quality), 0.25 (medium-high image quality) and 0.1 (high image quality). For most photographers and most applications, the noise thresholds of 0.5 and 0.25 f-stops are probably the most relevant to the production of acceptable-quality finished images, but many noise-sensitive shooters will insist on the 0.1 f-stop limit for their most critical work.

The image below shows the test results from Imatest for an in-camera JPEG file from the Sony A560 with a nominally-exposed density step target (Stouffer 4110), and its settings such as DRO and HDR turned off.

We got best dynamic range results from the Sony A560 at ISO 200. Here, we can see that the tone curve maintains excellent gradation in the highlights though the shadow end doesn't trail-off quite as nicely.  Total dynamic range was 10.8 f-stops, while at the highest quality level, DR was 7.65 f-stops. These results are very much on par with those from the best SLRs with APS-C sensors, with an Imatest JPEG score at the highest quality level in the top 15 cameras we have tested.

Processing the Sony A560's RAW (.ARW) files through Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) version 6.3 increased dynamic range by about one f-stop at the highest quality level (8.59 f-stops), compared to the in-camera JPEG (7.65 f-stops) while total dynamic range reported increased from 10.8 to 11.8 f-stops. These results were obtained by using ACR's automatic settings; slightly better results may be possible by manually tweaking from there, but we weren't able to improve on them. It's worth noting here that ACR's default noise reduction settings reduced overall noise (see the plot in the lower left-hand corner) relative to the levels in the in-camera JPEG, which would tend to boost the dynamic range numbers for the High Quality threshold. Also, the extreme highlight recovery being performed by ACR here would likely produce color errors in strong highlights of natural subjects.

Dynamic Range, the bottom line:

The net result was that the Sony A560's JPEGs showed very good dynamic range, performing at least as well as the A33 and NEX-5 (within the margin of error). The story is similar with ACR processed RAW files, with the Sony A560 also performing well relative to its peers.

To get some perspective, here's a summary of the Sony A560's dynamic range performance, and how it compares to other digital SLRs that we also have Imatest dynamic range data for. (Results are arranged in order of decreasing dynamic range at the "High" quality level.):

Note that this test is repeatable to within 1/3 EV according to the Imatest website, so differences of less than 0.33 can be ignored.

Sony A560 Resolution Chart Test Results

The chart above shows consolidated results from spatial frequency response measurements in both the horizontal and vertical axes. The "MTF 50" numbers tend to correlate best with visual perceptions of sharpness, so those are what we focus on here. The uncorrected resolution figures are 2,246 line widths per picture height in the horizontal direction (corresponding to the vertically-oriented edge), and 1,805 lines along the vertical axis (corresponding to the horizontally-oriented edge), for a combined average of 2,025 LW/PH. Correcting to a "standardized" sharpening with a one-pixel radius decreased the horizontal number slightly but increased the vertical number by a similar amount, resulting in an average of 2,040 LW/PH. The similar standardized versus uncorrected results indicate the default in-camera sharpening is pretty close to ideal.

To see what's going on, refer to the plots below, which show the actual edge profiles for both horizontal and vertical edges, in both their original and corrected forms. Here, you can see that the level of in-camera sharpening applied in both the horizontal and vertical directions are close to optimal. Imatest reports only 1.92% oversharpening in the horizontal direction, and 3.89% undersharpening in the vertical direction. These are excellent results from in-camera JPEGs, but as usual, if you turn the camera's sharpening down a little, you'll get better results when sharpening in-camera JPEGs post-exposure in Adobe Photoshop or other image editing software. (That said, you should be able to extract more fine detail if you begin with a RAW file, rather than a JPEG.)

