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Recording Features
Included Lens
Play And Print Functions
Battery Information
Supplied Software

Recording Features

Zoom Lens Kit: The Sony SLT-A57M α (alpha series) DSLR camera kit contains the SLT-A57 camera body, and the SAL18135 DT18-135mm F3.5-5.6 SAM 7x zoom lens, along with a rechargeable battery, adjustable neck strap, USB cable, and software on CD-ROM. The camera is compatible with Sony A-mount lenses.

Translucent Mirror Technology: The A57 features Translucent Mirror Technology, which directs light to both the image sensor and the Phase Detection AF sensor simultaneously. This allows the camera to focus and capture the image at the same time. Since the mirror never moves, the time needed to raise and lower the mirror is eliminated.

Tiltable 3" LCD Screen: The A57 uses a 3" TFT Xtra Fine LCD screen with 921,600 dots. The TruBlack screen has a special resin layer to suppress internal reflections to increase contrast. The brightness of the LCD monitor is automatically adjusted to surrounding lighting conditions for best visibility. The LCD monitor can be tilted upward 150°, downward 180° and rotated 270° for best visibility when shooting at difficult angles.

0.46" Electronic Viewfinder: The 0.46" Xtra Fine electronic color viewfinder has 1,440,000 dots, and provides approximately 100% field of view. The brightness can be manually or automatically adjusted in 3 steps. The built-in diopter lets you adjust the viewfinder image to your individual eyesight. If you're using the electronic viewfinder to frame your shots, the LCD turns off automatically when you bring the camera up to your eyes.

Display Options: You can choose how much information appears in the viewfinder and LCD monitor. There are four options: Display all information, No display information, Digital Level Gauge, and Graphic Display. The digital level gauge indicates whether the camera is level in both horizontal and front-back directions. The indicators turn green when the camera is level in one of the directions. The histogram displays the luminance distribution that shows how many pixels of a particular brightness exist in the picture.

Live View: The A57's Live View lets you use the LCD screen and Electronic Viewfinder to frame your photos as you shoot. The Live View image will provide an accurate preview of your photo, including the white balance, focus, depth of field, exposure, and framing. In addition, the on-screen displays will keep you informed on all your settings and recording information.

Image Sensor: The SLT-A57 features an APS-C-sized Exmor HD CMOS image sensor (23.5 x 15.6mm). It has approximately 16.7-million total pixels and 16.1-million effective pixels.

Still Image Recording Formats: Still images are recorded in JPEG file format in Standard and Fine compression rates. You can choose to shoot in 3:2 or 16:9 aspect ratio, and in large, medium, and small image sizes. You can also record still images using the RAW format, which is uncompressed with no processing performed in the camera. RAW images must be transferred to a computer for processing, editing, and printing using the supplied Image Data Converter SR software. You can select the following image sizes:

• 3:2 Large: 4912 x 3264 (16M)
• 3:2 Medium: 3568 x 2368 (8.4M)
• 3:2 Small: 2448 x 1624 (4M)
• 16:9 Large: 4912 x 2760 (14M)
• 16:9 Medium: 3568 x 2000 (7.1M)
• 16:9 Small: 2448 x 1376 (3.4M)
• RAW: 4912 x 3264 (3:2) or 4912 x 2760 (16:9)

Panorama Photos: The 3D Sweep Panorama mode lets you record panoramic images by holding down the shutter button as you pan across the scene. Panoramic photos can be taken in 3D or Standard in several different resolution settings:

• Panorama:
  • Standard:
    • Vertical: 3872 x 2160
    • Horizontal: 8192 x 1856
  • Wide:
    • Vertical: 5536 x 2160
    • Horizontal: 12416 x 1856
• 3D Panorama (Horizontal):
  • 16:9: 1920 x 1080
  • Standard: 4912 x 1080
  • Wide: 7152 x 1080

Movie Recording Formats: The A57 can record 16:9 Full High Definition movies in AVCHD 2.0 Progressive with MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video and 2-channel Dolby Digital audio. Movies can also be recorded in MP4 mode with MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video and MPEG-4 AAC-LC 2-channel audio. You can select from the following bit rates/image quality:

Dual Media Options: The A57 camera accepts two types of media for capturing still images: Memory Stick PRO Duo (including Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo), and SD, SDHC, and SDXC Memory Cards. The maximum number of images that can be recorded on a memory card formatted with this camera varies slightly between the two types of media.

