Sony A550

Last updated: Monday, November 16th, 2009

Last updated (16 November’09):
- Review by AlphaMountWorld

Sony A550 is a 14.2 Megapixel DSLR camera features ISO 100-12800, Quick Auto Focus Live View, Smile Shutter™ technology, Auto HDR built into camera, 9-Point AF Sensor, Anti-Dust Technology, Dual Media Slots, PhotoTV HD compatibility, Eye-Start Autofocus, SteadyShot INSIDE™ stabilization, Up to 7 fps of continuous shooting, and a Tiltable 3.0″ LCD features 921,600 pixels and Sony’s Clear Photo LCD™ display technology.

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Expert Reviews

Sony A550 Reviews

AlphaMountWorld reviews the Sony A550 and writes;
“In short ,I have a pass/fail (love/hate) relationship with the A550, with very little inbetween. On one hand the Alpha A550 totally impressed me with its ability to create very good quality images overall, its superior AUTO HDR feature, excellent live view tools and options, comfortable grip, and its spirited performance.”
Rating: N/A

PhotoReview.au reviews the Sony A550 and writes;
“Image noise was negligible up to ISO 400, although by ISO 3200, pattern and colour noise had become obvious in long exposures with the in-camera noise-reduction processing turned off. “
Rating:

PhotoCracti reviews the Sony A550 and writes;
“Low ISO quality is excellent; after a bit of sharpening, I made 13×19-inch (33×48cm) prints suitable for framing. Some digital noise is visible at ISO 400, but this level is still fine for all-purpose use. At high ISO levels, it is important to avoid underexposure. My best ISO 800 images are suitable for making nice letter size prints while my ISO 3200 photos made for decent 5×7-inch (13×18cm) glossies.”
Rating: N/A

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Manual

Sony A550 User Manual (PDF)

