Sony a850 vs Sony a550

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a850 and Sony a550. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

These cameras are both manufactured by Sony.

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a850 has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Sony a550 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)

Resolution

Sony a850 has a 25 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Sony a550 has 14 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a850 has a 74 % larger resolution than Sony a550. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Sony a550 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a850. Sony a550 has an ISO range that stretches from 200 to 12800 while Sony a850 has 200 to 3200.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a850
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a550

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a850 can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds and Sony a550 can shoot up to 7 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

Though, neither Sony a850 or Sony a550 can shoot movies so if that is a functionality that you are really looking for you should look elsewhere.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Sony a850 weighs 895 gr (equal to 1.97 lb) which is 42% heavier than Sony a550 and its 632 gr (or 1.39 lb).

Sony a850 vs Sony a550 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a850 and Sony a550, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Sony a850	Sony a550
Name	Sony a850	Sony a550
Manufacturer	Sony	Sony
Release Date and Price	Sony a850	Sony a550
Release Year	2009	2009
Release Date	2009-08-27	2009-08-27
MSRP	1999 USD	949 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type	Sony a850	Sony a550
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a850	Sony a550
Sensor Size	Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	6048 x 4032 pixels	4592 x 3056 pixels
Megapixels	25 MP	14 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	Bionz
Image	Sony a850	Sony a550
ISO Range	200 - 3200	200 - 12800
White Balance Presets	7	6
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	Yes (Sensor-Shift)	Yes (Sensor-Shift)
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Sony a850	Sony a550
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	9	9
Lens Mount	Sony A See Compatible Lenses	Sony A See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	Full frame No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm	APS-C Sensor (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Sony a850	Sony a550
Articulated LCD	Fixed	Tilting
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	921600	921600
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	TFT Xtra Fine color LCD	N/A
Live view	No	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Optical (pentaprism)	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage	98%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.74×	0.8× (0.53× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a850	Sony a550
Frames per second	3 fps	7 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/8000 seconds	1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash	No	Yes
Built-in Flash Range	N/A	12 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	No
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Spot
Exposure Compensation	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps)	+/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a850	Sony a550
Video recording	No	No
Video format	N/A	N/A
Video resolution	N/A	N/A
Built-in Microphone	No	No
Built-in Speakers	No	No
Storage	Sony a850	Sony a550
Memory Card	Compact Flash Memory Stick Pro Duo	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony a850	Sony a550
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	No	No
Remote Control	Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional))	Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional))
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Sony a850	Sony a550
Enviromentally sealed	No	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger	Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	880 shots	480 shots
Width	156 mm	137 mm
Height	117 mm	104 mm
Depth	82 mm	84 mm
Weight	895 gram	632 gram