Clear Image Zoom: Clear Image Zoom, powered by Sony's By Pixel Super Resolution Technology, increases the effective focal length of the lens by up to 2x by digitally magnifying the center of the image.

SteadyShot INSIDE In-Camera Image Stabilization: The SteadyShot INSIDE in-camera image stabilizer shifts the image sensor to compensate for camera shake without sacrificing image quality. The compensation effect is equal to 2.5 to 4.5 shutter speed steps, giving you more creative freedom when shooting in low light. And, because it is integrated into the camera body, SteadyShot INSIDE technology works with all compatible α (alpha) system lenses.

Eye-Start Auto Focus: The camera features the Eye-Start Auto Focus system, which begins precision auto focus adjustments the moment you raise the camera to your eye. This feature can be turned off in the menu, if desired.

15-Point AF System: The A57's high-performance auto focus system uses 15 focus points to deliver fast and precise focusing. It has a predictive focus control to automatically calculate the position of fast-moving subjects. You can choose from the following Auto/Manual Focus Modes:

• AF (Auto focus) Mode: You can select between 3 modes:
  • Single-Shot AF: The camera focuses and the focus is locked when you press the shutter button halfway down.
  • Continuous AF: The camera continues to focus while the shutter button is pressed and held halfway down.
  • Automatic AF: This mode automatically switches between single-shot AF and continuous AF depending on the movement of the subject.
• AF (Auto focus) Area: You can select between 3 settings:
  • Wide: The camera determines which of the 15 AF areas is used in focusing.
  • Zone: You can choose the zone for which you want to activate the focus from among left, right, or center.
  • Spot: The camera uses the AF area located in the center area exclusively.
  • Local: You can choose a local focus area from the 15 areas using the controller.
• Object Tracking: When Object Tracking is enabled, the camera allows you to select a subject to be tracked while it moves through the frame. The subject remains in focus until you press the shutter release.
• Manual Focus: When it is difficult to get the proper focus in auto focus mode, you can adjust the focus manually. This mode allows you to set the distance of a subject by switching to MF on the lens and rotating the focusing ring to achieve a sharp focus.

Face Detection/Smile Shutter: The camera can detect human faces, and adjusts the focus, exposure, performs image processing and adjusts flash settings for best results. Faces can be registered, and priority given to those faces over others in the frame. Up to 8 faces can be detected and/or registered. When the Smile Shutter feature is enabled, the camera will automatically release the shutter when a slight, normal, or big smile is detected.

Focus Lock: If a subject is off-center and outside of the AF area, you can lock the focus of the camera.

AF Illuminator: When you press the shutter button halfway down a red illuminator is emitted until the focus is locked. Under dark lighting conditions or when you shoot a low contrast subject, the AF illuminator allows the camera to focus more easily on the subject.

Drive Modes: The camera offers the following shooting modes:

• Single Shooting: Default setting for standard picture taking.
• Continuous Shooting: At full 16.1MP resolution, the camera can record up to 10 frames per second. Tele-zoom High Speed shooting captures the center 2/3 of the image sensor (8.4MP) and can record up to 12 fps continuously. Maximum number of continuous shots is as follows:
  • Tele-zoom High Speed: 23 (fine), 25 (standard)
  • Continuous Priority AE: 23 (fine), 27 (standard), 21 (RAW), 18 (RAW+JPEG)
• Self-Timer: You can set the camera to two different self-timers:
  • 10 Second: After you press the shutter button, the shutter will be released about 10 seconds later. This is convenient when the photographer wants to appear in a photo.
  • 2 Second: After you press the shutter button, the shutter will be released about 2 seconds later. This is convenient to reduce camera-shake.
• Bracket Shooting: Bracket shooting allows you to shoot 3 images, each with different degrees of exposure. When Single Bracket is selected, the shutter button is pressed for each shot one-by-one. White Balance Bracket shooting lets you record three images, each with the white balance shifted.
• Remote Commander: You can shoot using the "SHUTTER" or "2SEC" buttons on the optional RMT-DSLR1 Wireless Remote Commander. Using the Remote Commander reduces camera shake and continues the exposure without pressing and holding the shutter button.