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Specs

Sony A550 Specifications

Body material	Plastic exterior
Sensor *	• 23.4 x 15.6 mm APS-C Type CMOS Exmor Sensor • RGB Color Filter Array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter • 14.6 million total pixels • 14.2 million effective pixels
Image sizes *	3:2 • 4592 x 3056 (L) • 3344 x 2224 (M) • 2288 x 1520 (S) 16:9 • 4592 x 2576 (L) • 3344 x 1872 (M) • 2288 x 1280 (S)
File qualities / formats	• RAW (.ARW) • RAW + JPEG Fine • RAW + JPEG Standard • JPEG Fine • JPEG Standard
Dust reduction	• Charge protection coating on low-pass filter • Sensor-shift dust reduction mechanism
Lenses	• Sony Alpha lenses (also compatible with Minolta and Konica -Minolta AF lenses)
FOV crop	1.5x
SteadyShot INSIDE	• CCD-Shift ‘SteadyShot INSIDE’ system • Claimed equivalent to 2.5 – 3.5 steps in shutter speed
Auto Focus	• TTL CCD line sensors (9-points,with center cross sensor) • EV 0 to 18 (ISO 100) detection range • Predictive focus, Focus Lock
AF area selection	• Wide AF area • Spot AF area (center) • Focus area selection (any of 9)
Focus modes	• Single-shot AF • Continuous AF • Automatic AF • Manual focus
AF assist illuminator	• Yes (using built in flash) • Range approx 1m - 5m
Eye-start AF	Yes, selectable from menu
Shooting modes	• Programmed AE (Auto, Flash off, P) • Aperture priority AE • Shutter priority AE • Manual • Scene Selection
Scene modes	• Portrait • Landscape • Macro • Sports • Sunset • Night view/portrait
Sensitivity	• Auto (ISO 200-1600) • Manual ISO 200- ISO 12800 in 1 EV steps
Metering modes	• Multi-segment (40 segment Honeycomb pattern) • Center-weighted • Spot
Metering range	• TTL metering • 40-segment honeycomb-pattern SPC • EV 2 to 20 (Multi-segment / Center-weighted) * • EV 4 to 20 (Spot metering) * (at ISO 100 with F1.4 lens)
AE Lock	• AEL button (customizable, hold or single-press) • Half-press shutter release
AE Bracketing	• Single or continuous bracketing • 3 frames • 0.3 or 0.7 EV steps
Exposure compen.	• -2.0 to +2.0 EV • 0.3 EV steps
Shutter	Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane Shutter
Shutter Speed	• 30 to 1/4000 sec • Bulb
Flash X-sync	• 1/160 sec
Aperture values	Depends on lens, 0.3 EV steps
DOF preview	No
White balance	• Auto • Daylight • Shade • Cloudy • Incandescent • Fluorescent • Flash • Color temperature/filter (2500 - 9900 K) • Manual (Custom)
White balance fine tuning	• Auto (none) • Preset WB: -3 to +3 • Fluorescent WB: -1 to +2 • Color temperature WB: G9 to M9 (Magenta to Green)
White balance bracketing	• 3 exposures • Hi / Lo level selectable
Dynamic range optimizer	• Off • D-Range Optimizer (Auto, manually select level 1-5) • Auto HDR (Auto, Adjustable between 1.0-3.0 EV in 0.5 EV steps)
Color space	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Color modes	• Standard • Vivid • Portrait • Landscape • Sunset • B&W
Image parameters	• Contrast (-3 to +3) • Sharpness (-3 to +3)) • Saturation (-3 to +3)
Noise reduction	• Long exposure for exposures longer than 1 second • High ISO NR at ISO 1600 or higher • User controllable: On / Off
Viewfinder *	• Eye-level fixed optical glass pentamirror • Spherical Acute Matte focusing screen • Magnification approx. 0.80x * • 95% frame coverage • Dioptric adjustment (-3.0 to +1.0) • Eye-relief 19 mm from eyepiece, 15 mm from frame* • Eyepiece cup removable • Viewfinder info bar
Live view (Quick AF Live View) *	• Dedicated live view sensor (pentamirror tilt system) • 1200 zone evaluative metering • Sensitivity 1-17 EV* • 90% frame coverage • Exposure and white balance simulation • Face Detection and Smile Shutter* • Smart Teleconverter (x1.4 / x2.0 slectable)* • Display: Histogram, eal-time image adjustment display (White balance, Sunset/ B&W of Creative Style, Exposure Compensation)
Live view (MF Check Live View) *	• Live View with CMOS Exmor sensor • Metering varies according to shooting mode • 100% frame coverage • Display: Real-time image adjustment display (White balance, Sunset/ B&W of Creative Style, Exposure Compensation) • Zoom (x7.0/x14.0), Grid line display
LCD monitor *	• 3.0 TFT Xtra Fine LCD • 921,600 dots • Auto Brightness Control (auto setting in 2 steps) • Manual settting in 5 steps
Flash *	• Built-in pop-up flash (manual release) • Metering: ADI, Pre-flash TTL, Manual flash control • Guide number 12 (ISO 100/m) • Angle of coverage 18 mm (35 mm equiv.)* • Flash sync 1/160 sec
Flash modes	• Off • Auto • Fill Flash • Rear Sync • Slow sync • Wireless/High Speed Sync.
Flash Bracketing	3 exposures in 0.3 and 0.7 EV steps
Flash compensation	-2.0 to +2.0 EV in 0.3 EV steps
External flash (optional)	• Sony HVL-F58AM • Sony HVL-F56AM • Sony HVL-F42AM • Sony HVL-F36AM
Drive modes	• Single-frame • Continuous • Speed-Priority (shoots with focus and exposure locked)* • Self-timer (10 or 2 sec)
Continuous shooting	• Approx 5 fps max (4 fpsin Live view) • Speed- Priority: 7 fps max • RAW: Up to 14 frames • RAW+JPEG: Up to 7 frames • JPEG (Fine): 32 frames • JPEG (Standard): 116 frames
Self-timer	• 10 sec • 2 sec
Orientation sensor	Yes, for shooting, playback and control panel display
Connectivity	• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (mass storage, Multi-LUN or PTP) • DC-IN • Remote terminal
Remote control	• Wired: with optional RM-S1AM or RM-L1AM
Video out	• AV (Selectable NTSC or PAL) • HDMI • ‘PhotoTV’ HD settings applied with BRAVIA.
Storage	• SD/ SDHC • Memory Stick Pro Duo / Pro HG Duo • Supports FAT12 / FAT16 / FAT32
Power	• NP-FM500H Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (1650 mAh) • Battery charger included • Optional AC adapter • Batter life Approx 950 shots with viewfinder, 480 in Live view mode (CIPA standard)
Vertical grip	• Yes (model tbc)
Dimensions	137 x 104 x 84mm (5.5 x 4.2 x 3.9 in)
Weight (body)	No battery: 599 g (1.5lb)
Price (body only) (With 18-55mm lens)	• $950 • $1050