Sony a850 vs Canon EOS 550D

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a850 and Canon EOS 550D. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a850 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 550D is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

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 Canon EOS 550D has a "Canon 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)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

Sony a850 has a 25 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 550D has 18,7 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a850 has a 36 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 550D. 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

Canon EOS 550D has a larger ISO-range than Sony a850. Canon EOS 550D has an ISO range that stretches from 100 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 Canon EOS 550D

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 Canon EOS 550D can shoot up to 3,7 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

It is only one of these two cameras that support recording movies and movie clips and that is Canon EOS 550D. Sadly, the Sony a850 does not support this.

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 75% heavier than Canon EOS 550D and its 510 gr (or 1.12 lb).

Sony a850 vs Canon EOS 550D Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a850 and Canon EOS 550D, 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	Canon EOS 550D
Name	Sony a850	Canon EOS 550D
Manufacturer	Sony	Canon
Release Date and Price	Sony a850	Canon EOS 550D
Release Year	2009	2010
Release Date	2009-08-27	2010-02-08
MSRP	1999 USD	899 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a850	Canon EOS 550D
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a850	Canon EOS 550D
Sensor Size	Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)	APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	6048 x 4032 pixels	5184 x 3456 pixels
Megapixels	25 MP	18,7 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	DIGIC 4
Image	Sony a850	Canon EOS 550D
ISO Range	200 - 3200	100 - 12800
White Balance Presets	7	6
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	Yes (Sensor-Shift)	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Sony a850	Canon EOS 550D
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	9	9
Lens Mount	Sony A See Compatible Lenses	Canon EF Canon EF-S 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 1.6x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 38 mm 50 mm becomes 80 mm 100 mm becomes 160 mm 200 mm becomes 320 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Sony a850	Canon EOS 550D
Articulated LCD	Fixed	Fixed
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	921600	1040000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	TFT Xtra Fine color LCD	TFT color liquid-crystal LCD
Live view	No	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Optical (pentaprism)	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage	98%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.74×	0.87× (0.54× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a850	Canon EOS 550D
Frames per second	3 fps	3,7 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	13 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Spot Partial
Exposure Compensation	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps)	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a850	Canon EOS 550D
Video recording	No	Yes
Video format	N/A	H.264
Video resolution	N/A	1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone	No	Yes
Built-in Speakers	No	No
Storage	Sony a850	Canon EOS 550D
Memory Card	Compact Flash Memory Stick Pro Duo	SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony a850	Canon EOS 550D
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	No	Yes Eye-Fi Connected
Remote Control	Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional))	Yes (E3 connector, InfraRed)
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Sony a850	Canon EOS 550D
Enviromentally sealed	No	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger	Lithium-Ion LP-E8 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	880 shots	N/A
Width	156 mm	129 mm
Height	117 mm	98 mm
Depth	82 mm	62 mm
Weight	895 gram	510 gram