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Sony A850 vs Sony HX7V

Portability
54
Imaging
68
Features
60
Overall
64
Sony Alpha DSLR-A850 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V front
Portability
92
Imaging
39
Features
37
Overall
38

Sony A850 vs Sony HX7V Key Specs

Sony A850
(Full Review)
  • 25MP - Full frame Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 200 - 3200 (Increase to 6400)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • No Video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 895g - 156 x 117 x 82mm
  • Revealed April 2010
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
  • Launched July 2011
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Sony A850 vs Sony HX7V Overview

In this article, we will be comparing the Sony A850 vs Sony HX7V, one is a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are created by Sony. There exists a huge gap among the image resolutions of the A850 (25MP) and HX7V (16MP) and the A850 (Full frame) and HX7V (1/2.3") use different sensor dimensions.

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The A850 was brought out 15 months before the HX7V which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony HX7V being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a full comparison, below is a short summary of how the A850 grades against the HX7V when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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Reasons to pick Sony A850 over the Sony HX7V

 A850 HX7V 
Manual focus More exact focusing
Screen resolution922k921kClearer screen (+1k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony HX7V over the Sony A850

 HX7V A850 
LaunchedJuly 2011April 2010Newer by 15 months

Common features in the Sony A850 and Sony HX7V

 A850 HX7V 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen sizing3"3"Equivalent screen sizing
Selfie screen Neither contains selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Lacking Touch friendly screen

Sony A850 vs Sony HX7V Physical Comparison

For anybody who is intending to travel with your camera often, you should factor its weight and volume. The Sony A850 has got exterior measurements of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") with a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs) and the Sony HX7V has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 208 grams (0.46 lbs).

Check out the Sony A850 vs Sony HX7V in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the A850 and the HX7V.

Sony A850 vs Sony HX7V size comparison

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the A850 and HX7V is 54 and 92 respectively.

Sony A850 vs Sony HX7V top view buttons comparison

Sony A850 vs Sony HX7V Sensor Comparison

Typically, its difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions purely by looking through a spec sheet. The pic below should give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the A850 and HX7V.

As you can see, both the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The A850 due to its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Sony A850 will render extra detail having its extra 9MP. Higher resolution will let you crop shots far more aggressively. The more aged A850 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.

Sony A850 vs Sony HX7V sensor size comparison

Sony A850 vs Sony HX7V Screen and ViewFinder

Sony A850 vs Sony HX7V Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Sony A850 Portrait photography information
Sony HX7V Portrait photography information
72
focusing manually
MP count fantastic (25MP)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
exports RAW files
no liveview feature
30
good resolution (16 megapixels)
manual focus not available
no manual mode
can't use external flash
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support
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Street Comparison

Sony A850 Street photography info
Sony HX7V Street photography info
66
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
exports RAW files
environment sealing
screen is fixed
56
image stabilization (Optical)
no articulating screen
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support
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Sports Comparison

Sony A850 Sports photography highlights
Sony HX7V Sports photography highlights
71
max shutter speed is good (1/8,000 seconds)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count fantastic (25 megapixels)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
environment sealing
sensor has phase detect autofocus
no liveview feature
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames/s)
39
image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (16MP)
lack of shutter priority mode
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Sony A850
Travel photography with Sony HX7V
55
environment sealing
MP count fantastic (25MP)
does not have Time Lapse function
screen isn't selfie friendly
67
good resolution (16MP)
built-in flash
quite wide (25mm)
very long reach (250mm)
no Time Lapse mode
doesn't have a selfie friendly display
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
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Landscape Comparison

Sony A850 Landscape photography details
Sony HX7V Landscape photography details
73
focusing manually
change lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
decent sized screen (3")
image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count fantastic (25 megapixels)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
exports RAW files
environment sealing
has dual storage slots
no liveview feature
does not have Time Lapse function
42
quite wide (25mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (16MP)
manual focus not available
can't switch lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
no manual mode
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support
no Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Sony A850 Vlogging factors
Sony HX7V Vlogging factors
9
can't record video
32
quite wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
doesn't have a selfie friendly display
no external mic support
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Sony A850 vs Sony HX7V Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Sony A850 and Sony HX7V
 Sony Alpha DSLR-A850Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V
General Information
Company Sony Sony
Model type Sony Alpha DSLR-A850 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V
Category Advanced DSLR Small Sensor Compact
Revealed 2010-04-15 2011-07-19
Physical type Mid-size SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Chip Bionz BIONZ
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size Full frame 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 35.9 x 24mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 861.6mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 25 megapixel 16 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 3:2 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Highest resolution 6048 x 4032 4608 x 3456
Highest native ISO 3200 3200
Highest boosted ISO 6400 -
Lowest native ISO 200 125
RAW files
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch to focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Total focus points 9 9
Lens
Lens mount type Sony/Minolta Alpha fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 25-250mm (10.0x)
Max aperture - f/3.5-5.5
Amount of lenses 143 -
Focal length multiplier 1 5.8
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Display resolution 922k dots 921k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Display technology TFT Xtra Fine color LCD XtraFine LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Optical (pentaprism) None
Viewfinder coverage 98 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.74x -
Features
Slowest shutter speed 30 secs 30 secs
Maximum shutter speed 1/8000 secs 1/1600 secs
Continuous shooting rate 3.0fps 10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation Yes -
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance no built-in flash 4.80 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
External flash
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/250 secs -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
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 format - MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic support
Headphone support
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 proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 895 gr (1.97 lbs) 208 gr (0.46 lbs)
Dimensions 156 x 117 x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") 102 x 58 x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 79 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 23.8 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 12.2 not tested
DXO Low light rating 1415 not tested
Other
Battery life 880 photos -
Battery style Battery Pack -
Battery ID NP-FM500H NP-BG1
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse recording
Storage type Compact Flash (Type I or II), UDMA, Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Card slots 2 Single
Retail pricing $0 $499