• APS-C 369.7mm2
  • 14.2 megapixels
  • ISO 200 - 12,800
  • 1/1.7 inch 43.3mm2
  • 12.0 megapixels
  • 28.00mm - 112.00mm (35mm eq.)
  • Detailed specifications
  • Sony Alpha DSLR-A550
  • Pentax MX-1
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Manufacturer URL: Manufacturer website Manufacturer website
Predecessor:    
Successor:    
General
Model Number: DSLR-A550 MX-1
Alternate Model Number(s):    
Camera Format: SLR Mid-Sized
Currently Manufactured: No No
Retail Price: $1049.99 $499.95
Street Price: $859.40 $399.95
Date Available: 2009-10-08 2013-02-15
Tripod Mount: Yes Yes
Weight: 32.2 oz (912 g)
includes batteries, kit lens
14.1 oz (399 g)
includes batteries
Size: 5.4 x 4.1 x 3.3 in.
(137 x 104 x 84 mm)
4.8 x 2.4 x 2.0 in.
(122 x 61 x 51 mm)
Waterproof: No No
Waterproof Depth: n/a n/a
Image Sensor
Sensor Type: CMOS CMOS
Sensor Manufacturer: Sony BSI CMOS
Effective Megapixels: 14.2 12.0
Sensor Format: APS-C 1/1.7 inch
Sensor size: 369.72mm2 (23.7mm x 15.6mm) 43.32mm2 (7.6mm x 5.7mm)
Approximate Pixel Pitch: 5.16 microns 1.90 microns
Focal Length Multiplier: 1.5x n/a
Aspect Ratio: 3:2, 16:9 4:3
Color Filter Type: RGBG RGBG
Anti Aliasing Filter: Fixed  
Self-Cleaning: Yes Yes
Sensor shift image stabilization: Yes Yes
On-Sensor Phase Detect: No No
DxO Sensor Score: 66 49
DxO Color Depth Score (bits): 21.9 20.4
DxO Dynamic Range Score (evs): 11.8 11.3
DxO Maximum Effective ISO Score (iso): 807 208
Image Capture
Image Resolution: 4592 x 3056 (14.0 MP, 3:2),
4592 x 2576 (11.8 MP, 16:9),
3344 x 2224 (7.4 MP, 3:2),
3344 x 1872 (6.3 MP, Other),
2288 x 1520 (3.5 MP, Other),
2288 x 1280 (2.9 MP, Other)
4000 x 3000 (12.0 MP, 4:3),
3984 x 2656 (10.6 MP, 3:2),
3968 x 2232 (8.9 MP, 16:9),
3072 x 2304 (7.1 MP, 4:3),
3072 x 2048 (6.3 MP, 3:2),
3072 x 1728 (5.3 MP, 16:9),
2592 x 1728 (4.5 MP, 3:2),
2560 x 1440 (3.7 MP, 16:9),
2048 x 1152 (2.4 MP, 16:9)
Image File Format: JPEG, RAW JPEG (Exif 2.3), 12-bit DNG RAW
Continuous-mode frames/second: 6.7 4.0
Video Capture
Can take movies: No Yes
Movie Resolution: 1920x1080 (30p)
1280x720 (60p/​30p)
640x480 (120p)
Movie File Format:   MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264) with stereo sound
Composite Video Out: No Yes
NTSC/PAL Switchable Video: n/a Yes
Video Usable as Viewfinder: n/a
HD Video Out: Yes Yes
HD Video Connection: HDMI HDMI
Lens & Optics
Lens Mount: Sony Alpha (Minolta A) n/a
Lens: Sony 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 DT SAM smc Pentax Lens, 11 elements in 8 groups (4 aspherical elements)
Focal Length (35mm equivalent): 27 - 83mm 28 - 112mm
Focal Length (actual): 18 - 55mm 6 - 24mm
Zoom Ratio: 3.00x 4.00x
Aperture Range: f/3.5 - 22 (W), f/5.6 - ?? (T) f/1.8 (W) / f/2.5 (T) - f/8
Integrated ND Filter: No Yes
Normal Focus Range:   40 cm to Infinity
15.6 in to Infinity
Macro Focus Range:   1 - 20 cm
0.4 - 7.9 in
Filter Thread: 55.0mm n/a
Thread Type: n/a n/a
Optical Image Stabilization: No No
Digital Zoom: No Yes
Digital Zoom Values: n/a Up to 1.95x
Auto Focus
Auto Focus: Yes Yes
Auto Focus Type: 9-point TTL phase detection (one cross-type sensor) with eye-start AF; Wide, Spot, Local modes Contrast Detection: Auto, Spot, Tracking , AF Select (25 Points), Infinity Landscape, Manual Focus, Pan Focus, AF Point Switching
