The slightly scaled-back Sony Alpha A850 Body Only offers an optical viewfinder with 98% coverage.The Sony A850 doesn’t skimp in processing power with dual BIONZ engines.
Our Rating 
(4/5)
Good: Inexpensive full-frame dSLR; bright viewfinder; sensor-shift image stabilizer; dual memory card slots; plenty of customizable options.
Bad: No video recording function; high ISO images tend to be too noisy; some buttons hard to access.
This new camera offers almost all features of the company’s flagship full frame DSLR A900, but at a more affordable price.
The Sony DSLR-A850 is built around the same 24.6MP CMOS sensor and incorporates A900′s 3.0 inch 921k LCD, sensor-shift image-stabilization and Dual Bionz processors. The only compromise is a 98% viewfinder coverage against A900′s 100% and slower continuous shooting. To complement this new camera, Sony has also announced a mid-priced 28-75mm constant F2.8 SAM lens to fit with the A850′s affordable full-frame ethos.
The Sony DSLR-A850 will start shipping from September 2009 with the 28-75mm lens available from November 2009.
The Sony DSLR-A850 features an Exmor CMOS sensor with 24.6 effective megapixels plus dual BIONZ processors that support sensitivity settings up to ISO 6400 (with expanded ISO range).
This camera designed for serious enthusiasts. It fully exploits the potential of Sony’s top lenses.
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The camera’s optical glass pentaprism viewfinder aids accurate shot composition, offering a bright view with minimal distortion and an approximate 98% field coverage. Shots can be viewed on the large, high contrast 3.0-inch Xtra Fine LCD that offers high resolution (921k dot) for critical evaluation – even outdoors or in bright ambient light.
The Sony DSLR-A850′s 9-point AF system is supplemented by 10 focus assist points to assist subject detection, improved out-of-focus detection to reduce focus hunting and a dedicated f/2.8 sensor for enhanced AF accuracy with wide aperture lenses. An Intelligent Preview function indicates the effects of exposure, white balance, and D-Range Optimiser adjustments prior to shooting. In common with all other Sony DSLR cameras, the A850 features SteadyShot INSIDE in-body optical stabilisation, which delivers up to 4 steps of anti-shake correction with all compatible lenses.
Features
- Full-frame 24.6 effective megapixel Exmor™ CMOS sensor and dual BIONZ processors for detail-packed, low-noise images with high sensitivity up to ISO 6400 (with expanded ISO range)
- Bright optical glass pentaprism viewfinder with 98% coverage
- SteadyShot INSIDE™ offers up to 4.0 steps anti-shake performance with all lenses
- Photo quality (921k dot) 3.0-inch Xtra Fine LCD
- Fast, high-accuracy 9-point AF with 10 focus assist points
PhotoCracti reviews the Sony A850 and writes:
“image quality is superlative at ISO 100 to 200. My best RAW photos—made with Carl Zeiss ZA lenses at around f/8—are suitable for gallery quality 24×36-inch prints. By ISO 400 some digital noise is apparent, but that’s not a problem in 13×19″ prints.”
PhotoReview.au reviews the Sony A850 and writes:
“Camera response times were similar to the A900 in our tests. The AF system was quick to lock on to subjects, even in dim lighting after dark. Focusing was accurate for more than 90% of the shots we took, regardless of the drive mode selected.“
DigitalTrends reviews the Sony A850 and writes:
“As for digital noise, the bête noir of point-and-shoot digicams and some entry-level DSLRs, it didn’t appear until ISO 800 and wasn’t a problem until hitting 1250. At 3200 and 6400, quality was bad no matter what level of DRO (Dynamic Range Optimization) we used.”
DCR reviews the Sony A850 and writes:
“With the right lens and the appropriate settings, the Sony A850 is capable of producing excellent images both on-screen and in print. Using the 24-70mm Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar f/2.8 lens, images were sharp and detail capture was quite good.”
WDC reviews the Sony A850 and writes:
“Get the right lens on the front and the a850, just like the a900, can capture significant detail thanks to such a high resolution sensor. Both Raw and Jpeg files respond well to sharpening, though beyond the +/-3 ‘Sharpness’ setting in Creative Styles there is no further in-camera sharpness control, bar the usual Raw file post-processing.”
PopPhoto reviews the Sony A850 and writes:
“From ISO 100 through 400, it showed about a 1-stop improvement—that is, the A850’s noise level at ISO 400 (Very Low) was about the same as the A900’s noise level at ISO 200. The A850 also bested the older camera’s color accuracy, with an average Delta E of 7.7 (Excellent) versus 9.0 (Extremely High)”.
Ultra-Bright Viewfinder with 98 Percent Coverage
The ultra-bright viewfinder with 98 percent field of view coverage and 0.74x magnification enables accurate framing and preview. It features a high-power condenser lens, an eyepiece with high reflective-index glass, and a multi-layer, anti-reflective coating on optical surfaces to deliver its extraordinarily bright view.
