Sony svela le nuove reflex DSLR-A550 e DSLR-A500

Sony le sue due nuove reflex. Le fotocamere in questione sono i modello: Alpha DSLR-A500 e DSLR-A550. Si tratta di fotocamere di utlima generazione provviste di sensori CMOS. La potenza di queste macchina è anche data dal processore di immagini BIONZ, e riescono ad avere ottimi risultati anche con luci basse e con una gamma dinamica che arriva a ben 12800 ISO.

Le due fotocamere sono fornite di sensori CMOS molto performanti, uno da 12,3 megapixel, in dotazione all’Alpha A500, mentre la Alpha A550 dispone di ben 14,2 megapixel.
La differenza tra le due macchina non sta solo nel numero di pixel: l’A500 dispone di un display da 3,0 e 230.000 punti, mentre la sorella maggiore, la A550 dispone di una maggiore risoluzione: 921.000 punti, mantenendo i 3,0 pollici di diagonale. L’LCD in entrambi i casi è inclinabile in alto o in basso fino a 90 gradi.

Queste due fotocamere sono dotate di tecnologia Sony Live View: la Quick AF Live View che usa due sensori per ridurre il ritardo dello scatto. Nella messa a fuoco manuale, invece la Check Live View offre un’ingrandimento del soggetto da 7x a 14x per avere massima precisione di messa a fuoco.

Nello scatto a raffica, la DSLR-A550 arriva ad un massimo di 7 fps, mentre la A500 ha un massimo di 5 fps.

Grazie alle nuove modalità Auto HDR, che cattura una vasta gamma di ombre e luci particolari nei paesaggi, interni e altre scene. In precedenza questa tecnica era accessibile solo agli appassionati dotati di un treppiede e un software di elaborazione delle immagini, HDR (High Dynamic Range) è una tecnica specializzata che unisce due cornici sparato a diverse impostazioni di esposizione.

La A500 e A550 utilizzano potenti algoritmi di combinazione e ottimizzazione. In questo modo riescono a combiare degli scatti in meno di 10 secondi, durante i quali correggono eventuali disallineamenti tra i fotogrammi, quando sono riprese a mano.
Il risultato è una singola immagine HDR che cerca di emulare l’enorme gamma tonale della visione umana – senza bisogno di PC o treppiede.

Queste fotocamere appariranno nei negozi da ottobre. Il prezzo della A500 sarà di 750€ solo corpo e 850€ con l’obiettivo 18-55mm. La A550 parte da 950€ e con la stessa ottiva costerà 1050€.

