The Sony Alpha a580 (DSLR-A580) is a midrange-level digital single-lens reflex camera

Digital single-lens reflex camera

Most digital single-lens reflex cameras are digital cameras that use a mechanical mirror system and pentaprism to direct light from the lens to an optical viewfinder on the back of the camera....

 (DSLR) marketed by Sony and aimed at enthusiasts, it was released in August 2009. The camera features a 16.2 megapixel APS-C

APS-C

Advanced Photo System type-C is an image sensor format approximately equivalent in size to the Advanced Photo System "classic" size negatives...

 Type CMOS

CMOS

Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor is a technology for constructing integrated circuits. CMOS technology is used in microprocessors, microcontrollers, static RAM, and other digital logic circuits...

 Exmor

Exmor

Exmor is the name of a technology Sony implements on some of their CMOS image sensors. It performs on-chip analogue/digital signal conversion and two-step noise reduction in parallel on each column of the CMOS sensor...

 Sensor and features Sony

Sony

, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....

's patented SteadyShot INSIDE

SteadyShot

SteadyShot is the trademarked name of an integrated video camera image stabilisation technology developed by Sony for its range of consumer and prosumer video camcorders...

stabilisation system which works with any attached lens.

CMOS Sensor

This sensor is capable of recording in 5 different File qualities / formats :
• RAW (.ARW)
• RAW + JPEG Fine
• RAW + JPEG Standard
• JPEG Fine
• JPEG Standard

Sony A580 Anti-Dust Technology

To help combat dust particles on the sensor from changing lenses, Sony included both an anti-static coating on the sensor filter and anti-dust vibrations to automatically shake the sensor with the anti-shake mechanism each time the camera is shut off. There is also a manual cleaning mode, where the camera first shakes the sensor, then lifts the mirror and opens the shutter, allowing access to the sensor for use with a blower or other cleaning device.