Sony a55 vs Sony a560

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a55 and Sony a560. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Sony a55

Sony a560

Manufacturing

These cameras are both manufactured by Sony.

These two camera models were both released 2010.

Camera	Released
Sony a55	2010
Sony a560	2010

Type of camera

Sensors / crop factor

Both these cameras have the same sorts of sensor (called "Sony APS-C") which means that if you compare these cameras side by side the lenses will also have the same experienced focal length. Neither of the cameras has a Full frame sensor which means that you will get a "crop factor" where the camera's sensor size affect the focal length with a multiplier.

Camera	Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a55	75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5
Sony a560	75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)

Resolution

Sony a55 has a 16 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Sony a560 has 14 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera	Megapixels
Sony a55	16 MP 16032768 pixels 4912 x 3264
Sony a560	14 MP 14033152 pixels 4592 x 3056

Sony a55 has a 14 % larger resolution than Sony a560. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Both of these cameras offer the exact same ISO range. They both have 100 to 12800.

Camera	ISO Range
Sony a55	100-12800
Sony a560	100-12800

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a55
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a560

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a55 can shoot up to 10 pictures per seconds and Sony a560 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds.

Camera	FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a55	10
Sony a560	5

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

In this case, both Sony a55 and Sony a560 can shoot movies.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Sony a560 weighs 599 gr (equal to 1.32 lb) which is 20% heavier than Sony a55 and its 500 gr (or 1.1 lb).

Camera	Weight
Sony a55	500 gr 1.1 lb
Sony a560	599 gr 1.32 lb