Sony A850 has a
25.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz processor. On the other hand, Canon 5D MIV has a
30.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 6+ processor.
Canon 5D MIV's sensor provides 5MP more than Sony A850's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely.
On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.
Below you can see the A850 and 5D MIV sensor size comparison.
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A850 and Canon 5D MIV Cameras
Sony A850 and Canon 5D MIV have almost the same sensor size, so neither of them has any significant advantage over the other in terms of providing control over depth of field when used with the same focal length and aperture.
DxOMark Sensor Scores
DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It 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. Sony A850 and Canon 5D MIV sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that 5D MIV has a better overall score of 91, 12 points higher compared to A850's score of 79.
Model
Overall
Color Depth
Dynamic Range
Low-light ISO
Sony A850
79
23.8 bits
12.2 Evs
1415 ISO
Canon 5D MIV
91
24.8 bits
13.6 Evs
2995 ISO
Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each
of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the
Sony A850
or the
Canon 5D MIV ,
including hyperfocal distance.
