Sony SLT Alpha 57

The Sony SLT Alpha 57 is a DSLR-style camera from 2012 with an APS-C sensor. It looks through an electronic viewfinder rather than an optical one, so the preview reflects the exposure you are about to capture.

Weighing 618 g and measuring 132 x 98 x 81 mm, it is a mid-sized body that takes Sony Alpha lenses.

In-body stabilisation steadies handheld shots, and the burst mode reaches 12 frames per second for action moments. Photographers who want straightforward shooting without wireless features will feel at home here.

A 16.1 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor gives enough resolution for prints with room to crop, and the Bionz processor handles the files. The Optics score of 59 is modest, and the camera sits around the middle of cameras in our database for Optics.

In-body stabilisation is the most useful stills feature here. Because the sensor itself moves to counter camera shake, every Sony Alpha lens you mount benefits, and you can use slower shutter speeds handheld before blur creeps in. It corrects your own movement, not a moving subject.

The 12 frames per second figure is a maximum burst rate, and the mode and duration it applies to are not specified. Autofocus uses 15 points, and the 1/4000 shutter ceiling limits how wide you can open the lens in bright light.

Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to 16000, and the 1.44 million dot electronic viewfinder shows the effect of your settings before you press the shutter.

Video records up to Full HD resolution, which remains workable for web clips and casual projects. The Video score of 56 is modest, and the resolution ceiling contributes to that.

The fastest frame rate listed is 60 fps, but that figure and the resolution maximum are separate, so a combined Full HD 60 fps recording mode is not confirmed.

Files record in AVCHD, MP4 or MPEG-4 AVC, so you can pick whichever format suits your editing setup. There is no built-in timelapse mode, so interval work has to be arranged another way.

The flip-out screen helps you hold the camera low or high while filming, and the electronic viewfinder offers an eye-level alternative.

The 3-inch TFT LCD carries 921,000 dots, and it flips out from the body. Live view is on hand, and the tilting screen helps with overhead or waist-level shooting. There is no touch control, so menus and settings are handled with buttons.

A built-in flash sits alongside support for an external flash, covering both quick snapshots and more considered lighting setups.

The Features score of 41 is modest, and absent weather sealing and Bluetooth are among its scored shortfalls. GPS and Wi-Fi are missing as well. With no wireless option, images leave the camera through the memory card, and the body needs care in rain or dust.

Storage & Battery scores 29, a limited result shaped by the single card slot, the battery rating and the missing USB charging. The camera accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards or Memory Stick Pro Duo and Pro-HG Duo, and carrying spares makes sense for heavy shooting.

The NP-FM500H battery carries a 550-shot rating, though the conditions behind that figure are not specified, so real-world endurance will depend on how you shoot.

The battery is not charged over USB, so you cannot top it up from a computer or power bank between shoots. A second battery is a sensible purchase for longer days out.