Auto Focus Assist Light? Yes Yes
Manual Focus: Yes Yes
Viewfinder
Viewfinder: Optical / LCD No / LCD
Viewfinder Type: SLR type; eye-level pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.80x mag., 19mm eyepoint, -2.5 to +1.0 diopter  
Focus Peaking: No No
EVF Resolution: n/a n/a
Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent): 0.53x  
Viewfinder Magnification (nominal/claimed): 0.80x  
Display
Eye-level Viewfinder: Yes No
Rear Display: Yes Yes
Rear Display Size (inches): 3.0 3.0
Rear Display Resolution: 921,600 dots 921,000 dots (307,000 px)
Touchscreen: No No
Articulating Screen: Yes Yes
Tilt Swivel Screen:
Selfie Screen:
Max Playback Zoom: 14.0x 10.0x
Top Deck Display: No
Exposure
Maximum ISO (native): 12800 12800
Minimum ISO (native): 200 100
ISO Settings: Auto (200-1600), 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800 Auto (100-12800 with selectable upper limit), 100-12800
Auto ISO Mode: Yes Yes
White Balance Settings: Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Flash, Custom Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Fluorescent light (D:Daylight Color, N:Daylight White, W:Cool White, L:Warm White),Tungsten, Flash
Shutter Speed Range: 1/4000 - 30 sec 1/8000 - 30 sec
Bulb Mode: Yes Yes
Exposure Compensation: +/- 2.0EV in 0.3EV steps +/- 2.0EV in 0.3EV steps
Metering Modes: 40-segment Multi Segment, Center-weighted, Spot; (1200 zone evaluative metering in Live View) Multi-segment, Center-weighted, Spot
Program Auto Exposure: Yes Yes
Aperture Priority: Yes Yes
Shutter Priority: Yes Yes
Full Manual Exposure: Yes Yes
Creative Exposure Modes: Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports, Sunset, Night Portrait/Night View Natural Skin Tone, Handheld Night Snap (5M), Night Scene Portrait, Night Scene, Digital Panorama (2M per frame), High Speed Movie (VGA, 120 FPS capture, 30 FPS playback), Time Lapse Movie, Landscape, Blue Sky, Sunset, Flower, Digital SR (ISO 3200-6400 5M), Kids, Pet, Portrait, Food, Fireworks, Surf & Snow, Sport, Fisheye, Sketch, Miniature Filter, Text, Frame Composite (3M); Digital filters (capture): Movie (B&W, Sepia, Fisheye, Miniature, Sketch); Dynamic Range adjustment: Yes (shadow, highlight)
Self Timer: 2 or 10 seconds 2 or 10; 3 shots after 10 seconds
Time Lapse (intervalometer):   No
High Resolution Composite: No No
Flash
Built-in Flash: Yes Yes
Flash Modes: Auto, Fill-flash, Rear sync, Wireless, High-Speed sync, Slow sync, Red-eye reduction: On/Off Auto, Flash Off, Flash On, Red-eye, Slow-speed synchro, Slow-speed+Red-eye, Trailing Curtain Sync
Flash Guide Number (ISO 100): 12.0 m / 39.4 ft. n/a
Flash Range Description: Lens dependent 1.31 - 40’ (wide, auto ISO), 1.31 - 29’ (tele, auto ISO)
Max Flash Sync: 1/160  
Flash Exposure Compensation: +/- 2.0 EV in 0.3EV steps -2 to +1 EV in 0.3EV steps
External Flash Connection: Hot shoe n/a
Built-In Wireless Flash Control: Full TTL exposure  
Image Storage
Usable Memory Types: MS Duo / MS PRO Duo / SD / SDHC SD / SDHC / SDXC
UHS Support:    
Other Memory:    
Dual Card Slots: No No
RAW Capture Support: Yes Yes
Uncompressed Format: RAW 12-bit DNG RAW
