Sony A850 PDF User Manual
Did you lose or misplace the instruction manual that came with your Sony Alpha A850? It happens all too easily, but fortunately Sony makes a soft copy available that you can browse through online, print out, or download (see the pdf file below). It is certainly good practice to carefully familiarize oneself with the many different functionalities and options that the A850 offers, and the official user manual is without doubt an authoritative and comprehensive source of respective information.
That said, the instruction booklet can be a dry read, so that a dedicated camera guide book from a professional photographer that illustrates the camera's core functions in a real life photography context can be a very helpful complement. Yes, getting one of these camera guides (see here at amazon) would involve an additional expense, but if that book helps to exploit the camera's potential to the full, the (small) additional investment may well be worth it.
In any case, the A850 is an advanced imaging tool, whose many features merit serious attention. This DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera was revealed to the public on August 27th, 2009, which means that, as of today, the camera is 5142 days old (young?). The camera has meanwhile been discontinued, but there has not been a direct replacement model for the A850 from Sony.
Sony's instruction manual for the A850
The camera's instruction manual is 171 pages long. The pdf version is embedded below. As you browse through, you will hopefully find the information you are looking for. You can also print out a hard copy by right clicking on the manual and then choosing the respective menu option. For convenience, a summary of the key specs of the A850 is included towards the bottom of this webpage.
Don't forget to bookmark this page for future reference (Ctrl-Shift-D on a Windows PC; Cmd-Shift-D on a Mac). Happy browsing!
Click on the button below to download the pdf version of the Sony Alpha A850 manual to your computer. The file will open in a new browser window.
If you prefer to read the user guide in another language, please check the respective availability on Sony's support site. That site also provides complementary online resources, such as information on the compatibility of various camera accessories or the availability of firmware updates that are not necessarily comprehensively covered in the instruction manual.
Printed, hardcopy versions of the Sony A850 manual can sometimes be found online. You can check the availability on amazon and ebay via the buttons below.
Sony A850 FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the A850.
What technology is the imaging sensor in the Sony A850 based on?
The camera features a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.
Which image processing chip is used in the Sony A850 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Sony equipped the A850 with the BIONZ image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Sony A850?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 100-6400.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Sony Alpha A850?
Sony does not publish a shutter rating for the A850. Yet, shutters in comparable cameras from other manufacturers are said to be good for at least 150 000 actuations. It should be noted, though, that this number represents a Mean Time before Failure. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust an expected shutter life of 150 000 shots over, say, three years, one would have to take about 150 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Sony A850?
Sony embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your A850 has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.
Does the Sony A850 feature an autofocus assist light?
Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Sony A850 for flash photography?
The A850's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.
Which battery does the Sony A850 use?
The camera gets its power from the NP-FM500H (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Is there a vertical grip available for the Sony A850?
Yes, Sony offers the VG-C90AM as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.
Further reading
How does the A850 stack up against available alternatives? In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
Core camera specifications
Here is a list of the main features and technical characteristics of the Sony Alpha A850.
| Camera Model | Sony A850 | |
| Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | |
| Camera Lens | Sony A mount lenses | |
| Launch Date | August 2009 | |
| Launch Price | USD 1 999 | |
| Sensor Specs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
| Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | |
| Sensor Size | 35.9 x 24.0 mm | |
| Sensor Area | 862 mm2 | |
| Sensor Diagonal | 43.2 mm | |
| Crop Factor | 1.0x | |
| Sensor Resolution | 24.4 Megapixels | |
| Image Resolution | 6 048 x 4 032 pixels | |
| Pixel Pitch | 5.94 μm | |
| Pixel Density | 2.83 MP/cm2 | |
| Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
| Movie Capability | no Video | |
| ISO Setting | 200 - 3 200 ISO | |
| ISO Boost | 100 - 6 400 ISO | |
| Image Processor | BIONZ | |
| DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 79 | |
| DXO Color Depth (bits) | 23.8 | |
| DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 12.2 | |
| DXO Low Light (ISO) | 1415 | |
| Screen Specs | ||
| Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | |
| Viewfinder Field of View | 98% | |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.74x | |
| Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | |
| LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
| LCD Resolution | 922k dots | |
| LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | |
| Touch Input | No touchscreen | |
| Shooting Specs | ||
| Focus System | Phase-detect AF | |
| Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | |
| Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | |
| Continuous Shooting | 3 shutter flaps/s | |
| Shutter Life Expectancy | 150 000 actuations | |
| Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
| Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
| Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | |
| Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
| Storage Medium | CF or MS cards | |
| Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | |
| Connectivity Specs | ||
| External Flash | Hotshoe | |
| Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | |
| USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
| HDMI Port | mini HDMI | |
| Wifi Support | no Wifi | |
| Body Specs | ||
| Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
| Battery Type | NP-FM500H power pack | |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 880 shots per charge | |
| Body Dimensions |
156 x 117 x 82 mm (6.1 x 4.6 x 3.2 in) |
|
| Camera Weight | 895 g (31.6 oz) | |
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