• APS-C 366.6mm2
  • 20.1 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 16,000
  • 35mm 855.6mm2
  • 24.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 25,600

Buy From

Differences

Sony A58 advantages over Sony A7 II

  • Longer stills battery life
    More info 700 vs 350 shots
    Capture more photos
  • More telephoto lens reach
    83 mm vs 70 mm
    Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
  • Internal flash
    Internal flash vs None
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • Less shutter lag
    0.13 vs 0.22 sec
    Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)

Sony A7 II advantages over Sony A58

  • Larger sensor
    35mm vs APS-C
    More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
  • Bigger pixels
    ~ 5.97 vs 4.31 microns
    Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi vs None
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • NFC
    Yes vs No
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • Higher effective ISO
    2,449 vs 753 iso
    Take photos in low light with less noise
  • On-sensor phase detect
    Yes vs No
    Usually improves live view and video AF performance
  • Thinner
    59 mm vs 77 mm
    Thinner
  • Higher max flash sync
    1/250 vs 1/160 sec
    Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
  • Higher-res screen
    307k vs 154k pixels
    More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
  • More viewfinder magnification
    0.71x vs 0.57x
    Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
  • More pixels
    24.3 vs 20.1 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Shoots 60p video
    Yes vs No
    A faster framerate can give you more editing options
  • Headphone jack
    Yes vs No
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    52 vs 8 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
  • Bigger RAW buffer
    28 vs 6 shots
    Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
  • Faster shutter
    1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
    Shoot wide open in bright light
  • Higher extended ISO
    51200 vs 16000 ISO
    Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

  • Focus peaking
    Both provide
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Eye-level viewfinder
    Both provide
    You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
    Both provide
    Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
  • In-camera panoramas
    Both provide
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Tiltable Screen
    Both provide
    Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
  • External Mic Jack
    Both provide
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • HDMI out
    Both provide
    Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
  • Hot shoe
    Both provide
    Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
  • Bulb shutter
    Both provide
    Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

  • Tilt-swivel screen
    Neither provide
    Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
  • Touchscreen
    Neither provide
    Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
  • Built-in Bluetooth
    Neither provide
    Always-on wireless connectivity
  • Built-in GPS
    Neither provide
    Geotag your photos
  • Top deck display
    Neither provide
    Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
  • Dual card slots
    Neither provide
    Gives you more storage flexibility
  • Slow-motion videos
    Neither provide
    Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Buy From

Review Excerpt

  • Improved 20.1-megapixel resolution; Impressive image quality, especially for its price; Fast and decisive autofocus (in most conditions); Very good battery life; Good video quality (Full HD 1080p, though it doesn't support 60p frame rate).

  • Plastic lens mount; Slower burst mode speeds and shallower buffer than A57; LCD no longer fully articulating; Mediocre kit lens; Electronic instead of an optical viewfinder may be a turnoff for some.

  • Excellent 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization; Sensor-shift IS brings stabilization to nearly any lens; Much-improved ergonomics and top-deck control layout; 'Mark II' maintains same impressive image quality, dynamic range and high ISO performance; XAVC S 50Mbps video format; Faster start-up time; Hybrid AF performs well with good continuous AF.

  • (Similar to A7): Loud shutter (but electronic first-curtain helps); Battery life could be better; Low-light AF still not as good as most DSLRs; High ISO JPEGs look over-processed; Slow buffer clearing; Limited selection of native Sony FE lenses (but it's getting better).

The Competition

Compared to Pentax K-5 IIs

Sony A58
Pentax K-5 IIs
  • $598
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Focus peaking
  • $497
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup
Sony A7 II
Pentax K-5 IIs
  • $1148
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $497
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup

Compared to Nikon D5200

Sony A58
Nikon D5200
  • $598
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • $500
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Tilt-swivel screen
Sony A7 II
Nikon D5200
  • $1148
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $500
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive

Compared to Canon T5i

Sony A58
Canon T5i
  • $598
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $539
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Tilt-swivel screen
Sony A7 II
Canon T5i
  • $1148
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $539
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive

Compared to Sony A7

Sony A58
Sony A7
  • $598
  • APS-C
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • Longer stills battery life
  • $748
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels
Sony A7 II
Sony A7
  • $1148
  • 35mm
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • $748
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive

Compared to Sony A7 III

Sony A58
Sony A7 III
  • $598
  • APS-C
  • In-camera panoramas
  • More telephoto lens reach
  • $1865
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels
Sony A7 II
Sony A7 III
  • $1148
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • In-camera panoramas
  • $1865
  • 35mm
  • Shoot 4K video
  • Touchscreen
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