Shooting Modes: The top-mounted Mode Dial lets you select from the following shooting modes:

• iAuto (Intelligent Auto): This mode allows easy shooting with settings adjusted automatically.
• Flash Off: Same as Intelligent Auto, but without use of the flash.
• iAuto+ (Superior Auto): The camera recognizes and evaluates the shooting condition and sets the appropriate settings automatically. The camera saves one appropriate image by combining or separating images as necessary.
• Scene Selection: You can select an appropriate mode for the subject or the shooting conditions to allow you to shoot the image with a suitable setting for the subject:
  • Portrait: blurs away backgrounds and sharpens the subject; expresses skin tones softly
  • Sports Action: for shooting moving subjects outdoors or in bright places.
  • Macro: for shooting close subjects such as flowers, insects, dishes, or small goods.
  • Landscape: shoots the entire range of scenery in sharp focus with vivid colors.
  • Sunset: for shooting the red of the sunset beautifully
  • Night Scene: for shooting night scenes at a distance without losing the dark atmosphere of the surroundings.
  • Hand-held Twilight: Shoots night scenes with less noise and blur without using a tripod. A burst of shots are taken and image processing is applied to reduce subject blur, camera shake and noise.
  • Night Portrait: for shooting portraits in night scenes.
• Sweep Panorama: Shoots expansive scenery or high-rise buildings with dynamic composition.
• 3D Sweep Panorama: For shooting 3D panoramic images for playback on a 3D-compatible TV.
• Program Auto: For shooting with the exposure adjusted automatically (both the shutter speed and the aperture value), while allowing you to adjust other settings manually.
• Aperture Priority: This mode allows you to shoot after adjusting the aperture value manually, letting the camera set the appropriate shutter speed. This mode gives you greater control over the depth of field.
• Shutter Speed Priority: This mode allows you to shoot after adjusting the shutter speed manually, letting the camera set the appropriate aperture. With a high shutter speed, the moving subject appears as if it is frozen on the image. With a slow shutter speed, the moving subject appears as if it were flowing.
• Manual Exposure: This mode allows you to shoot after adjusting the exposure (shutter speed and aperture) manually.
• Continuous Priority AE: The camera shoots continuously while the shutter button is pressed fully down.
• Movies: Recording movies in Full HD or standard definition in 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio.

Exposure Compensation: Exposure compensation is used to alter the camera's standard exposure setting. You can make the image look lighter (increased exposure) or darker (decreased exposure). The exposure compensation amount can be set up to +/-3.0 EV in 1/3-step increments.

AE Lock: You can fix the exposure before deciding on the composition when taking a picture. This is effective when the metering object and focusing object are different or when you want to shoot continuously while keep the same exposure value.

Metering Mode: A 1200-zone evaluative sensing system provides multi-pattern measuring for superior exposure control accuracy in a wide range of lighting conditions. You can select the method for measuring the brightness of a subject from the following three methods:

• Multi Segment: This method uses the whole screen divided into 1200 zones to measure light.
• Center Weighted: While emphasizing the central area of the screen, this method measure the average brightness of the entire screen.
• Spot: This method measure light only in the spot metering circle in the center of the frame.

White Balance: You can adjust the color tones according to the lighting conditions. You can choose from the following WB options, and adjust the +/- 3 to fine tune the colors:

• Auto WB: This mode adjusts the white balance automatically.
• Daylight: This mode adjusts for outdoors and sunlit subjects.
• Shade: This mode adjust for shady conditions on a clear day.
• Cloudy: This mode adjust for a cloudy sky.
• Incandescent: This mode adjusts for incandescent lighting.
• Fluorescent: This mode adjusts for florescent lighting (select Warm white, Cool white, Day white, or Daylight)
• Flash: This mode adjusts for flash conditions.
• Custom: In a scene where the ambient light consists of multiple types of light sources, use of the custom white balance is recommended in order to accurately reproduce the whiteness.