Note: We don't feature SFR-based LW/PH resolution numbers more prominently in our reviews (eg, outside the Imatest pages) because we've found that they're *very* sensitive to minor differences in in-camera image processing. Relatively small changes in the amount of in-camera sharpening can have a large effect on the resulting resolution numbers. Imatest attempts to compensate for this by adjusting to a "standard" sharpening, but this approach can't completely undo what happens inside the cameras, and so often gives inconsistent results. Sometimes the "standardized" sharpening happens to just match the shape of the edge profile with the in-camera sharpening applied, and you'll get wildly high results. At other times, it will tend to correct in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, ignoring the in-camera sharpening entirely can result in even greater discrepancies, particularly between models from different manufacturers. Turning off sharpening in the camera may or may not fully eliminate the sharpening, so simply turning off sharpening in the camera JPEGs isn't a reliable solution. It also wouldn't be the way most people shoot the cameras. We could process RAW files with no sharpening (as shown below), but then that'd only suit the people working primarily or exclusively from RAW, and would open another can of worms as to what RAW converter was used, etc, etc.

The bottom line is that numbers for resolution only take you so far. Detail handling and edge acuity are very complex issues; ones that don't easily boil down to a single number. The best approach is to simply look look at the broad array of standardized test shots we take with each camera, to the point of downloading and printing them with whatever processing you'd use if you owned the camera and shot with it. See how the differences stack up for you visually, and make your decision on that, rather than on abstract resolution numbers.

RAW Files

Sony A560 High ISO RAW Image Quality

We've recently started looking at RAW files converted with dcraw, an excellent freeware raw converter. dcraw usually offers timely support for the latest cameras, but more importantly, it does not apply any noise-reduction, sharpening or other corrections such as geometric distortion correction to the output files. (We found that Adobe Camera Raw still applies some limited noise-reduction when its NR settings are set to zero, and it also applies other corrections depending on the make and model of the camera). There will always be differences between RAW converters, in terms of the sort of demosaicing algorithms they use (the processes by which they convert the separate Red, Green, and Blue data sets to an array of full-color RGB pixels), but dcraw seems to use a fairly generic algorithm that delivers good sharpness with relatively few artifacts, and can be counted on to not apply any noise reduction if you don't want it to.

Below are crops from Sony A560 high ISO RAW files compared to RAW files from other cameras such as Canon T1i, Nikon D5000 and Sony NEX-5 converted with dcraw.

High ISO RAW Comparison with Canon T1i, Nikon D5000 and Sony NEX-5 RAW files converted with dcraw, no NR, no sharpening Daylight-balanced illumination
	Sony A560	Canon T1i	Nikon D5000	Sony NEX-5
I S O 8 0 0
	Sony A560	Canon T1i	Nikon D5000	Sony NEX-5
I S O 1 6 0 0
	Sony A560	Canon T1i	Nikon D5000	Sony NEX-5
I S O 3 2 0 0
	Sony A560	Canon T1i	Nikon D5000	Sony NEX-5
I S O 6 4 0 0
	Sony A560	Canon T1i	Nikon D5000	Sony NEX-5
I S O 1 2 8 0 0			N/A ISO 12800 not supported
			N/A ISO 12800 not supported
			N/A ISO 12800 not supported

Here, we can see all the cameras in this group perform similarly well, with perhaps the Canon T1i and Nikon D5000 just slightly edging out the two Sonys at higher ISOs. The Sony A560 and NEX-5 likely share the same sensor, so it's no surprise that they produce very similar results.

Menus

Sony Alpha A560 Modes and Menus

When powered on, the Sony A560 is automatically placed into Record mode. The Mode dial on the left side of the A560's top panel lets you select various exposure modes. The Mode dial offers the following selection of shooting modes:

Auto: Proceeding around the Sony A560's Mode Dial in a clockwise direction, the first option is the Auto mode, which gives the camera control over most exposure variables, including shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity. The user can still adjust image resolution / compression, aspect ratio, image stabilizer, flash metering, AF illuminator, color space, drive mode, flash mode (off, auto, or on). You can also control a number of live view and movie related options, including movie file format, size, and audio recording, AF method, face detection, and smile shutter.

Program AE: In its Program AE mode, the Sony A560 controls both aperture and shutter speed automatically, and you have control over all other exposure variables, including exposure compensation. Unlike many SLRs, the A560 lacks a Program Shift function in its Program mode, however, so without switching to a Priority mode, you're stuck with whichever balance of shutter speed vs. aperture that the camera selected.

Aperture-Priority AE: This mode allows you to manually set the lens aperture (with available apertures depending on the lens in use), while the Sony A560 selects the most appropriate shutter speed. You have control over all other exposure variables, including exposure compensation.

