Reasons to choose Alpha DSLR-A550
Released in 2009, Alpha DSLR-A550 has about 365 mm² of sensor area, 14.2 MP effective resolution, and a 632 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Sony Alpha DSLR-A550
vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A700
VS
Sensor area
365 mm²
Alpha DSLR-A550367 mm²
Alpha DSLR-A700- Area ratio
- 1:1
- Absolute difference
- 2 mm²
- Relative difference
- 0.4%
The Alpha DSLR-A700 has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 2 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
Alpha DSLR-A550MetricAlpha DSLR-A700
14.2 MPEffective pixels12.2 MP
23.4 × 15.6Sensor23.5 × 15.6
5.07 µmPixel pitch5.48 µm
25.71 µm²Pixel area30.05 µm²
3.89 MP/cm²Pixel density3.33 MP/cm²
1.54Crop factor1.53
—Maximum video—
632 gWeight768 g
SD/ SDHC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG DuoStorageCompact Flash (Type I or II), Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo
Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery Li-ion batteryBatteryLithium-Ion (NP-FM500H) Li-ion battery
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The Alpha DSLR-A700 has the larger sensor area. The Alpha DSLR-A550 has the lighter body. The Alpha DSLR-A550 has the higher effective resolution. The Alpha DSLR-A550 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose Alpha DSLR-A700
Released in 2007, Alpha DSLR-A700 has about 367 mm² of sensor area, 12.2 MP effective resolution, and a 768 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.