Sony announces two new digital SLRs: the A550 and A500

By | August 27, 2009, 10:22am PDT

Summary: Sony has unveiled two new digital SLR cameras today: the A550 and A500. While not entirely for professional photographers nor direct competition to Canon or Nikon, Sony is pushing onward with these two (very similar) DSLR models, due to be released near the end of October. The A550, the higher-end of the pair, comes built with a 14.2-megapixel [...]

Sony has unveiled two new digital SLR cameras today: the A550 and A500. While not entirely for professional photographers nor direct competition to Canon or Nikon, Sony is pushing onward with these two (very similar) DSLR models, due to be released near the end of October.

The A550, the higher-end of the pair, comes built with a 14.2-megapixel resolution sensor, a 921k dot 3-inch LCD screen, and a quicker burst option called Speed Priority mode. It’s estimated retail price is $950.

The A500, estimated to sell at $750, will include a 12.3-megapixel resolution image sensor, a 230k 3-inch LCD screen and a maximum of 5 fps (versus the 7 fps on the A550). 

One ground-breaking feature for DSLR models is the option of face detection in live-view mode. However, neither offer HD video capability, which is going to be a problem if they want to compete seriously with Canon and Nikon for the advanced DSLR market.

For a detailed, comparative look at these two cameras, check out the CNET review here

Do either of this models pique your interest?

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Rachel King is a staff writer for ZDNet based in San Francisco.

Disclosure

Rachel King

Rachel King has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted in this blog.

Biography

Rachel King

Rachel King is a staff writer for CBS Interactive in San Francisco. Before serving as a contributing editor at ZDNet in New York City for two years, she previously worked for The Business Insider, FastCompany.com, CNN's San Francisco bureau and the U.S. Department of State. Rachel has also written for MainStreet.com, Irish America Magazine and the New York Daily News, among others. Rachel has a B.A. in Mass Communications and History from the University of California, Berkeley and a M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University, where she served as art director for the student magazine, Plated.

Rachel started playing with her mother's old Brownie camera when she was just a toddler, working her way up from a Hello Kitty point-and-shoot to training on both film and digital SLRs.

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RE: Sony announces two new digital SLRs: the A550 and A500
three-shao 19th Sep
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Intrest?
wkulecz 27th Aug 2009
Not unless they have full frame sensors.
I'm excited to learn more about these cameras. Just read Peter Burian's comparative field test of the A550 and the A500. His pick? The A550 (bigger/better LCD)
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