Sony ensures that shutterbugs will be kept happy with the announcement of their new Alpha a850 DSLR camera alongside a brand new 28-75mm F2.8 lens. The a850 model won’t fall short in terms of megapixel count compared to its flagship a900 model, where it boasts a similar 24.6-megapixel sensor as well as retain most of the a900’s features, but won’t break the bank in these economically challenging times by offering the body for less than $2,000. At this price point, it is interesting to see Sony’s strategy of bringing the benefits of a full-frame digital SLR camera to a broader group of consumers, where the a850 is equally at home in the hands of a high-end professional down to the amateur enthusiast.

The a850 camera was specially built to offer ultra-fine picture quality with a high resolution, 24.6-megapixel, 35-mm full-frame Exmor CMOS sensor, accompanied by fast image processing with dual BIONZ processing engines. Apart from that, you can also use the same 24.6-megapixel sensor to shoot continuous images at that resolution of up to 3 frames a second, ensuring you never miss a crucial moment despite how fast the object is moving in front of you. As for the Exmor CMOS sensor within, it offers the photographic expressive power of wide angles and perspective which is available only from a 35 mm full-frame sensor. Thanks to the couple of BIONZ processing engines, one can process large amounts of data captured quickly for superior shooting response.

The a850 also comes with an autofocus system that boasts nine sensors with 10 assist points for improved tracking of moving subjects. You ought to be able to achieve better precision thanks to its center dual cross sensor that is made up of two horizontal and two vertical line sensors, accompanied by a dedicated f/2.8 sensor as well. It boasts an integrated SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization system for achieving anti-shake effects that is equal to shutter speeds that are faster by 2.5 to 4 stops. Nice to see Sony make sure its anti-shake system plays nice with all Sony, Minolta and Konica-Minolta compatible lenses even wide angle or large aperture lenses. Will this latest addition make you take that ambitious jump to the world of DSLRs?

Press Release