Color Temperature/Color Filter: You can adjust the white balance further by selecting Color Temperature or Color Filter in the Custom White Balance option. With Color Temperature, the higher the number, the more reddish the image, and the lower the number, the more bluish the image. Color Filter achieves the effect of Color Compensation filters for photography. Based on the set color temperature as the standard, the color can be compensated to Green (G) or Magenta (M).

Picture Effect: You can select the desired effect filter to achieve more impressive and artistic expression. There are several Picture Effect options, including Toy Camera, Pop Color, Posterization, Retro Photo, Soft High-key, Partial Color, High Contrast Mono, Soft Focus, HDR Painting, Rich-tone Mono, and Miniature.

ISO Settings: ISO is a unit of measurement of sensitivity to light. The larger the number, the higher the sensitivity. The camera's ISO can be set manually or automatically, depending upon the exposure mode:

• Auto, Sweep Panorama, or Scene Selection: When the exposure mode is set to Auto, Auto+, Sweep Panorama, or Scene Selection, the ISO is fixed to Auto.
• P/A/S: When the exposure mode is set to Program, Aperture Priority, or Shutter Priority, and ISO is set to Auto, the ISO speed is automatically set between 100 and 3200.
• Manual: When the exposure mode is changed to Manual, the ISO is automatically changed to 100, and you can set it according the shooting conditions to between 100 and 16000. Auto ISO is not an option in the Manual shooting mode.

Built-in Flash: In a dark location, using the built-in flash, or optional flash, allows you to shoot the subject brightly, and it also helps prevent blurred photos due to camera shake. The SLT-A57 features a pop-up flash, and an accessory shoe for attaching an optional external flash. The range of the built-in flash depends on the ISO sensitivity and aperture value. The A57 offers the following flash modes:

• Autoflash: In auto mode the flash automatically fires if it is dark or against light.
• Fill-Flash: In this mode the flash fires every time the shutter is released.
• Slow Sync: Slow sync shooting allows you to shoot a clear image of both the subject and the background by slowing the shutter speed.
• Rear Sync: In rear sync mode, the objects illuminated by other light sources are captured first, then the flash is fired right before the exposure is completed.
• Wireless: The camera can use the flash light to transmit signal to an external off-camera flash to produce a more three-dimensional image. (Requires optional wireless flash unit such as HVL-F58AM or HVL-F43AM).

Noise Reduction: The camera offers Long Exposure and High ISO Noise Reduction (NR) to automatically reduce the grainy noise found in photos during long exposures or high ISO settings. You can also select Multi Frame Noise Reduction when shooting multiple images continuously.

Anti-Dust Technology: Changing lenses in a DSLR can allow dust to enter the camera. To help keep the image sensor cleaner for better pictures, the A57 utilizes a static-free anti-dust coating on the imager's filter. The camera also has a cleaning function which vibrates the image sensor for a short time to knock off any dust that may have settled on the imager.

Included Lens

Optics: The Sony DT 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 SAM lens is compatible with Sony α-series (Alpha) DSLR cameras. The DT lens is a compact, lightweight lens, designed specifically for the APS-size CCD imager used in most Sony α-series cameras. The lens employs a Smooth Autofocus Motor (SAM) to deliver smooth and silent autofocus operation, and offers a flexible focal range that allows you to capture everything from wide angle to midrange telephoto shots with ease.

Zooming: The lens allows you to rotate the zooming ring to set the desired focal length. The 18-135mm lens features a 7x optical zoom.

Focusing: The lens can be used in the auto-focus or manual focus mode. You can switch between focusing modes using the 2-way switch on the lens barrel.

Dimensions: The lens has the following dimensions: Diameter=3", Length=3.5".

Specifications:

• 35mm Equivalent: 27-202.5mm
• Minimum Focus: 1' 5"
• Filter Diameter: 62mm
• Maximum Aperture: f/3.5-5.6
• Minimum Aperture: f/22-36
• Weight: 14 ounces

Play And Print Functions

Playback Options: You can view images on the LCD monitor with 3 options: with recording data displayed, without recording data, or histogram display. A histogram is the luminance distribution that shows how many pixels of a particular brightness exists in a picture. The histogram display of this camera shows the brightness on the horizontal axis (left side is black, right side is white) and the number of pixels on the vertical axis.