A mirror box features a parallel-link mirror mechanism that moves on two horizontal axes to accommodate both the large full frame mirror and the body-integrated image stabilization system without increasing the camera’s size.
Anti-Shake System for a Full-Frame Sensor
With its body-integrated SteadyShot INSIDE(TM) image stabilization, the camera achieves an anti-shake effect equivalent to shutter speeds faster by 2.5 to 4 stops. The anti-shake system stabilizes all Sony, Minolta and Konica-Minolta compatible lenses even wide angle or large aperture lenses.
Versatility to Unleash Creative Possibilities
Other key features aimed to expand creative options include the Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO) with five levels of user-selectable correction as well as DRO bracketing for enhanced scene analysis and graduation optimization. EV bracketing with + / -2EV range makes it easy to create high dynamic range composite images.
With the camera’s HDMI(TM) output and Photo TV HD mode, your creative output can be enjoyed on a compatible HD television. This mode brings the look of actual printed photography to the television, by fine-tuning such image parameters as sharpness, gradation, and color reproduction.
The a850 model features a 3-inch (diagonally), Xtra Fine LCD(TM) screen (921K) making it possible to check focus and image quality with accuracy. It incorporates an easy-to-see display with a quick navigation menu to easily access common functions without interrupting your creative flow. A backlit LCD panel sits on top of the camera and displays key settings.
The camera includes dedicated slots for high-capacity Memory Stick PRO Duo(TM), Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo(TM), HX series and CompactFlash(R) media.
Bright Lens
The choice of full-frame lenses to complement the a850 model is enhanced with the new SAL2875 28-75mm F2.8 SAM lens. This compact, easy-to-carry lens is ideal for photo enthusiasts looking to add a bright, general purpose zoom to their collection of full-frame optics.
Delivering excellent imaging quality at an accessible price, it offers a wide F2.8 aperture over its entire zoom range. Ideal for day-to-day shooting tasks, its bright constant aperture makes the 28-75mm F2.8 SAM particularly valuable for depth-of-field control and available-light portraits.
Specifications:
Body material
• Magnesium Body
Sensor
• 35.9 x 24.0 mm CMOS sensor ‘Exmor’
• RGB Color Filter Array
• Built-in fixed low-pass filter
• 25.7 million total pixels
• 24.6 million effective pixels
• On-chip Column A/D Conversion & NR
Image sizes [Still]
• 6048 x 4032 (24M 3:2)
• 4400 x 2936 (13M 3:2)
• 3024 x 2016 (6.1M 3:2)
• 6048 x 3408 (21M 16:9)
• 4400 x 2472 (11M 16:9)
• 3024 x 1704 (5.2M 16:9)
• 3924 x 2656 (11M APSC)
• 2896 x 1928 (5.6M APSC)
• 1984 x 1320 (2.6M APSC)
File qualities / formats
• RAW (.ARW 2.0)
• Compressed or uncompressed RAW option
• RAW + JPEG Fine
• JPEG Extra Fine
• JPEG Fine
• JPEG Standard
Dust reduction
• Charge protection coating on low-pass filter
• CCD-shift dust reduction mechanism
Lenses
• Sony Alpha lenses
(also compatible with Minolta A-type bayonet mount lenses)
• Can be used with DT (1.5x crop) lenses in APS-C mode
FOV crop
• 1.0 x
Image Stabilization
• CCD-Shift ‘ SteadyShot INSIDE’ system
• Five level LED shake indicator in viewfinder
• Claimed equivalent to 2.5 EV- 4 EV steps in shutter speed
Auto Focus
• TTL CCD line sensors (9-points, center dual cross types + 10 assist sensors)
• EV 0 to 18 (ISO 100) detection range
• Predictive focus control for moving subjects
AF area selection
• Wide AF area
• Spot AF area (center)
• Focus area selection (any of 9)
Focus modes
• Single-shot AF
• Direct Manual Focus
• Continuous AF
• Automatic AF
• Manual focus
• AF micro adjustment (+/- 20 steps for up to 30 lenses)
AF assist illuminator
• Yes (built-in LED lamp)
• Range approx 1m – 7m
Eye-start AF
• No
Shooting modes
• Auto
• Programmed Auto (with shift)
• Aperture priority AE
• Shutter priority AE
• Manual
• MR (memory recall) / Custom
Sensitivity
• Auto (200 – 1600) – upper/lower limit selectable
• ISO 200
• ISO 400
• ISO 800
• ISO 1600
• ISO 3200
• ISO 100,ISO 125,ISO 160, ISO 4000, ISO 5000, ISO 6400 (expanded range)
Metering modes
• Multi-segment (40 segment Honeycomb pattern)
• Center-weighted
• Spot
Metering range
• TTL metering
• 40-segment honeycomb-pattern SPC
• EV 0 to 20 (Multi-segment / Center-weighted)
• EV 2 to 20 (Spot metering)
(at ISO 100 with F1.4 lens)
AE Lock
• AEL button (customizable)
• Half-press shutter release
AE Bracketing
• Single or continuous bracketing
• 3 or 5 frames
• 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 or 2.0 EV steps*
*2.0 EV steps for 3 frames only
Exposure compen.