Scheda tecnica Sony DSLR-A550 e DSLR-A500

	Sony DSLR-A550	Sony DSLR-A500
Suggested selling price (With 18-55mm lens)	$950 $1050	$750 $850
Body material	Plastic exterior
Sensor	• 23.4 x 15.6 mm APS-C Type CMOS Exmor Sensor • RGB Color Filter Array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter • 14.6 million total pixels • 14.2 million effective pixels	• 23.5 x 15.6 mm APS-C Type CMOS Exmor Sensor • RGB Color Filter Array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter • 12.9 million total pixels • 12.3 million effective pixels
Image sizes *	3:2 • 4592 x 3056 (L) • 3344 x 2224 (M) • 2288 x 1520 (S) 16:9 • 4592 x 2576 (L) • 3344 x 1872 (M) • 2288 x 1280 (S)	3:2 • 4272 x 2848 (L) • 3104 x 2072 (M) • 2128 x 1416 (S) 16:9 • 4272 x 2400 (L) • 3104 x 1744 (M) • 2188 x 1192 (S)
File qualities / formats	• RAW (.ARW) • RAW + JPEG Fine • RAW + JPEG Standard • JPEG Fine • JPEG Standard
Dust reduction	• Charge protection coating on low-pass filter • Sensor-shift dust reduction mechanism
Lenses	• Sony Alpha lenses (also compatible with Minolta and Konica -Minolta AF lenses)
FOV crop	1.5x
SteadyShot INSIDE	• CCD-Shift ‘SteadyShot Inside’ system • Claimed equivalent to 2.5 – 3.5 steps in shutter speed
Auto Focus	• TTL CCD line sensors (9-points,with center cross sensor) • EV 0 to 18 (ISO 100) detection range • Predictive focus, Focus Lock
AF area selection	• Wide AF area • Spot AF area (center) • Focus area selection (any of 9)
Focus modes	• Single-shot AF • Continuous AF • Automatic AF • Manual focus
AF assist illuminator	• Yes (using built in flash) • Range approx 1m – 5m
Eye-start AF	Yes, selectable from menu
Shooting modes	• Programmed AE (Auto, Flash off, P) • Aperture priority AE • Shutter priority AE • Manual • Scene Selection
Scene modes	• Portrait • Landscape • Macro • Sports • Sunset • Night view/portrait
Sensitivity	• Auto (ISO 200-1600) • Manual ISO 200- ISO 12800 in 1 EV steps
Metering modes	• Multi-segment (40 segment Honeycomb pattern) • Center-weighted • Spot
Metering range	• TTL metering • 40-segment honeycomb-pattern SPC • EV 2 to 20 (Multi-segment / Center-weighted) * • EV 4 to 20 (Spot metering) * (at ISO 100 with F1.4 lens)
AE Lock	• AEL button (customizable, hold or single-press) • Half-press shutter release
AE Bracketing	• Single or continuous bracketing • 3 frames • 0.3 or 0.7 EV steps
Exposure compen.	• -2.0 to +2.0 EV • 0.3 EV steps
Shutter	Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane Shutter
Shutter Speed	• 30 to 1/4000 sec • Bulb
Flash X-sync	• 1/160 sec
Aperture values	Depends on lens, 0.3 EV steps
DOF preview	No
White balance	• Auto • Daylight • Shade • Cloudy • Incandescent • Fluorescent • Flash • Color temperature/filter (2500 – 9900 K) • Manual (Custom)
White balance fine tuning	• Auto (none) • Preset WB: -3 to +3 • Fluorescent WB: -1 to +2 • Color temperature WB: G9 to M9 (Magenta to Green)
White balance bracketing	• 3 exposures • Hi / Lo level selectable
Dynamic range optimizer	• Off • D-Range Optimizer (Auto, Lv 1-5) • Auto HDR (Auto, Ajustable up to 3 EV betwwen 1.0-3.0 EV in 0.5 EV steps)
Color space	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Color modes	• Standard • Vivid • Portrait • Landscape • Sunset • B&W
Image parameters	• Contrast (-3 to +3) • Sharpness (-3 to +3)) • Saturation (-3 to +3)
Noise reduction	• Long exposure for exposures longer than 1 second • High ISO NR at ISO 1600 or higher • User controllable: On / Off
Viewfinder *	• Eye-level fixed optical glass pentamirror • Spherical Acute Matte focusing screen • Magnification approx. 0.80x * • 95% frame coverage • Dioptric adjustment (-3.0 to +1.0) • Eye-relief 19 mm from eyepiece, 15 mm from frame* • Eyepiece cup removable • Viewfinder info bar
Live view (Quick AF Live View) *	• Dedicated live view sensor (pentamirror tilt system) • 1200 zone evaluative metering • Sensitivity 1-17 EV* • 90% frame coverage • Exposure and white balance simulation • Face Detection and Smile Shutter* • Smart Teleconverter (x1.4 / x2.0 slectable)* • Display: Histogram, eal-time image adjustment display (White balance, Sunset/ B&W of Creative Style, Exposure Compensation)
Live view (MF Check Live View) *	• Live View with CMOS sensor Exmor • Metering varies according to shooting mode • 100% frame coverage • Display: Real-time image adjustment display (White balance, Sunset/ B&W of Creative Style, Exposure Compensation) • Zoom (x7.0/x14.0), Grid line display
LCD monitor *	• 3.0 TFT Xtra Fine LCD • 921,600 dots • Auto Brightness Control (auto setting in 2 steps) • Manual settting in 5 steps	• 3.0 TFT Clear Photo LCD Plus • 230,400 dots • Auto Brightness Control (auto setting in 2 steps) • Manual settting in 5 steps
Flash *	• Built-in pop-up flash (manual release) • Metering: ADI, Pre-flash TTL, Manual flash control • Guide number 12 (ISO 100/m) • Angle of coverage 18 mm (35 mm equiv.)* • Flash sync 1/160 sec
Flash modes	• Off • Auto • Fill Flash • Rear Sync • Slow sync • Wireless/High Speed Sync.
Flash Bracketing	3 exposures in 0.3 and 0.7 EV steps
Flash compensation	-2.0 to +2.0 EV in 0.3 EV steps
External flash (optional)	• Sony HVL-F58AM • Sony HVL-F56AM • Sony HVL-F42AM • Sony HVL-F36AM
Drive modes	• Single-frame • Continuous • Speed-Priority* • Self-timer (10 or 2 sec)
Continuous shooting	• Approx 5 fps max (4 fpsin Live view) • Speed- Priority: 7 fps max • RAW: Up to 14 frames • RAW+JPEG: Up to 7 frames • JPEG (Fine): 32 frames • JPEG (Standard): 116 frames	• Approx 5 fps max (4 fps in Live view) • RAW: Up to 6 frames • RAW+JPEG: Up to 3 frames • JPEG (Fine): 12 frames • JPEG (Standard): 58 frames
Self-timer	• 10 sec • 2 sec
Orientation sensor	Yes, for shooting, playback and control panel display
Connectivity	• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (mass storage, Multi-LUN or PTP) • DC-IN • Remote terminal
Remote control	• Wired: with optional RM-S1AM or RM-L1AM
Video out	• AV (Selectable NTSC or PAL) • HDMI • ‘PhotoTV’ HD settings applied with BRAVIA.
Storage	• SD/ SDHC • Memory Stick Pro Duo / Pro HG Duo • Supports FAT12 / FAT16 / FAT32
Power	• NP-FM500H Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (1650 mAh) • Battery charger included • Optional AC adapter • Batter life Approx 950 shots with viewfinder, 480 in Live view mode (CIPA standard)	• NP-FM500H Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (1650 mAh) • Battery charger included • Optional AC adapter • Batter life Approx 1000 shots with viewfinder, 520 in Live view mode (CIPA standard)
Vertical grip	• Yes (model tbc)
Dimensions	137 x 104 x 84mm (5.5 x 4.2 x 3.9 in)
Weight (body)	599 g (1.5lb)	597g (1.5lb)