Auto Review: After an image is recorded, you can have the camera automatically display it on the LCD monitor for two, five or 10 seconds. You can also turn off auto review.

Image Rotation: Vertical shots can be rotated automatically so that they are displayed upright during playback. This can be done manually or automatically.

Playback Screen: You can view your photos back as a single image on the LCD monitor, as an Index or as a Slide Show. During Index View mode, you can view 4 or 9 images at once. You can adjust the Slide Show mode interval from 1, 3, 5, 10, or 30 seconds.

D-Range Optimizer/Auto HDR: The camera allows you to correct the brightness and contrast of an image automatically, using the D-Range Optimizer (DRO) and Auto High Dynamic Range functions. The DRO optimizes the gradations of a recorded image in each area of the image; you select the optimal level from Lv1 (weak) and Lv5 (strong). When Auto HDR is selected, the camera shoots three images with different exposures, then overlays them to create one image with the correct exposure and an overlaid image.

Rotating Images: Images can be rotated counter-clockwise 360-degrees on the camera's LCD monitor during single image playback.

Protect Images: You can protect all images on your memory card or select only certain images to be protected from accidental erasure.

HDMI Output: The SLT-A57 provides direct mini-HDMI output to your HDTV, so you can view and share photos in clarity and detail. You can choose between standard 3:2 or widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio. The output resolution can be set to Auto, 1080p, or 1080i. When connected to a Sony BRAVIA TV, you can control the image playback using the TV remote. A mini-HDMI-to-HDMI cable is not supplied.

Printing Options: The camera offers the following printing options.

• DPOF Compatible: Using the camera, you can specify the images and the number of images to print before you print images at a photo-shop or with your printer.
• Memory Card: You can print images with a Memory Stick or SD card compliant printer.
• Computer: You can copy images to a computer using the supplied "Picture Motion Browser" software and print the images.

Battery Information

InfoLithium Battery: The SLT-A57 is powered by the NP-FM500H InfoLithium battery (supplied). The battery communicates data to the camera, so that the percentage of battery power remaining can be displayed. The approximate number of images that can be recorded with the supplied battery is 590 using the LCD monitor and 550 with the viewfinder.

Charging: The supplied InfoLithium battery requires approximately 175 minutes for a full charge. The battery should be fully charged before initial use.

Power Save: You can set different time intervals for the camera to switch to Power Save mode. You can set the interval to 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, or 30 minutes. Once the camera goes into Power Save mode, you can return to the shooting mode by pressing the shutter button halfway. When the camera is connected to a TV or the drive mode is set to Remote Commander, the power save mode defaults to 30 minutes regardless of the setting.

Supplied Software

Application Software CD-ROM: The following software is included with the SLT-A57:

PlayMemories Home Ver.1.0:

• Compatible with Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista SP2, and Windows 7 SP1 only*
• Set images shot with the camera and display them on the computer.
• Organize images on the computer on a calendar by shooting date to view them.
• Retouch, print, and send images as e-mail attachments and change the shooting date.
• Print or save still images with the date.
• You can create a Blu-ray disc or DVD discs from AVCHD movies imported to a computer.

*Note: The "PlayMemories Home" software is compatible with Windows 7, Vista, and XP operating systems only. If you wish to play back images on a Mac, you can use applications that are pre-installed on your Mac.

Image Data Converter Ver.4.0:

• Compatible with Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1, Mac OS X v10.5, 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and 10.7 (Lion)
• You can edit images recorded in RAW mode with various corrections, such as tone curve, and sharpness.
• Adjust images with white balance, exposure, creative style, etc.
• Save the images displayed and edited on a computer. You can save the image as RAW format, or save it in the general file format.
• Display and compare RAW/JPEG images recorded with the camera.
• Rate the images on a scale of five.
• Set color labels.

Compatible Operating Systems (for USB Connection):

• Windows: Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1
• Macintosh: Mac OS X v10.3-10.7