CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
  • LENSES
  • TOOLS
    • Smart Find
    • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Size Comparison
  • BRANDS
    • Sony Cameras
    • Canon Cameras
    • Nikon Cameras
    • Pentax Cameras
    • Fujifilm Cameras
    • Olympus Cameras
    • Panasonic Cameras
    • Leica Cameras
    • Samsung Cameras
  • BODY TYPE
    • Mirrorless Cameras
    • DSLR Cameras
    • Compact Cameras
    • Bridge Cameras
    • Waterproof Cameras

Sony A550 vs Sony A100 Comparison

x
Camera to replace
Change

Sony A550

14 MP | APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony A550
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Change

Sony A100

10 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) CCD Sensor

Sony A100
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Sony A550 vs Sony A100 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing A550 and A100, two Entry-Level DSLR cameras by Sony. Both cameras have APS-C sensors but Sony A550 has a 14.0 MP and Sony A100 has a 10.0 MP resolution. Sony A550 was introduced to market in December 2009 and Sony A100 was launched in July 2006. As you can see, A100 is 3 years older than A550. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony A550 and Sony A100 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A550 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2009-12-09
  • 14MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 7 fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 632g. 137 x 104 x 84 mm
  • Replaced Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 Compare

Sony A100 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2006-07-31
  • 10MP - APS-C CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 2.5" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 3 fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 638g. 133 x 95 x 71 mm
  • Replaced Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D Compare

Sony A100 was replaced by Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha DSLR-A580 vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A100
Sony Alpha DSLR-A580 vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A550

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A550 and Sony A100 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 over Sony Alpha DSLR-A100
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
14 MP vs 10 MP 39% more pixels
Max ISO
12.800 vs 1.600 700% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.5" 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
922k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 3.0fps 4 fps faster
Weight
632 g vs 638 g 6 g lighter
Dynamic Range
11.8 vs 11.2 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
807 vs 476 better High ISO performance
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR


Reasons to choose Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 over Sony Alpha DSLR-A550
Viewfinder Magnification
0.55x vs 0.53x Larger Viewfinder
Color Depth
22.0 vs 21.9 higher color depth
Sensor Pixel Area
37.14µm2 vs 26.02µm2 42% larger pixel area

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.5" Small display
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Optical Viewfinder Type
Pentamirror vs Pentamirror not as bright as Pentaprism Viewfinders
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)
No vs No no option to fine tune Auto focus
Sony A550 vs Sony A100: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Sony A550 and Sony A100 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A550 has external dimensions of 137 x 104 x 84 mm (5.39 x 4.09 x 3.31″) and weighs 632 g (1.39 lb / 22.29 oz) (including batteries). Sony A100 has external dimensions of 133 x 95 x 71 mm (5.24 x 3.74 x 2.8″) and weighs 638 g (1.41 lb / 22.50 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A550 and Sony A100. Sony A100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 4mm narrower, 9mm shorter and 13mm thinner than Sony A550.

Sony A550 vs Sony A100 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony A550 and Sony A100 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A550 is 6g lighter than the Sony A100 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Sony A550 and Sony A100 have the same Sony/Minolta Alpha lens mount and APS-C sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

A550
A100
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

A550
A100
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 nor Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A550's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony A100's 2.5" screen.

In addition to the size advantage, Sony A550 LCD screen also has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Sony A100 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to A550.
Sony A550 vs Sony A100: Sensor Comparison

Sony A550 has a 14.0MP APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz processor. On the other hand, Sony A100 has a 10.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Below you can see the A550 and A100 sensor size comparison.

Sony A550 vs Sony A100 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A550 and Sony A100 Cameras


Sony A550 and Sony A100 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Sony A550 and Sony A100 sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, A550 has scored 66, 5 points higher than A100.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Sony A550 66 21.9 bits 11.8 Evs 807 ISO
Sony A100 61 22.0 bits 11.2 Evs 476 ISO
Sony A550 vs Sony A100 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. Sony A550 and Sony A100 have the same Sony/Minolta Alpha lens mount and currently there are 143 native lenses available for these cameras.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Sony A550 and Sony A100 has Sensor based Image stabilization which means that all the lenses will be stabilized in these bodies.

