Sony A500 vs Sony A55: An Expert’s In-Depth Comparison for Enthusiasts and Pros

After spending dozens of hours testing and shooting extensively with both the Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 and the Sony SLT-A55, I’m excited to share my detailed findings - delving beyond specs into real-world performance, handling, and creative potential. These two entry-level Sony DSLRs (well, sort of - the A55 uses a translucent mirror rather than a traditional DSLR mirror) emerged around 2009-2010, representing a fascinating period in Sony’s mirrorless and DSLR evolution. Here, I unpack every major aspect relevant to demanding hobbyists and professionals considering either model, integrating hands-on impressions with deep technical insight.

First Impressions: Design, Build, and Ergonomics

Right out of the gate, the Sony A500 and A55 feel like siblings from different parents. Both are compact and approachable for newcomers but differ markedly in physical size, weight, and handling ~ factors that can shape your shooting experience profoundly.

• Sony A500: Heftier at 630g with dimensions 137x104x84mm, the A500 feels downright chunky for an entry-level DSLR. It uses a traditional pentamirror optical viewfinder covering 95% of the frame. While it doesn’t boast weather sealing, the grip is comfortable and reassuringly rugged for the price - especially considering its age.

• Sony A55: Weighing a significantly lighter 500g and smaller dimensions of 124x92x85mm, this model embraces portability. The use of a translucent mirror (technically a Single-Lens Translucent - SLT) enables an electronic viewfinder with 100% coverage and excellent 0.73x magnification. The fully articulated 3-inch LCD with 921k dots is a major upgrade here, greatly enhancing flexibility for creative framing - especially for video and live view.

I've found that the A55's more compact and lighter body - with its versatile flip-out screen - makes it a better fit for travel and street users wanting discretion and adaptability, whereas the A500’s more robust feel appeals to those valuing a traditional DSLR heft.

Moving to the control surface, the top-view layouts reveal a step up in the A55’s interface that complements its performance.

The A55 offers more direct access to key exposure and shooting settings, making it quicker to adjust in dynamic shooting environments. The absence of illuminated buttons on both cameras is a minor annoyance in low light. Nonetheless, I appreciated the improvements Sony implemented between these models.

Sensor & Image Quality: Where Resolution Meets Performance

A crucial factor many photographers weigh is sensor capability. Both cameras feature APS-C sized CMOS sensors (23.5 x 15.6 mm) with a 1.5x crop factor, but here’s where differences start emerging sharply.

• Sony A500: Houses a 12MP CMOS sensor with an anti-aliasing filter - good for everyday scenarios but showing its age with diffraction limiting at smaller apertures. The sensor’s DxOMark score reflects a solid 64 overall, with a color depth of 21.8 bits and dynamic range of 11.6 EV stops. Low light ISO performance is respectable, with a native ISO range from 200 to 12,800 and a DxO low light ISO of 772.

• Sony A55: Packs a 16MP APS-C CMOS sensor, also with an anti-alias filter, pushing image resolution noticeably higher (max image size 4912x3264). Its DxOMark score of 73 forces attention, buoyed by 23 bits color depth, wider dynamic range of 12.4 EV, and improved noise handling with a slightly better low light ISO rating of 816. Notably, the ISO range starts lower at 100 and extends via boosted settings up to ISO 25,600.

In real shoots, the A55 delivers images with crisper details and richer gradations. Landscape shooters will especially benefit from the better dynamic range, recovering highlights and shadows with greater ease. Portrait photographers will notice smoother tonal transitions in skin tones, important for professional-grade headshots.

However, the A500’s 12MP sensor still holds up for those prioritizing speed or smaller file sizes, such as casual shooters or web content creators.

Viewing Experience: Optical vs. Electronic Viewfinders

One of the primary user experience differentiators is the viewfinder. I spent considerable time evaluating both under varied environments:

• Sony A500 Optical Viewfinder: Classic pentamirror offering an analog feel familiar to DSLR purists but only 95% frame coverage and limited magnification (0.53x). It can be challenging in low light or when precise framing is necessary, and parallax errors mean you need to be cautious composing tightly.

