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How much dynamic range does the Sony A850 offer?

According to measurements carried out by DXO Mark, the sensor in the Sony Alpha A850 provides a maximum of 12.2 EV of dynamic range (DR). DR is defined as the ratio between the highest and lowest brightness a camera can capture. A value of 12 EV or above is considered excellent.

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High dynamic range of a camera sensor is particularly desirable for scenes with a mix of very bright and very dark parts, such as in some landscape photography settings. It helps to avoid that highlights get washed out or that detail in shadows is lost.

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Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Sony A850 to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). In addition to dynamic range (DXO Landscape), the listing also covers color depth (DXO Portrait) and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

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Sensor Characteristics
#   Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Sony A850 Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none23.812.2141579
2.
 
Canon 6D Mark II Full Frame 26.0 6240 41601080/60p24.411.9286285
3.
 
Nikon D500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.014.0132483
4.
 
Panasonic GH5 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.913.080777
5.
 
Sony A7C Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7340795
6.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
7.
 
Sony A99 II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p25.413.4231792
8.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
9.
 
Sony A99 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p25.014.0155589
10.
 
Sony A77 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.013.280178
11.
 
Sony A900 Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none23.712.3143179
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Further information on the sensor in the Sony A850 and the camera's operation can be found in the camera manual.

In the United States, the A850 was initially launched in August 2009 at a price of $1,999.

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Check A850 offers at
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Camera to camera comparisons

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.

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    Specifications Summary
    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 Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 3 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy150 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Image StabilizationIn-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 SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Sony 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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