Shutter-Priority AE: The opposite of Aperture-Priority mode, Shutter-Priority AE allows you to set the shutter speed anywhere from 1/4,000 to 30 seconds, while the Sony A560 chooses the best corresponding aperture setting. Again, you have control over all other exposure variables, including exposure compensation. The Bulb setting that's available in Manual Exposure mode isn't available in Shutter-priority AE mode.

Manual Exposure: This mode provides full control of all exposure variables, including independent control of shutter speed, lens aperture, and ISO sensitivity, and hence there is no exposure compensation function. The Control dial adjusts shutter speed by default, and adjusts the aperture when turned while holding down the Exposure Compensation button. The shutter speed range also includes a Bulb setting, allowing long exposures for as long as you hold the Sony A560's Shutter button down. A display in the viewfinder or on the rear panel in live view mode reports whether the Sony A560 thinks your settings will result in under, over, or correctly exposed photos.

Sweep Panorama: Captures multiple images in a burst for as long as the shutter button is held down, then automatically stitches them into either a 2D panorama, or a 3D panorama that's saved as a multi-picture object file. Focus and exposure are locked from the first frame.

Scene: This mode provides access to the eight preset shooting modes via a Scene Selection menu. Scene modes available are: Portrait, Sports Action, Macro, Landscape, Sunset, Night View, Hand-held Twilight, and Night Portrait.

Flash Off: This mode functions identically to the standard Auto mode, but disables use of flash -- perfect for shooting in situations where flash might prove objectionable, such as in museums.

Playback Mode
The Playback button on the rear panel accesses the A560's Playback mode, which rather unusually allows you to review either captured still images, or movies -- but not both side by side. The left and right arrow keys scroll forward and backward one image or movie at a time, and turning the Control dial has the same effect. The Display button cycles through the various display modes -- image only, image plus basic information, and RGBY histogram with detailed information, of which only the first two modes are available in movie playback. Using the AEL (Enlarge) and Exposure Compensation (Reduce) buttons, you can enlarge captured still images by as much as 11.8x, while the arrow keys pan around the zoomed image. Panoramic images can be automatically scrolled across the screen by pressing the AF (OK) key, and paused with a second press. The same controls are used to play, pause, and cue through movie files. By pressing the Reduce key without playback zoom active, the A560 can also display images or movies in an index format for quick viewing, with either four or nine thumbnails per page. The index includes tabs on the left hand side with which to switch between still image or movie playback, and this can also be done through a Playback menu option. The A560 also remembers whether you captured a still image or movie most recently, and defaults to entering the Playback type relevant to the last image or movie capture performed.

Sony Alpha A560 Menu Details

Pressing the Menu button provides access to the camera's main menu system, while the Function button calls up the separate Function menu when in Record mode. Below are Sony A560 menu options and their descriptions.

Record Menu 1:

Record Menu 2:

Record Menu 3:

Custom Menu 1:

Custom Menu 2:

Playback Menu 1:

Playback Menu 2:

Storage Menu 1:

Date and Time Menu 1:

Setup Menu 1:

Setup Menu 2:

Function Menu:

Press Release

SHOOTING FOR THE STARS: SONY BREAKS NEW GROUND AGAIN IN DSLR SPACE WITH NEW CAMERA, LENSES

Latest α (alpha) Offers Full HD Movie Capture, 3D Sweep Panorama and More

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 23, 2010 – Sony today introduced an α (alpha) DSLR camera (model SLR-a560) that leverages Sony’s Exmor ™ APS HD CMOS sensor to make it easier for active shooters to get the best shot without missing a moment. Along with the a33 and a55 cameras (also announced today), the α560 model is one of the only DSLR cameras with Multi-frame Noise Reduction, Sweep Panorama™ mode, 3D Sweep Panorama and Full HD 1920x1080 60i video capture.

This 14.2 megapixel α560 camera offers the same features of its predecessor, the innovative α550, which introduced Quick AF Live View, 7fps continuous shooting and Auto HDR to the step-up DSLR class.

