(4/5) - Photo: Sony
The Sony A550 is the highest 5-series Alpha camera available and slots in just below the A7-series of digital cameras. The Sony DSLR camera has been fitted with a 14.2-megapixel camera sensor and also comes with enough manual controls to give the more experienced photographer a great deal of control, while not intimidating the amateur.
Good build and design
At first glance, the Sony Alpha 550 is a big and bulky digital camera with a large, chunky handgrip which turns handling the beast into an absolute pleasure. Though coming with a plastic body, the Sony DSLR camera feel relatively solid in hand and features rubberised pads which add to the overall handling. Coming with more dedicated controls for certain key features such as the Drive Mode and ISO sensitivity, the A550 is relatively easy to use and the controls are also well spaced out. However, overall the A550 is well-designed and is a good-looking mid-range digital SLR camera.
Features
When it comes to features, the Sony A550 has been fitted with a 14.2-megapixel CMOS camera sensor which is supported by a BIONIZ image processor. The Sony DSLR camera has been equipped with an extensive AF more compromising a Quick AF Live View and a 9-point AF Sensor with eye-start auto-focus. For those photo finishes and capturing other high speed action, the A550 comes with 7fps continuous shooting or 4fps continuous shooting when in Live View.
Looking to promote overall creativity, an Auto HDR mode also comes with the A550 in addition to SteadyShot anti-shake system, built-in dust reduction, face detection, smile shutter and a pop-up flash. Images are framed using the electronic viewfinder (EVF) while a tilting 3-inch LCD screen is also provided with the digital camera. The A550 carries an ISO sensitivity range of 200 to 12,800, but to really fine-tune those shots a Manual Focus Check Live View mode has also been added to the camera.
Excellent image quality
In terms of image quality, the Sony A550 produces images of excellent quality. The ISO sensitivity is incredible and images remain noise-free up to ISO 800, while images at ISO 1600 only show some noise, which isn’t that bad. The same can also be said of ISO 3200. The colour looks incredibly natural, however this can be accredited to the camera’s Dynamic Range Optimiser function which enhances shadows and contrasts, producing some more than effective results.
On the downside, though, images aren’t that sharp coming out of the Sony DSLR camera, but this doesn’t take away from the overall image quality. The pop-up flash also works wonders indoors and images produce no red-eye effect and good exposures. With a maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds, some would say the Sony digital SLR camera was made for night photography and it also comes with an interesting Bulb mode which allows users to add some cool effects to night shots.
Overall, the Sony A550 is an incredible DSLR camera which comes with some good features which are sure to test the most experienced photographer. Again, on the downside, though, the A550 doesn’t come with any video recording which is highly disappointing taking note that most of the cameras in its range is fitted with HD video recording. However, the image quality is good, and equally the build and ease of use may make up for its shortcomings here and there.
Tags for this article: BIONIZ, DSLR camera, Sony A550, Sony AlphaSony A550 Price
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Video Review
| Description: Full review at www.cameralabs.com . A 14 minute 1080p HD tour around the Sony Alpha DSLR A550, the company's latest mid-range DSLR, featuring two different Live View systems, a tilting VGA screen and fast continuous shooting. For my full review with comparisons, sample images and video,results and current pricing, please click the link at the start of this text or visit cameralabs . com. If you have any questions regarding this review, feel free to post on the Cameralabs forum! |