Sony A68 vs A850

The Sony Alpha SLT-A68 and the Sony Alpha A850 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in November 2015 and August 2009. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (A68) and a full frame (A850) sensor. The A68 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the A850 provides 24.4 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Sony A68		Sony A850
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Sony A mount lenses		Sony A mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60i Video		no Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 200-3,200 (100 - 6,400)
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)		Optical viewfinder
2.7" LCD – 460k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
540 shots per battery charge		880 shots per battery charge
143 x 104 x 81 mm, 610 g		156 x 117 x 82 mm, 895 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha SLT-A68 and the Sony Alpha A850? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Sony A68 and the Sony A850. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A850 is notably larger (23 percent) than the Sony A68. Moreover, the A850 is substantially heavier (47 percent) than the A68. It is noteworthy in this context that the A850 is splash and dust-proof, while the A68 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A68	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	610 g	540	n	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
2.		Sony A850	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Aug 2009	1,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
4.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic TZ100	111 mm	65 mm	44 mm	312 g	300	n	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
6.		Pentax K-S1	121 mm	93 mm	70 mm	558 g	410	n	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
7.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
8.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
9.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
10.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	799	ebay.com
12.		Sony A58	129 mm	95 mm	78 mm	492 g	690	n	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
13.		Sony A99	147 mm	111 mm	78 mm	812 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
15.		Sony A900	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Sep 2008	2,999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A68 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 65 percent) than the A850, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A68 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony A850 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A850 is 135 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the A68 uses a more advanced image processing engine (BIONZ X) than the A850 (BIONZ), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 24.4MP, the A850 offers a higher resolution than the A68 (24MP), but the A850 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 3.91μm for the A68) due to its larger sensor. However, the A68 is a much more recent model (by 6 years and 2 months) than the A850, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The Sony Alpha SLT-A68 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A850 are ISO 200 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-6400.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony A68	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.5	701	79
2.		Sony A850	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.8	12.2	1415	79
3.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
4.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
5.		Panasonic TZ100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	559	70
6.		Pentax K-S1	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.5	13.0	1061	78
7.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
8.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
9.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
10.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
11.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
12.		Sony A58	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.3	12.5	753	74
13.		Sony A99	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	14.0	1555	89
14.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
15.		Sony A900	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.7	12.3	1431	79

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The A68 indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the A850 does not. The highest resolution format that the A68 can use is 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A68 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the A850 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the A68 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the A850 (98%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the A850 has a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.57x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A68, the Sony A850, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Sony A68	1440	Y	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony A850	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Panasonic TZ100	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Pentax K-S1	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
7.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
8.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
9.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
11.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony A58	1440	n	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony A99	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony A900	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The A68 has one, while the A850 does not. While the built-in flash of the A68 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The A68 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the A850 uses Compact Flash or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A850 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A68 only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha SLT-A68 and Sony Alpha A850 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Sony A68	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony A850	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Panasonic TZ100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Pentax K-S1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A58	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony A99	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony A900	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A850 (unlike the A68) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the A68 and the A850 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the A68 and A850 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A68 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A850 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Sony A68 or the Sony A850 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha SLT-A68:

• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (1.3 EV of extra DR).
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (BIONZ X vs BIONZ).
• Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 1080/60i movies.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 98%).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (143x104mm vs 156x117mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 285g or 32 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (65 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 6 years and 2 months of technical progress since the A850 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A850:

• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1 stops ISO advantage).
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.57x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 460k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (880 versus 540) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2009).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A68 comes out slightly ahead of the A850 (12 : 11 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A68 and the Sony A850 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the A68 and the A850 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A68	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
2.		Sony A850	3/5	..	..	75/100	..	4.5/5	Aug 2009	1,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
4.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic TZ100	4.5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
6.		Pentax K-S1	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
7.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
8.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
9.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
10.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	799	ebay.com
12.		Sony A58	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
13.		Sony A99	5/5	..	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
15.		Sony A900	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2008	2,999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check A68 offers at
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Check A850 offers at
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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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