Sony a57 vs Sony a550

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a57 and Sony a550. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

These cameras are both manufactured by Sony.

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.

** 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 a57 has a 16 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Sony a550 has 14 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a57 has a 14 % larger resolution than Sony a550. 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

Sony a57 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a550. Sony a57 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 16000 while Sony a550 has 200 to 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 a57
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a550

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a57 can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds and Sony a550 can shoot up to 7 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

When comparing these two cameras there is only one of them that can shoot movies and that is Sony a57. Unfortunately Sony a550 does not support recording movies and movie clips.

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 a550 weighs 632 gr (equal to 1.39 lb) which is 2% heavier than Sony a57 and its 618 gr (or 1.36 lb).

Sony a57 vs Sony a550 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a57 and Sony a550, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Sony a57	Sony a550
Name	Sony a57	Sony a550
Manufacturer	Sony	Sony
Release Date and Price	Sony a57	Sony a550
Release Year	2012	2009
Release Date	2012-03-13	2009-08-27
MSRP	699 USD	949 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a57	Sony a550
Camera Type	SLT	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a57	Sony a550
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	4912 x 3264 pixels	4592 x 3056 pixels
Megapixels	16 MP	14 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	Bionz
Image	Sony a57	Sony a550
ISO Range	100 - 16000	200 - 12800
White Balance Presets	9	6
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	Yes (Sensor-Shift)	Yes (Sensor-Shift)
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Sony a57	Sony a550
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	15	9
Lens Mount	Sony A See Compatible Lenses	Sony A See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	APS-C Sensor (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm	APS-C Sensor (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Sony a57	Sony a550
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated	Tilting
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	921000	921600
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	Xtra Fine TFT drive with TruBlack technology	N/A
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Electronic	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.04× (0.69× 35mm equiv.)	0.8× (0.53× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a57	Sony a550
Frames per second	12 fps	7 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/4000 seconds	1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash	Yes	Yes
Built-in Flash Range	10 meters	12 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	No
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Spot
Exposure Compensation	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps)	+/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a57	Sony a550
Video recording	Yes	No
Video format	MPEG4 H.264 AVCHD	N/A
Video resolution	1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080	N/A
Built-in Microphone	Yes	No
Built-in Speakers	Yes	No
Storage	Sony a57	Sony a550
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony a57	Sony a550
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Eye-Fi Connected	No
Remote Control	Yes (Optional)	Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional))
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Sony a57	Sony a550
Enviromentally sealed	No	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Rechargeable NP-FM500H battery & charger	Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	550 shots	480 shots
Width	132 mm	137 mm
Height	98 mm	104 mm
Depth	81 mm	84 mm
Weight	618 gram	632 gram