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Sony A100 vs Sony A580 Comparison

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Sony A100

10 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) CCD Sensor

Sony A100
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Sony A580

16 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony A580
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Sony A100 vs Sony A580 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing A100 and A580, two Entry-Level DSLR cameras by Sony. Sony A100 was introduced to market in July 2006 and Sony A580 was launched in May 2011. As you can see, A100 is 5 years older than A580. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony A100 and Sony A580 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A100 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2006-07-31
  • 10MP - APS-C CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 2.50" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 3.0fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 638g. 133 x 95 x 71 mm
  • Replaced Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D Compare

Sony A580 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-05-26
  • 16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12800 ( expands to 25600)
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 7.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 599g. 137 x 104 x 84 mm
  • Replaced Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A100 and Sony A580 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 over Sony Alpha DSLR-A580
Viewfinder Magnif.
0.55x vs 0.53x Larger Viewfinder
Sensor Pixel Area
37.14µm2 vs 22.87µm2 62% larger pixel area
CHECK A100 PRICE


Reasons to choose Sony Alpha DSLR-A580 over Sony Alpha DSLR-A100
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 10 MP 60% more pixels
Max ISO
12.800 vs 1.600 700% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
15 vs 9 6 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.5" 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
922k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 3.0fps 4 fps faster
Weight
599 g vs 638 g 39 g lighter
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Color Depth
23.8 vs 22.0 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
13.3 vs 11.2 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
1121 vs 476 better High ISO performance
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs None Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
CHECK A580 PRICE

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A580
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A580
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Optical Viewfinder Type
Pentamirror vs Pentamirror not as bright as Pentaprism Viewfinders
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)
No vs No no option to fine tune Auto focus
Sony A100 vs Sony A580: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Sony A100 and Sony A580 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A100 has external dimensions of 133 x 95 x 71 mm (5.24 x 3.74 x 2.8″) and weighs 638 g (1.41 lb / 22.50 oz) (including batteries). Sony A580 has external dimensions of 137 x 104 x 84 mm (5.39 x 4.09 x 3.31″) and weighs 599 g (1.32 lb / 21.13 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A100 and Sony A580. Sony A100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 4mm narrower, 9mm shorter and 13mm thinner than Sony A580.

Sony A100 vs Sony A580 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony A100 and Sony A580 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A580 is 39g lighter than the Sony A100 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Sony A100 and Sony A580 have the same Sony/Minolta Alpha lens mount and APS-C sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

A100
A580
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

A100
A580
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 nor Sony Alpha DSLR-A580 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A580's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony A100's 2.5" screen.

In addition to the size advantage, Sony A580 LCD screen also has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Sony A100 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to A580.
Sony A100 vs Sony A580: Sensor Comparison

Sony A100 has a 10.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Sony A580 has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz processor.

Sony A580's sensor provides 6MP more than Sony A100's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the A100 and A580 sensor size comparison.

Sony A100 vs Sony A580 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A100 and Sony A580 Cameras


Sony A100 and Sony A580 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Sony A100 and Sony A580 sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that A580 has a better overall score of 80, 19 points higher compared to A100's score of 61.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Sony A100 61 22.0 bits 11.2 Evs 476 ISO
Sony A580 80 23.8 bits 13.3 Evs 1121 ISO
Sony A100 vs Sony A580 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. Sony A100 and Sony A580 have the same Sony/Minolta Alpha lens mount and currently there are 143 native lenses available for these cameras.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Sony A100 and Sony A580 has Sensor based Image stabilization which means that all the lenses will be stabilized in these bodies.

Lens Type # of Sony A100 Lenses # of Sony A580 Lenses
Standard Zoom 20 20
Standard Prime 9 9
Wideangle Zoom 11 11
Wideangle Prime 18 18
Telephoto Zoom 26 26
Telephoto Prime 13 13
SuperZoom 19 19
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 4 4
Macro Prime 12 12
Perspective Control Prime 9 9
Telephoto Mirror Prime 2 2
TOTAL 143 143

Here are some of the most popular Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount Lenses for A100 and A580
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C Lens Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C
35mm FF 1930gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II Lens Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II
35mm FF 750gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 28-75mm F2.8 SAM Lens Sony 28-75mm F2.8 SAM
35mm FF 565gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 75-300mm F4.5-5.6 Lens Sony 75-300mm F4.5-5.6
35mm FF 460gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony DT 55-200mm F4-5.6 SAM Lens Sony DT 55-200mm F4-5.6 SAM
APS-C / DX 305gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM Lens Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM
APS-C / DX 170gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD
35mm FF 1951gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM Lens Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM
APS-C / DX 210gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Sony A100 and Sony A580 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A100 and Sony A580 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony A100 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Sony A580 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Read the details

Sony A100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony A580 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Large Body
Read the details

Sony A100 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony A580 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
3 Cross Type Focus sensors
15 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1050 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony A100 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sony A580 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Large Body
638g
Body Thickness 71mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Large Body
599g
Body Thickness 84mm
Read the details

Sony A100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony A580 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony A100 vs Sony A580: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony A100 and Sony A580, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony A100 and Sony A580 scores compare:

Sony A100
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #62 out of 80 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #518 out of 1257 in all Cameras
Sony A580
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #19 out of 80 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #205 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Sony A580 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sony A100 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Sony A100. Otherwise, Sony A580 is the better camera overall.

Sony A100
Sony A100
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Sony A580
Sony A580
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Sony A580 vs Sony A100 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 Sony Alpha DSLR-A580
Brand Sony Sony
Announced 2006-07-31 2011-05-26
Body Type Compact SLR Compact SLR
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 23.6 x 15.8 mm 23.5 x 15.6 mm
Area 372.88mm2 366.60mm2
Megapixels 10 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 3872 x 2592 4912 x 3264
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 9 15
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony/Minolta Alpha Sony/Minolta Alpha
Number of Available Lenses 143 143
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 2.50" 3.00"
Resolution 230k dots 922k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage 95% 95%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.55x 0.53x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range n/a 12.00 m
Max Flash Sync 1/160s 1/160s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps 7.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution None 1920 x 1080
Video Formats n/a MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 638g 599g
Dimensions 133 x 95 x 71mm 137 x 104 x 84mm
Battery Life n/a 1050 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 61 80
DxO Color Depth 22.0 23.8
DxO Dynamic Range 11.2 13.3
DxO Low Light ISO 476 1121
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