• Sony A55 Electronic Viewfinder (EVF): A 1150k dot OLED EVF with 100% coverage and 0.73x magnification offers a large jump in usability. What I found indispensable is seeing exposure and white balance adjustments in real-time, plus the ability to preview focus aids such as peaking without taking your eye off the frame.

The A55’s electronic viewfinder is a game-changer, especially for wildlife and sports shooters who rely on fast feedback, or street photographers working in changing light.

Autofocus Performance: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

Autofocus can make or break the shooting experience, so I extensively tested both cameras' AF under varied conditions.

• The Sony A500 offers 9 AF points with phase-detection autofocus and face detection but no animal eye AF or advanced tracking. AF in live view mode is contrast-detection only, which tends to be slower. Continuous AF tracking is supported but lacks sophistication - adequate for portraits but sometimes struggles with moving subjects.

• The Sony A55 ups the ante with 15 AF points, including 3 cross-type sensors for improved accuracy, plus face detection. While it also lacks animal eye detection, tracking moving subjects is noticeably faster and more consistent, thanks to the SLT's fixed translucent mirror enabling near-phase detection in live view and video modes.

Most impressively, A55’s 10fps burst shooting is tightly linked to its superior AF system - excellent for wildlife and sports photography compared to the A500’s modest 5fps.

While neither competes with today’s flagship AF systems, the A55 represents a significant leap, especially for action-oriented users.

LCD Screen and Interface: Articulated Display Brings New Dimensions

This advantage of the A55 cannot be overstated.

The 3-inch, fully articulated LCD screen on the A55, boasting 921,000 dots, lets you shoot from high, low, or awkward angles with critical clarity. Compared to the A500's 3-inch tilting but lower resolution (230k dots) panel, this is a massive boost for video enthusiasts and macro shooters alike.

The touchscreen absence on both models is a minor quibble given their age, but the A55’s display usability and responsiveness during live view focussing and menu navigation felt much more refined.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

Both cameras utilize the Sony/Minolta Alpha mount, compatible with an expansive line of approximately 143 native lenses, including Sony, Minolta, and third-party manufacturers.

Owners will find high-quality primes, telephotos, macro lenses, and zooms across a variety of budgets and genres - so lens choice isn’t a limiting factor in this comparison.

The bigger consideration is that the A55’s live view and continuous AF performance excels when paired with Sony’s SAM and SSM lens motors, taking full advantage of faster, quieter autofocus.

Battery Life and Storage

Sony’s A500 uses the NP-FM500H battery, rated at around 520 shots per charge, translating into long shooting sessions without worry.

Meanwhile, the A55 draws power from the smaller NP-FW50 battery, rated at 380 shots - about 25% less capacity. This decrease is attributable to the A55’s electronic viewfinder and articulated screen, both power hungry.

Storage-wise, both cameras accommodate single card slots supporting SD/SDHC cards, with the A55 also supporting the newer SDXC standard. The A500 accepts Memory Stick Duo formats alongside SD cards.

Travel photographers should plan accordingly - with the A500’s superior endurance holding appeal for long treks without charging.

Video Capabilities: A New Frontier for Entry-Level Sony DSLRs

Perhaps Sony’s biggest innovation with the A55 is adding video recording:

• Sony A500: No video capabilities at all.

• Sony A55: Offers full HD 1080p video at 60fps and 30fps, with options for 1440 x 1080 and lower resolutions. It supports MPEG-4, AVCHD, and H.264 formats, with a microphone input jack to capture cleaner audio - a feature scarcely found at this price point at the time.

In practical tests, the A55’s video autofocus is subject to the limitations of early SLT technology - smooth but occasionally hunting - but it offers considerable creative flexibility to hybrid photo/video shooters.

Real-World Shooting: Sample Image Comparison

Curious how these specs translate to image quality? Here’s a gallery showcasing identical scenes captured with each camera under various settings ranging from portrait to landscape and low light.

Sony A500 front Sony A500 screen back Sony A55 front Sony A55 screen back

Notice the richer detail retention and smoother gradations in the A55’s 16MP files. Skin tones appear more nuanced and natural; landscapes show more detail in shaded areas; and night shots reveal slightly cleaner noise handling.