• -3.0 to +3.0 EV
• 0.3 or 0.5 EV steps
Shutter
• Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane Shutter
Shutter Speed
• 30 to 1/8000 sec
• Bulb
Flash X-sync
• 1/250 sec
• 1/200 sec (with SteadyShot INSIDE on)
Aperture values
• Depends on lens, 0.3 EV steps
DOF preview
• Yes, dedicated button
White balance
• Auto
• Daylight
• Shade
• Cloudy
• Tungsten
• Fluorescent
• Flash
• Color temperature (2500 – 9900 K)
• Manual (Custom) – 3 memories
White balance fine tuning
• Auto (none)
• Preset WB: -3 to +3
• Fluorescent WB: -2 to +4
• Color temperature WB: G9 to M9 (19 step Magenta / Green compensation)
White balance bracketing
• 3 frames
• Hi or Lo steps
Dynamic range optimizer
• Off
• Standard
• Advanced Auto
• Advanced
• DRO advanced bracketing (3 frames, High/Low selectable)
Color space
• sRGB
• Adobe RGB
Color modes
• Standard
• Vivid
• Neutral
• Clear
• Deep
• Light
• Portrait
• Landscape
• Sunset
• Night view
• Autumn Leaves
• B&W
• Sepia
Image parameters
• Contrast (-3 to +3)
• Saturation (-3 to +3)
• Sharpness (-3 to +3)
• Zone Matching (-1 to +2 steps)
• Brightness (-3 to +3 steps)
(Available in all color modes)
Noise reduction
• Long exposure for exposures longer than 1 second (User controllable: On / Off)
• High ISO NR High/Normal/Low/Off at ISO 1600 or higher
Viewfinder
• Eye-level fixed optical glass pentaprism
• Spherical Acute Matte focusing screen (interchangeable)
• Magnification approx. 0.74x
• 98% frame coverage*
• Dioptric adjustment (-3 to +1.0)
• Eye-relief 20 mm from eyepiece
• Eyepiece cup removable
• Eyepiece shutter built-in
• Viewfinder info bar
LCD monitor
• 3.0″ ‘Xtra Fine’ TFT LCD
• 921,600 pixels (640 x 480 x 3 (RGB))
• 100% coverage
• Brightness setting -/+
• Anti-reflective coating
Flash compensation
• -3.0 to +3.0 EV in 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 2.0 EV steps
Flash Mode
• Auto, Fill-Flash, Rear sync , High Speed Sync
External flash (optional)
• Sony HVL-F58M
• Sony HVL-F56M
• Sony HVL-F42M
• Sony HVL-F36M
• Macro Twin Flash Kit HVL-MT24AM
• Ring Light HVL-RLAM
• Off camera flash shoe FA-CS1 AM
Drive modes
• Single-frame
• Continuous (H/L selectable)
• Self-timer (10 or 2 sec)
• Mirror-Up
• Continuous bracket
• Single-frame bracket
• White balance bracket
• DRO bracket
• Mirror Lock-Up
• Remote Commander
Continuous shooting
Approx 3 fps max
• RAW: Up to 16 frames
• cRAW (compressed): Up to 18 frames
• RAW+JPEG: Up to12 frames
• cRAW+JPEG : Up to 12 frames
• JPEG (XFINE): Up to 34 frames
• JPEG (STD/FINE): 593/384
Self-timer
• 10 sec
• 2 sec
• Mirror up function (optional)
• Remote control
Orientation sensor
• Yes, for shooting, playback and control panel display
Connectivity
• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (mass storage, Multi-LUN or PTP)
• Video out (NTSC or PAL)
• HDMI type C mini jack
• DC-IN
• Remote terminal
• PC control (with supplied software)
Remote control
• Wired: with optional RM-S1AM or RM-L1AM
• Wireless: with optional RM-DSLR1)
Video out
• AV (Selectable NTSC or PAL)
• HDMI (1920 x 1080i, 1280 x 720p, 720 x 580p, 720 x 576p)
• ‘PhotoTV’ HD settings applied with BRAVIA.
Storage
• Compact Flash Type I/II, UDMA Mode 5 compliant
• Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo, PRO-HG Duo
• Supports FAT12 / FAT16 / FAT32
Power
• NP-FM500H Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (1650 mAh)
• CR2025 Wireless remote
• Battery charger included
• Optional AC adapter
• Battery life Approx 880 shots (CIPA standard)
Vertical grip
• Vertical Grip VG-C90AM
• One or Two NP-FM500H batteries with auto switchover for power (additional battery is optional).
Dimensions
• 156 x 117 x 82 mm
Weight (body)
• 850 g