Additionally, Sony is adding to its already strong line-up of more than 30 A-mount lenses with new models made for seasoned photographers and those new to the DSLR space. Today, Sony expands its A-Mount lens line-up for α DSLR cameras with three new lenses—a Carl Zeiss® Distagon T* 24mm F2 ZA SSM (model SAL24F20Z), a DT 35mm F1.8 SAM (model SAL35F18) and an 85mm F2.8 SAM (model SAL85F28).

“These new lenses and camera show our commitment to the DSLR market and that we will never stop innovating.” said Kristen Elder, director of the Digital Imaging business at Sony Electronics. “These products complement our overall Sony® Alpha™ lineup, which we are significantly expanding today. The camera offers a choice to those consumers who want to gain the benefits of professional level shooting speed as well as be able to capture video with in a traditional style DSLR.”

The α560 camera provides excellent picture quality, particularly in low-light scenarios. A new generation of Sony Exmor ™APS HD CMOS sensor employs low-noise processing for high-quality pictures. The BIONZ ® image processor has color-noise reduction that helps achieve low noise up to ISO 12800, without sacrificing fine detail. Multi-frame Noise Reduction stacks a high-speed burst of six frames, creating a single low-noise exposure that boosts effective sensitivity as high as ISO 25600.

Quick AF Live View
With Quick AF Live View, the α560 camera can focus just as quickly in Live View as when shooting through the eye-level viewfinder, which is unlike any other DSLR in its class.

Because composing shots on the LCD monitor is becoming increasingly important to DSLR users, Sony has equipped this camera with two Live View functions and a 3-inch (measured diagonally) LCD screen that tilts 90 degrees up or down. The α560 has a high resolution 921,600 pixel Xtra Fine LCD™ display.

Sony’s Quick AF Live View uses two sensors to maintain the same focusing speed as with the optical viewfinder. While the speed of Quick AF Live View is ideal for every day shooting, Focus Check Live View enables critical framing and magnification for setting precise focus in macro and tripod shooting.

Focus Check Live View mode simplifies critical assessment of the finest image details. A real-time ‘feed’ from the main sensor can be viewed on the LCD monitor, with switchable magnification allowing close-up confirmation of delicate manual focus adjustments. Contrast AF method is selectable in focus check Live View mode.

Temporary 7x and 14x zoom views enable you to focus on extremely fine detail while the 1x view shows 100 percent framing in the LCD.

Fast Shooting Speeds
With its unique sensor-processor combination, the α560 camera is a leader in its class with up to seven frames per second shooting speed for under $1,000. Using the optical viewfinder, you can shoot up to three frames with Quick AF Live View, which helps you capture the decisive moment when shooting fast moving subjects like in sports.

HD Movie Recording
The α560 α camera offers the extra convenience of high-definition video recording. This model also captures Full HD (1920 x 1080i) video in high-quality AVCHD™ files that can be easily enjoyed on a compatible HD television via the cameras built-in HDMI™ terminal (cable not included). The camera includes built-in stereo microphones for high-quality audio recording.

With multi-shot technology, the α560 camera’s high-speed sensor and processor rapidly captures and assembles many frames to realize unmatched low-noise, extended dynamic range, wide panoramas and 3D images.

The α560 offers versatile creative control even when shooting movies. Creativity is also enhanced by the ability to apply white balance and Creative Style settings, as well as Aperture Priority (A) mode aperture settings, to movies. What's more, exposure compensation can be adjusted even while movie shooting is in progress.

Sweep Panorama Technology Featuring Sweep Panorama technology, the α560 model captures breathtaking shots up to 180 degree horizontal or 126-degree vertical shots (18 mm focal length).

With 3D Sweep Panorama mode, the camera can shoot 3D panoramic still images with a single lens. The high-speed burst of frames is stitched together using innovative processing techniques to automatically create detail-packed 3D panoramas. These files can be enjoyed in stunning 3D on compatible 3D televisions (other accessories are required).

In-Camera High Dynamic Range
In-camera High Dynamic Range (HDR) has been further enhanced incorporating three shots. It can capture highlights, midtones and shadows. Unlike HDR features in other DSLR cameras, Sony’s unique positional interpolation technology can overcome slight changes in camera position and align individual shots so that a tripod is not required.