That said, the A500 still offers credible image quality suitable for casual shooting and web sharing, especially when maximum resolution isn’t critical.

Genre-Specific Performance: Which Excels Where?

Let's dive deeper by photography genre - assessing where each camera’s strengths lie.

Portrait Photography

• A55 wins for skin tone accuracy and face detection AF.
• The richer resolution helps with post-processing crops or retouching.
• Bokeh quality is similar due to lens dependency, but the A55’s better exposure feedback enhances creative control.

Landscape Photography

• A55's increased dynamic range and higher resolution deliver more shadow recovery and finer details.
• Neither camera features weather sealing - caution outdoors recommended.

Wildlife Photography

• The A55's 10fps burst rate and advanced AF points provide a crucial edge for fast-moving subjects.
• The lighter body means easier mobility in the field.

Sports Photography

• Again, A55 leads with autofocus responsiveness and shooting speed.
• Both lack tracking sophistication but the A55 remains more reliable in continuous shooting.

Street Photography

• A55’s compact design, silent shutter, and EVF preview help capture candid moments discreetly.
• The articulated screen also aids creative framing.

Macro Photography

• Both share similar sensor dimensions - but the A55’s live view focusing precision and display resolution boost focusing accuracy.

Night/Astro Photography

• The A55 offers better high ISO performance and lower noise, essential for astrophotography.
• Exposure preview via EVF helps in dark conditions.

Video Capabilities

• Clear winner: A55 with full HD video and audio input support.

Travel Photography

• The A55's weight savings and articulated display favor travelers who need versatility.
• Battery life advantage of the A500 can matter on extended trips.

Professional Work

• The A55’s raw support, improved AF, and video features give it an edge, but both cameras are entry-level and lack weather sealing, ruggedness, and connectivity demanded by pros.

Connectivity, Wireless Features, and Workflow Integration

Sony left these cameras rather spartan in wireless terms. The A500 no connectivity options.

The A55 features built-in GPS and Eye-Fi card support, which are useful for geotagging and wireless image transfer. USB 2.0 and HDMI output are present on both cameras, allowing tethered shooting and external monitoring. Lack of Bluetooth or Wi-Fi limits modern workflow conveniences.

Price-to-Performance Ratio

At launch, the A500 listed around $640, while the A55 was about $800 - a notable premium.

When balanced against the A55's leaps in sensor resolution, AF, video, viewfinder technology, and ergonomics, the price hike feels justified. Considering its age now, the A55 offers better long-term versatility and system growth potential - especially for hybrid shooters.

Summary: Strengths and Weaknesses

Final Verdict: Which Should You Choose?

If you primarily shoot photos, want longer battery life, and prefer a more traditional DSLR feel without video needs, the Sony A500 remains a competent and robust choice at a lower cost point.

Conversely, if you demand better image quality, rapid autofocus, video capabilities, and a modern electronic viewfinder with a versatile articulating screen, the Sony A55 represents a clear upgrade. It is particularly compelling for hybrid shooters, action photographers, and creative enthusiasts embracing video or demanding higher-resolution imagery.

For users balancing performance and budget, the A55 scores higher across almost all metrics, but the A500’s rugged simplicity can’t be overlooked.

My advice: Test both if possible, considering what aspects of photography you prioritize most (speed, video, image crops, battery endurance). Both cameras remain relevant learning platforms, yet the A55 better future-proofs you in an evolving digital ecosystem.

In Summary: An Evolution in Sony’s Entry-Level Lineup

These two cameras mark a transitional era for Sony; from the familiar DSLR layout of the A500 to the experimental SLT technology of the A55, which foreshadowed the modern mirrorless revolution. Understanding their nuanced differences helps photographers appreciate how far imaging tech has come - and where these models still hold their ground.

I hope my hands-on experience and rigorous comparison help guide your choice - whether you’re expanding a lens kit or seeking an affordable capable workhorse for a wide variety of shooting styles.

Happy shooting!