Want to see exactly what the new Sony A55 DSLR camera looks like in the flesh?

Here are 19 hands-on product shots of the exciting Sony A55, giving you a good idea of just how small it is - click through to view the gallery.

“Focus between the moments” is the key message for the new Sony A55 and A33 cameras. The Quick AF Phase Detection can focus on a subject moving at 50kph, using a fairly standard 55-200mm ASM lens. The Aperture swing-arm and drive motor (to accommodate older lenses) is still present, but the removal of the optical viewfinder means that the new models are 23% smaller and 26% lighter than the existing A550.

70% of light passes through the mirror, 30% bounced to AF module, and the A55/33 automatically adjusts the exposure to compensate for this by boosting the ISO by 1/3rd stop. The AF system is said to be 20% better in low-light than previous models. You can move the AF point around the 15 points during movie recording, but can only adjust the aperture during movies if you manually focus, as the camera will always select the brightest available aperture of the current lens in AF mode.

A 30% reduction in noise is promised compared to the A550, especially at higher ISOs, with 2 stops of improvement. The A33 has same sensor as NEX5 and 3 cams and VG10 camcorder, offering 100-25600 ISO and an improved Auto HDR range of 6EV. The A55 / 33 are less susceptible to camera shake because the pellicle mirror doesn’t move, resulting in sharper photos at slower shutter speeds.

The Sweep Panorama is higher resolution, and the 3D version takes 2 sweeps, one from left and one from right, to create 3D panorama, saving a 2D version at the same time. The built-in GPS works everywhere but Russia or indoors. The translucent mirror is not full sealed – there’s an anti-dust shaking mechanism and the option to manually lift the mirror to expose the sensor for cleaning. There’s no need to clean the mirror itself, as dust is too out of focus to appear in the picture.

A gallery of photos of the Sony A55.

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

Your Comments