Movie File Format:   MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264) with stereo sound
Included Memory:   75.3 MB
Included Memory Type:   Internal
Connectivity
Built-In Wi-Fi: No No
NFC: No
Bluetooth: No No
Built-In GPS: No No
Microphone Jack: No No
Headphone Jack: No No
External Connections: USB 2.0 High Speed USB 2.0 High Speed
PictBridge Compliant: Yes No
DPOF Compliant: Yes Yes
Remote Control: Yes Yes
Remote Control Type: Optional Wireless or Wired Optional IR
Connections (extended): DC input, mini-HDMI, Wired Remote Micro (Type D) HDMI
Performance Timing
Cycle time for JPEG shooting in single shot mode (seconds per frame, max resolution): 0.41 1.43
Cycle time for RAW shooting in single shot mode (seconds per frame): 0.41 1.91
Buffer size for RAW shooting in single shot mode (frames): 19 7
Cycle time for RAW+JPEG shooting in single shot mode (seconds per shot):    
Camera penalizes early shutter press? No No
JPEG shooting speed in burst mode (fps, max resolution): 6.7 4.0
Buffer size for JPEG shooting in burst mode (frames, max resolution): 15 10
RAW shooting speed in burst mode (fps):    
Buffer size for RAW shooting in burst mode (frames):    
RAW+JPEG shooting speed in burst mode (fps):    
Buffer Size for RAW+JPEG shooting in burst mode (frames):    
Shutter lag (full AF, wide/mid): 0.18 seconds 0.24 seconds
Shutter lag (full AF, tele):   0.25 seconds
Shutter lag (full AF, live view - DSLR):    
Shutter lag (prefocused, live view - DSLR):    
Shutter Lag (manual focus): 0.178 seconds 0.178 seconds
Shutter lag (full AF, with flash): 0.22 seconds 0.30 seconds
Shutter Lag (prefocused): 0.074 seconds 0.016 seconds
Shutter Lag (notes): Quick AF Live View shutter lag: 0.188s  
Startup Time: 0.5 seconds 2.2 seconds
Play -> Record Time: 0.4 seconds 1.4 seconds
Flash cycle time, full power: 3.5 seconds 4.8 seconds
Power
Battery Life, Stills (CIPA Rating Monitor/Live View):   290 shots
Battery Life, Still (CIPA Rating OVF/EVF): 950 shots  
Battery Life, Video:    
Battery Form Factor: Proprietary NP-FM500H Proprietary D-Li106
Usable Battery Types: Lithium-ion rechargeable Lithium-ion rechargeable
Batteries Included: 1 x Proprietary NP-FM500H 1 x Proprietary D-Li106 Lithium-ion rechargeable
Battery Charger Included (dedicated charger or AC/USB adapter): Yes Yes
Dedicated Battery Charger Included:
Internal Charging Supported:
Software
Included Software: Software/USB Driver CD-ROM Software CD-ROM including SILKYPIX Developer Studio 3.0 LE for PENTAX RICOH IMAGING RAW development software
OS Compatibility: Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS X (v. 10.13+)  
Miscellaneous
Notes & Features: Exmore CMOS Sensor, Variable-angle LCD, SteadyShot In-body Sensor-shift Image Stabilization, Live View, Auto HDR, D-Range Optimizer (Auto, Level 1-5), HDMI Output, 7 fps (AF/AE Locked). Image Stabilization: Still: Sensor-Shift SR, Digital SR (ISO 100-12800), Dual (SR & Pixel Track SR); Movie: Movie Shake Reduction Mode (Movie SR); (Maximum effect of 3 stops using Sensor-Shift SR); 12-bit RAW (DNG) support, Dual-axial digital level, Dual remote control sensors. Available in black or two-tone silver and black.