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Sony A550 vs Sony HX7V

Portability
63
Imaging
54
Features
65
Overall
58
Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V front
Portability
92
Imaging
39
Features
37
Overall
38

Sony A550 vs Sony HX7V Key Specs

Sony A550
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 632g - 137 x 104 x 84mm
  • Released December 2009
  • Previous Model is Sony A100
Sony HX7V
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 125 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-250mm (F3.5-5.5) lens
  • 208g - 102 x 58 x 29mm
  • Released July 2011
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Sony A550 vs Sony HX7V Overview

In this article, we will be matching up the Sony A550 and Sony HX7V, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are designed by Sony. The sensor resolution of the A550 (14MP) and the HX7V (16MP) is relatively close but the A550 (APS-C) and HX7V (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor dimensions.

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The A550 was brought out 19 months earlier than the HX7V which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. The two cameras offer different body type with the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony HX7V being a Compact camera.

Before delving through a in depth comparison, below is a concise summary of how the A550 grades against the HX7V when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Sony A550 over the Sony HX7V

 A550 HX7V 
Manually focus More accurate focusing
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen resolution922k921kCrisper screen (+1k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony HX7V over the Sony A550

 HX7V A550 
ReleasedJuly 2011December 2009More recent by 19 months

Common features in the Sony A550 and Sony HX7V

 A550 HX7V 
Screen sizing3"3"Equivalent screen sizing
Selfie screen No selfie screen
Touch screen No Touch screen

Sony A550 vs Sony HX7V Physical Comparison

If you're aiming to lug around your camera, you need to think about its weight and proportions. The Sony A550 comes with outside dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs) whilst the Sony HX7V has measurements of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 208 grams (0.46 lbs).

Look at the Sony A550 and Sony HX7V in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are utilising at the time. The following is the front view dimension comparison of the A550 against the HX7V.

Sony A550 vs Sony HX7V size comparison

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A550 and HX7V is 63 and 92 respectively.

Sony A550 vs Sony HX7V top view buttons comparison

Sony A550 vs Sony HX7V Sensor Comparison

Quite often, it can be hard to imagine the gap in sensor measurements purely by viewing technical specs. The photograph here may offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the A550 and HX7V.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The A550 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF less difficult and the Sony HX7V will result in greater detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop pictures a little more aggressively. The older A550 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.

Sony A550 vs Sony HX7V sensor size comparison

Sony A550 vs Sony HX7V Screen and ViewFinder

Sony A550 vs Sony HX7V Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Sony A550 Portrait photography details
Sony HX7V Portrait photography details
72
you can focus manually
megapixel count decent (14 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
comes with face detection focus
supports RAW files
30
decent megapixels (16MP)
no manual focus
lack of manual mode
no external flash support
very small sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
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Street Comparison

Sony A550 Street photography features
Sony HX7V Street photography features
74
tilting screen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
supports RAW files
56
image stabilization (Optical)
no articulating screen
very small sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Sony A550 Sports photography highlights
Sony HX7V Sports photography highlights
67
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count decent (14 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
has phase detect auto focus
low battery pack (480 shots)
39
image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (16MP)
lack of shutter priority mode
very small sensor (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect auto focus
Photography Glossary

Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Sony A550
Travel photography with Sony HX7V
52
megapixel count decent (14 megapixels)
built-in flash
lack of Timelapse recording
low battery pack (480 CIPA)
screen isn't selfie friendly
67
decent megapixels (16MP)
built-in flash
pretty wide (25mm)
long zoom (250mm)
no Timelapse recording
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
slow max aperture (f3.5)
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Landscape Comparison

Sony A550 Landscape photography factors
Sony HX7V Landscape photography factors
66
you can focus manually
swap lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
decent sized screen (3")
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count decent (14MP)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
supports RAW files
low battery pack (480 shots)
lack of Timelapse recording
42
pretty wide (25mm)
screen size is good (3")
image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (16MP)
no manual focus
cannot change lenses (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.5)
lack of manual mode
very small sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
no Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Sony A550 Vlogging advice
Sony HX7V Vlogging advice
9
lack of video recording
32
pretty wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
high quality video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
slow max aperture (f3.5)
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
no external microphone socket
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Sony A550 vs Sony HX7V Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Sony A550 and Sony HX7V
 Sony Alpha DSLR-A550Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V
General Information
Make Sony Sony
Model Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V
Type Entry-Level DSLR Small Sensor Compact
Released 2009-12-09 2011-07-19
Physical type Compact SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by Bionz BIONZ
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size APS-C 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 23.4 x 15.6mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 365.0mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 14MP 16MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 3:2 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4592 x 3056 4608 x 3456
Highest native ISO 12800 3200
Min native ISO 200 125
RAW images
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points 9 9
Lens
Lens mount Sony/Minolta Alpha fixed lens
Lens focal range - 25-250mm (10.0x)
Highest aperture - f/3.5-5.5
Number of lenses 143 -
Focal length multiplier 1.5 5.8
Screen
Screen type Tilting Fixed Type
Screen sizing 3" 3"
Resolution of screen 922 thousand dots 921 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Screen tech - XtraFine LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) None
Viewfinder coverage 95% -
Viewfinder magnification 0.53x -
Features
Slowest shutter speed 30 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/1600 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 7.0 frames per sec 10.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation Yes -
Change WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 12.00 m 4.80 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
External flash
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/160 seconds -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions - 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution None 1920x1080
Video file format - MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 632g (1.39 lbs) 208g (0.46 lbs)
Dimensions 137 x 104 x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") 102 x 58 x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1")
DXO scores
DXO All around score 66 not tested
DXO Color Depth score 21.9 not tested
DXO Dynamic range score 11.8 not tested
DXO Low light score 807 not tested
Other
Battery life 480 shots -
Battery type Battery Pack -
Battery model NP-FM500H NP-BG1
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type SD/ SDHC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Card slots Single Single
Launch pricing $749 $499