Sony Alpha DSLR-A550

Sony Alpha DSLR-A550
Entry-level DSLR Entry-level DSLR
August, 2009

Summary Sony DSLR-A550

Prices Price
Body only Unknown Kit Unknown
Score Snapsort rank
Among similar cameras #n/a of 15
details
Specifications Key specs
Sensor size Help APS-C 23.4x15.6mm Screen resolution Help 921k dots
Megapixels Help 14 MP Movie format Help None
Screen size Help 3.0" Light sensitivity Help 12,800 ISO
see all specifications
Lenses Lenses
Browse all Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 lenses at LensHero
Sony Alpha DSLR-A550Sony Alpha DSLR-A550

Pros

The Sony DSLR-A550 vs other recent entry-level DSLRs

Image stabilization Image stabilization Help
Sensor shift
Battery life Incredible battery life Help
950 shots
Storage slots More storage slots Help
2
Startup delay Short startup delay Help
500 ms startup delay
Screen flips out Flip-out screen Help
Great for movies

Cons

The Sony DSLR-A550 vs other recent entry-level DSLRs

Low light performance Noisy at high ISO Help
807 ISO
Overall image quality Low overall image quality Help
66.0
Color depth Less color depth Help
21.9 bits
Weather sealed No weather sealing Help
Need to shelter it from weather
Autofocus Manual focus only Help
None
Lens availability Slightly fewer lenses available Help
92 lenses
3D Doesn't take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Announced Old Help
August, 2009
Size Quite large Help
Professional size 137x104x84 mm
Thickness Thick Help
3.3"
Weight Heavy Help
632 g
Movie format No movies Help
None
Dynamic range Narrower dynamic range Help
11.8 EV
Viewfinder size Small viewfinder Help
0.52x
True resolution Lower true resolution Help
14 MP
Panorama Lacks in-camera panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Autofocus contrast detection autofocus Help
slower focusing
Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
95%
Light sensitivity (boost) Lacks boost light sensitivity Help
None
Fastest shutter speed Slow shutter speed Help
1/4000 of a second
Popularity Not so popular Help
Among snapsort users

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Appearance

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Discussion What do you think about the Sony Alpha DSLR-A550?

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Showing 4 comments

Avatar for Juanfra Valero Cara Juanfra Valero Cara (9:43 PM, May 13, 2013)
It has phase detect AF, not contrast AF. Please fix.
 
Johnmcmillin (4:44 AM, April 27, 2011)
I got a similar a500 recently as a cheap panorama maker. As a happy user of Sony's higher-level cameras, I wanted their Dynamic Range Optimizer feature, and this was the cheapest model that had the full feature. Also, I demanded a consistent Kelvin WB setting, which I don't find in Nikon's consumer-proced models. The a5xx series has those helpful features, but they left off one other thing I counted on-- a focus button. On the A500, and perhaps its relatives, there's no way to switch AF on or off except for the switch at the lens mount, which is clumsy to access with the camera mounted vertically on a rotator. Aimed at a blank wall, the AF locks up the camera. So I turn off AF completely for my pans, using it as a MF camera. How's that for 21st-Century progress?

That's just one of the un-ergonomic, misguided choices made in the design of this camera. You almost wonder if it was crippled to make the parallel A33/55 series of EVF SLRs look more desirable, sending Sony's clientele in the company's favored direction? But the camera still has a little appeal. My a500 has a very nice senor, with improved high ISO and longer DR than my A700. The A580 is supposed to be even better. On any day, I rather give back that fraction of image quality for the build quality, complete controls and better VF of the a700, though.
 
Avatar for Mark Feeney Mark Feeney (2:48 AM, November 12, 2010)
Hi, stevenom. Cool link, but the camera it references is the newer Sony SLT-A55. Those model numbers are pretty close!
 
Avatar for Steven Steven (1:54 AM, November 12, 2010)
This is one of the two cameras included in Time's The 50 Best Inventions of 2010:

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2029497_2030652_2029799,00.html