Lens Type # of Sony A550 Lenses # of Sony A100 Lenses
Standard Zoom 20 20
Standard Prime 9 9
Wideangle Zoom 11 11
Wideangle Prime 18 18
Telephoto Zoom 26 26
Telephoto Prime 12 12
SuperZoom 19 19
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 4 4
Macro Prime 12 12
Perspective Control Prime 10 10
Telephoto Mirror Prime 2 2
TOTAL 143 143

Here are some of the most popular Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount Lenses for A550 and A100
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
Sigma 18-300 F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Lens Sigma 18-300 F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM
APS-C / DX 585gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II Lens Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II
35mm FF 1500gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD
35mm FF 1951gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM Lens Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM
APS-C / DX 170gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II Lens Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II
35mm FF 750gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSM Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T Lens Sony 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSM Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T
35mm FF 955gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C Lens Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C
35mm FF 1930gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 50mm F1.4 Lens Sony 50mm F1.4
35mm FF 222gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Sony A550 and Sony A100 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A550 and Sony A100 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony A550 for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Sony A100 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
Read the details

Sony A550 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony A100 for Street Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Large Body
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Sony A550 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony A100 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Sony A550 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony A100 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Large Body
632g
Body Thickness 84mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Large Body
638g
Body Thickness 71mm
Read the details

Sony A550 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony A100 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details

Sony A550 vs Sony A100: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony A550 and Sony A100, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony A550 and Sony A100 scores compare:

Sony A550
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #36 out of 78 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #277 out of 1225 in all Cameras
Sony A100
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #60 out of 78 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #494 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Sony A550 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sony A100 in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Sony A550.

Sony A550
Sony A550
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Sony A100
Sony A100
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Sony A100 vs Sony A550 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 Sony Alpha DSLR-A100
Brand Sony Sony
Announced 2009-12-09 2006-07-31
Body Type Compact SLR Compact SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CCD
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 23.4 x 15.6 mm 23.6 x 15.8 mm
Area 365.04mm2 372.88mm2
Megapixels 14 megapixels 10 megapixels
Max Resolution 4592 x 3056 3872 x 2592
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 1,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 200 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 9 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony/Minolta Alpha Sony/Minolta Alpha
Number of Available Lenses 143 143
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3" 2.5"
Resolution 922k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage 95% 95%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.53x 0.55x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 12.00 m n/a
Max Flash Sync 1/160s 1/160s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps 3.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution None None
Video Formats n/a n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 632g 638g
Dimensions 137 x 104 x 84mm 133 x 95 x 71mm
Battery Life 480 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 66 61
DxO Color Depth 21.9 22.0
DxO Dynamic Range 11.8 11.2
DxO Low Light ISO 807 476
Report a correction Report a correction


FOLLOW US


Most Popular Cameras
Nikon Z7
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Sony A6000
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Sony E Mount
Sony A7 III
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Fujifilm X-T3
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Canon R
30 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Sony A6400
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Sony E Mount
Nikon D5600
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Nikon F Mount
Nikon D850
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon F Mount
Top Rated DSLR Cameras
Top DSLR Cameras Under $500
Top DSLR Cameras Under $750
Top DSLR Cameras Under $1000
Top DSLR Cameras Under $1500
Latest Cameras
Pentax K-3 III
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Pentax KAF2 Mount
Sigma fp L
61 MP | Full frame Sensor | Leica L Mount
Fujifilm GFX 100S
102 MP | Medium format Sensor | Fujifilm G Mount
Fujifilm X-E4
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Sony a1
50 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Leica SL2-S
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Leica L Mount
Leica Q2 Monochrom
47 MP | Full frame Sensor | 28 mm
Fujifilm X-S10
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Copyright © 2021 by CameraDecision
About Feedback Privacy Cameras

Report a Correction