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Sony A100 vs Sony A58 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 A58

20 MP | APS-C(23.2 x 15.4 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony A58
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Sony A100 vs Sony A58 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing A100 and A58, two Entry-Level DSLR cameras by Sony. Both cameras have APS-C sensors but Sony A100 has a 10.0 MP and Sony A58 has a 20.0 MP resolution. Sony A100 was introduced to market in July 2006 and Sony A58 was launched in November 2013. As you can see, A100 is 7 years older than A58. 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 A58 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
  • 2.5" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 3 fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 638g. 133 x 95 x 71 mm
  • Replaced Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D Compare

Sony A58 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-11-27
  • 20MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 16000 ( expands to 25600)
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 2.7" Tilting Screen
  • 1440k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 8 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 492g. 129 x 95 x 78 mm
  • Replaced Sony SLT-A57 Compare

Sony A100 was replaced by Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha DSLR-A580 vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A100
Sony Alpha DSLR-A580 vs Sony SLT-A58

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A100 and Sony A58 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 over Sony SLT-A58


Reasons to choose Sony SLT-A58 over Sony Alpha DSLR-A100
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder Magnification
0.65x vs 0.55x Larger Viewfinder
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 10 MP 100% more pixels
Max ISO
16.000 vs 1.600 900% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
15 vs 9 6 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
2.7" vs 2.5" 0.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
460k dots vs 230k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Viewfinder Coverage
100% vs 95% More accurate viewfinder
Continuous Shooting
8.0fps vs 3.0fps 5 fps faster
Weight
492 g vs 638 g 146 g lighter
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Color Depth
23.3 vs 22.0 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
12.5 vs 11.2 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
753 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

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 and Sony SLT-A58
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 (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 and Sony SLT-A58
LCD Screen Size
2.5" vs 2.7" Small display
LCD Screen Resolution
230k dots vs 460k dots Low resolution screens
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)
No vs No no option to fine tune Auto focus
Sony A100 vs Sony A58: 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 A58 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 A58 has external dimensions of 129 x 95 x 78 mm (5.08 x 3.74 x 3.07″) and weighs 492 g (1.08 lb / 17.35 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A100 and Sony A58.

Sony A100 vs Sony A58 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony A100 and Sony A58 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 A58 is significantly lighter (146g ) than the Sony A100 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

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 A58 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
A58
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

A100
A58
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 nor Sony SLT-A58 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 A58's 2.7" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony A100's 2.5" screen.

In addition to the size advantage, Sony A58 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 A58.
Sony A100 vs Sony A58: Sensor Comparison

Sony A100 has a 10.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Sony A58 has a 20.0MP APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 m ) sized CMOS sensor .

Sony A58's sensor provides 10MP 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 A58 sensor size comparison.

Sony A100 vs Sony A58 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A100 and Sony A58 Cameras


Sony A100 and Sony A58 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 A58 sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that A58 has a better overall score of 74, 13 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 A58 74 23.3 bits 12.5 Evs 753 ISO
Sony A100 vs Sony A58 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 A58 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 A58 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 A58 Lenses
Standard Zoom 20 20
Standard Prime 9 9
Wideangle Zoom 11 11
Wideangle Prime 18 18
Telephoto Zoom 26 26
Telephoto Prime 12 12
SuperZoom 19 19
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 4 4
Macro Prime 12 12
Perspective Control Prime 10 10
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 A58
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
Sigma 18-300 F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Lens Sigma 18-300 F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM
APS-C / DX 585gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II Lens Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II
35mm FF 1500gr 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 50mm F1.8 SAM Lens Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM
APS-C / DX 170gr 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 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSM Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T Lens Sony 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSM Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T
35mm FF 955gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
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 50mm F1.4 Lens Sony 50mm F1.4
35mm FF 222gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Sony A100 and Sony A58 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A100 and Sony A58 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 A58 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(23.2 x 15.4 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony A100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony A58 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(23.2 x 15.4 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Large Body
Read the details

Sony A100 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony A58 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 8.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
3 Cross Type Focus sensors
15 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 690 shots
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony A100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony A58 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Large Body
638g
Body Thickness 71mm
Read the details
Large APS-C(23.2 x 15.4 mm) sensor
Large Body
492g
Body Thickness 78mm
Read the details

Sony A100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony A58 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
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(23.2 x 15.4 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony A100 vs Sony A58: 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 A58, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 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 A58 scores compare:

Sony A100
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #60 out of 78 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #494 out of 1225 in all Cameras
Sony A58
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #18 out of 78 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #172 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Sony A58 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sony A100 in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Sony A100
Sony A100
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Sony A58
Sony A58
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Sony A58 vs Sony A100 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 Sony SLT-A58
Brand Sony Sony
Announced 2006-07-31 2013-11-27
Body Type Compact SLR Compact SLR
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 23.6 x 15.8 mm 23.2 x 15.4 m
Area 372.88mm2 348.00mm2
Megapixels 10 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 3872 x 2592 5456 x 3632
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 16,000 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 2.5" 2.7"
Resolution 230k dots 460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 1,440k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 95% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.55x 0.65x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range n/a 10.00 m (@ ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync 1/160s 1/160s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps 8.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
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 492g
Dimensions 133 x 95 x 71mm 129 x 95 x 78mm
Battery Life n/a 690 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 61 74
DxO Color Depth 22.0 23.3
DxO Dynamic Range 11.2 12.5
DxO Low Light ISO 476 753
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