Sony A58 vs RX10 II

The Sony Alpha SLT-A58 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2013 and June 2015. The A58 is a DSLR, while the RX10 II is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (A58) and an one-inch (RX10 II) sensor. The A58 has a resolution of 19.8 megapixels, whereas the RX10 II provides 20 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Sony A58		Sony RX10 II
Digital single lens reflex		Fixed lens compact camera
Sony A mount lenses		24-200mm f/2.8
19.8 MP – APS-C sensor		20 MP – 1" sensor
1080/60i Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-16,000 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 100-12,800 (64 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
2.7" LCD – 460k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
5 shutter flaps per second		14 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens-based stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
690 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
129 x 95 x 78 mm, 492 g		129 x 88 x 102 mm, 813 g

Check A58 offers at
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Check RX10 II offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha SLT-A58 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Sony A58 and the Sony RX10 II. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony RX10 II is notably smaller (7 percent) than the Sony A58. It is noteworthy in this context that the RX10 II is splash and dust-proof, while the A58 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX10 II has a lens built in, whereas the A58 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the A58 gets 690 shots out of its Sony NP-FM500H battery, while the RX10 II can take 400 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the RX10 II can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A58	129 mm	95 mm	78 mm	492 g	690	n	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX10 II	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	400	Y	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
4.		Canon G3 X	123 mm	77 mm	105 mm	733 g	300	Y	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D3200	125 mm	96 mm	77 mm	505 g	540	n	Apr 2012	599	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	499	ebay.com
9.		Pentax K-S1	121 mm	93 mm	70 mm	558 g	410	n	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
10.		Sony A68	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	610 g	540	n	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
11.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
12.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
13.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX10	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	420	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX10 III	133 mm	94 mm	127 mm	1051 g	420	Y	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A58 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony RX10 II an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the RX10 II is 68 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 2.7. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the RX10 II uses a more advanced image processing engine (BIONZ X) than the A58 (BIONZ), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the RX10 II offers a slightly higher resolution of 20 megapixels, compared with 19.8 MP of the A58. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 2.41μm versus 4.31μm for the A58). However, it should be noted that the RX10 II is much more recent (by 2 years and 3 months) than the A58, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The Sony Alpha SLT-A58 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 16000, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 64-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the A58 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the RX10 II uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under review, the A58 has a notably higher overall DXO score than the RX10 II (overall score 4 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.3 bits higher color depth, 0.1 EV of lower dynamic range, and 0.5 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony A58	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.3	12.5	753	74
2.		Sony RX10 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	531	70
3.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
4.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
5.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
6.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
7.		Nikon D3200	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/30p	24.1	13.2	1131	81
8.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
9.		Pentax K-S1	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.5	13.0	1061	78
10.		Sony A68	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.5	701	79
11.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
12.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
13.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
14.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
15.		Sony RX10	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.9	12.6	474	69
16.		Sony RX10 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.1	12.6	472	70
17.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the RX10 II provides a better video resolution than the A58. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the A58 is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the RX10 II offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the A58 (2359k vs 1440k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony A58 and Sony RX10 II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Sony A58	1440	n	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony RX10 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	14.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G3 X	optional	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D3200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Pentax K-S1	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
10.		Sony A68	1440	Y	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony RX10	1440	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX10 III	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	14.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the RX10 II, but is missing on the A58 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the RX10 II is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the A58 and the RX10 II write their files to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The RX10 II supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the A58 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha SLT-A58 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Sony A58	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony RX10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G3 X	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D3200	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D3300	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Pentax K-S1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Sony A68	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony RX10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX10 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the RX10 II offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the A58 does not provide wifi capability.

Both the A58 and the RX10 II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A58 was replaced by the Sony A68, while the RX10 II was followed by the Sony RX10 III. Further information on the features and operation of the A58 and RX10 II can be found, respectively, in the Sony A58 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX10 II Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Sony A58 better than the Sony RX10 II or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Sony Alpha SLT-A58:

• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.5 stops ISO advantage).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/3200s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (690 versus 400) on a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2013).

Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (BIONZ X vs BIONZ).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60i).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2359k vs 1440k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.57x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 460k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the A58 requires a separate lens.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 3 months of technical progress since the A58 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the RX10 II is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 6 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A58 and the Sony RX10 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Travel-Zoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the A58 or the RX10 II. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A58	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX10 II	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
4.		Canon G3 X	3.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D3200	5/5	+ +	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	599	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D3300	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	499	ebay.com
9.		Pentax K-S1	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
10.		Sony A68	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
11.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
12.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
13.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX10	5/5	+	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX10 III	5/5	+	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Check RX10 II offers at
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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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