LCD and Viewfinder
Sony A580 has a Tilting 3″ LCD screen with a resolution of 922k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.
A580 has a built-in Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder. The viewfinder has a coverage of 95% and a magnification ratio of 0.53x. 95% coverage means that what you see in your viewfinder while shooting will slightly be different from the actual image.
Max Shutter speed
Sony A580 can shoot continuously at max speed of 7.1 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.
Flash
A580 has a built-in flash, and it also has a flash shoe to mount your external flashes too.
Focusing
Sony A580 features both Contrast Detection and Phase Detection autofocus (AF) systems which ensures speed and accuracy of focusing in most situations. The AF system has 15 focus points and 3 of these sensors are of Cross-type. Cross-type sensors locks focus faster and more accurate compared to single type sensors.
Sony A580 also features
Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.
Video Features
With Sony A580, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60,29.97 fps and save in MPEG-4, AVCHD and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Sony A580 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.
A580 has a built-in Stereo microphone but no speaker. Sony A580 also has a port for an external microphone so you can record high quality sound with the help of an external microphone.
Connectivity and Storage
You can connect A580 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.
Battery Sony A580 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 1050 according to CIPA standards.
Considering that the average battery life of DSLR type cameras is 881 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.
Battery Life Comparison in Entry-Level DSLR Cameras
Pentax K-x with its 1900shots is the model with longest battery life among Entry-Level DSLR cameras. Check the comparison of Sony A580 vs Pentax K-x or take a look at Longest Battery Life DSLR cameras list.
Sony A580 Features Compared to Main Competitors
Lowest Price
Current Lowest price for Sony A580 is $848.00