The feature handles severe backlighting and other high-contrast scenes like looking out a window into bright daylight. The in-camera auto HDR technology combines the highlight, midtone and shadow detail of three separate captures into one remarkably natural looking image. The α560 offers a maximum Auto HDR range of 6EV.

Multi Frame NR is a new function where, when the shutter is released, the camera automatically takes 6 frames at the currently selected shutter speed, aperture, and ISO setting, and then combines them into a single JPEG image with a reduction in noise at the selected aperture and shutter speed that is equivalent to approximately two ISO steps. In addition, ISO expansion achieves class-leading, ultra-high sensitivity equivalent to ISO25600, while accurate subject detection assures high-precision alignment of the 6 frames during compositing.

Accessories
The new camera accepts both Memory Stick PRO Duo™ (including Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™) and SD (including both SDHC and SDXC formats) media (all sold separately). With a 30MB per second transfer rate, Sony’s Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX offers the best performance of all memory cards whether in continuous shooting mode or transferring data to other media.

Lenses for Active Shooters
Made for experienced and budding photographers alike, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 24mm F2 ZA SSM (model SAL24F20Z) functions as a wide-angle 24mm lens on full-frame cameras with 36mm (35mm equivalent) lens sensors, or as a 36mm equivalent lens ideal for general use on cameras with APS-C sensors. Jointly developed with Carl Zeiss, it features the highly-regarded Carl Zeiss Distagon designed for wide-angle lenses.

This lens is distinguished by its fast response focus and extremely quiet, very smooth operation thanks to its built-in SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor).

It offers a wide and therefore highly versatile focal range from 0.19m to infinity, and features a nine-blade circular aperture that along with the large F2 maximum aperture contributes to smooth, natural bokeh effects.

In keeping with traditional Carl Zeiss design, the all-metal lens barrel has been finished to a very high standard resulting in a visibly high-quality appearance.

Offering photographers at all levels great value and performance in a compact and lightweight design, the new DT 35mm F1.8 SAM (SAL35F18) weighs just 6 ounces. It can be added to a lens kit system and carried without noticeably increasing the weight of the bag.

With an approximately 50mm (35mm equivalent) focal length on an APS-C sensor, this lens is ideal for snapshots and portraits under a wide range of shooting conditions. The high-speed F1.8 maximum aperture is particularly advantageous for hand held shooting in low light.

At just 0.8 feet, the DT 35mm F1.8 SAM (SAL35F18) has the shortest minimum focus in its class, making it an excellent choice for dramatic close-ups too. Whatever the shot, the internal Smooth Autofocus Motor (SAM) drives the focusing group directly and ensures responsive and fluid autofocus operation.

The new 85mm F2.8 SAM (SAL85F28) lens is a full-frame lens in that offers performance and affordability. The 85mm focal length is a standard for portraiture because of the natural perspective that it provides. On an APS-C sensor camera the 85mm F2.8 SAM functions as a 127.5mm (35mm equivalent) telephoto lens – and features a Sonnar-type optical design that is considered ideal for mid-range telephoto lenses.

The lens is sharp center to corner, and features smooth defocusing thanks to its large F2.8 maximum aperture and circular aperture design. At two feet, the minimum focusing distance is the shortest in its class, and SAM motor technology ensures smooth autofocus operation.

The quality optical and mechanical features of the lens mean it is suitable for serious photography and should more than satisfy intermediate and advanced users alike.

Pricing and Availability
The α560 model with the camera body and 18-55mm kit lens will cost about $750 and will be available in October. With the body only, it will cost about $650. The Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 24mm F2 SSM (model SAL24F20Z), DT 35mm F1.8 SAM (model SAL35F18) and 85mm F2.8 SAM (model SAL85F28) lenses will be available in October for about $1,250, $200, $250 respectively.

The cameras, lens and a range of accessories will be available at Sony Style® retail stores (www.sonystyle.com/retail) and at authorized dealers nationwide.

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Editor's Note: News releases and digital images with captions are available at www.sony.com/news. For information regarding the nearest Sony authorized dealer or service location, your readers can call 1-800-222-SONY.