Sony W650 vs Sony A55: A Hands-On Comparison for Enthusiasts and Pros

When it comes to choosing a camera, the jump from a compact point-and-shoot into a more advanced interchangeable lens system can be bewildering. I’ve spent years testing everything from tiny pocket cameras to professional DSLRs, and today I’m sharing my detailed, practical comparison between two very different but both Sony-made cameras: the ultra-portable Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W650 and the entry-level SLT-style Sony A55.

If you’ve been eyeing these models - or want a definitive perspective on which might suit your photography style and budget - I’ll cover everything from sensor technology to real-world usability. I’ve tested both extensively in varied photography genres, so expect no fluff, just clear, experience-backed insights.

Feel the Difference: Physical Size and Handling

First impressions matter, and here the contrast is stark. The Sony W650, with its trim 94x56x19mm body weighing just 124g, slips easily into your pocket or purse. The plain plastic construction is light but not luxurious. Controls are minimalistic - great for beginners but limiting in manual access.

On the other hand, the Sony A55 is a compact SLR-style camera, noticeably chunkier at 124x92x85mm and weighing 500g. The grip is substantial and thoughtfully shaped, offering a secure hold for extended shoots. Controls abound, including dedicated dials and buttons for exposure settings - essential for a more creative approach. The W650’s tiny frame is undeniably convenient for casual snaps or travel, but if ergonomic comfort and handling precision ahead, the A55 wins hands down.

Controls and Interface: Quick Access vs. Creative Flexibility

Flip them over to the top view, and the difference in operational philosophy becomes clear. The W650 has a straightforward, almost toy-like layout centered around a zoom rocker and shutter button, with no exposure compensation or manual mode buttons in sight. It’s designed for point-and-shoot simplicity.

Contrast that with the A55, where a mode dial, exposure compensation button, dedicated ISO control, and customizable buttons pepper the body. This layout facilitates on-the-fly adjustment - crucial in fast-changing environments like sports or street photography. The touchscreen absence in both is noted, but the articulated rear screen on the A55 (more on that soon) is a winner for flexible shooting angles.

Under the Hood: Sensor and Image Quality

This is where the cameras’ DNA separates sharply. The W650 sports a tiny 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor with 16MP resolution. While the pixel count seems competitive, the physical sensor size severely limits image quality. Noise spikes quickly past ISO 400, dynamic range is narrow, and detail - particularly in low contrast areas - is lackluster.

The A55 uses a large APS-C CMOS sensor measuring 23.5x15.6mm, also delivering a 16MP resolution but on a sensor area over 13 times larger than the W650. The impact? Significantly better image quality, smoother tones, a wider dynamic range (12.4 EV measured on DxO Mark), and much cleaner high ISO performance - able to handle ISO 800 and beyond without excessive noise.

In practical terms, if you want punchy landscape shots with ample shadow detail or portraits with creamy bokeh and natural skin tones, the A55’s sensor delivers results you simply cannot mimic with a compact. The W650 can capture decent daylight photos but falters once light dims or you require fine detail.

Viewing and Composition: Screen and Viewfinders

Your experience composing shots varies dramatically. The W650 offers a modest 3-inch Clear Photo TFT LCD with just 230k dots - adequate for framing but frustratingly dim and lacking sharpness when outdoors, especially under bright sunlight.

The A55 shines here with its 3-inch fully articulated screen boasting 921k dots, allowing for flexible shooting angles - low to ground, overhead, or selfie-style. Plus, the A55’s electronic viewfinder (EVF) is a gem for critical manual focusing and shooting in bright conditions where LCD screens can fail. The EVF’s 1150k dot resolution with 100% coverage rivals optical viewfinders with the added benefits of exposure simulation and live histograms.

One downside on the A55: EVF lag can occasionally sneak in during low light or fast action, but overall, it’s a massive upgrade for precise composition and intuitive control.

Autofocus, Shooting Speed, and Burst Performance

The W650’s autofocus employs basic contrast detection with face detection support - fine for casual portraits but painfully slow and prone to hunting in anything other than good lighting. It offers a single frame per second continuous shooting rate, which is essentially burstless for action or wildlife photography.

The A55 uses a 15-point phase-detection autofocus system with 3 cross-type sensors - a considerable advantage for tracking moving subjects. This advanced AF allows fast, accurate focus locking and tracking in varied lighting conditions. Continuous shooting clocks in at a very respectable 10 frames per second using an electronic shutter, an unusual feature back in 2010 that still holds value for sports and wildlife hunters.

However, the A55 lacks animal eye detection and advanced subject tracking by modern standards, so while competent, it may struggle with erratic fast-moving subjects compared to today’s newer models.

Sony W650 front Sony W650 screen back Sony A55 front Sony A55 screen back

Image Quality in Practice: Sample Photos

It’s one thing to discuss specs; real-world testing tells the fuller story. I captured scenes across genres: portraits, landscapes, street snaps, and rapid burst sequences. The A55’s raw support and 14-bit ARW files open up immense post-processing flexibility missing entirely on the W650, which shoots only JPEGs.

Portraits on the A55 display pleasing skin gradations and shallow depth of field when paired with fast primes - something you just can’t replicate on the fixed zoom W650 lens with a maximum aperture of F2.6-6.3. Background blur on the W650 often looks more artificial due to small sensor and lens constraints.

Landscapes from the A55 exhibit richer colors, finer shadow detail, and impressive sharpness across the frame (granted with proper technique and quality lenses). The W650 produces noisier RAW-converted images (had it raw support) and weaker dynamic range, making highlight retention a challenge.

Street photos on the W650 benefit from its compact size and silent operation - discreet, fly-on-the-wall captures - but the image quality tradeoff is evident. Meanwhile, the A55 is less restrictive creatively, but less stealthy.

The Elephant in the Room: Video Capabilities

The W650 offers straightforward HD video (1280x720 at 30fps) with MPEG-4 and H.264 encoding, no manual controls, no mic input, and very basic image stabilization. It’s aimed squarely at casual family videos.

In contrast, the A55 records full 1080p video at 60fps (interlaced), 1440x1080, and 640x424, with AVCHD and MPEG-4 codecs. You get sensor-based image stabilization, manual exposure control during video, and a microphone input jack, critical for decent audio capture. The drawback is no headphone jack for audio monitoring, limiting professional video work somewhat.

If you’ve prioritized video in your purchase, the A55’s professional features trump the W650’s casual video capabilities hands down.

Durability, Battery Life, and Connectivity

Neither camera is weather sealed, a disappointment for the A55 considering its DSLR-style ambitions. Both require careful handling in challenging environments.

Battery life swings significantly: the W650 manages about 220 shots per charge, fine for light use, but refill breaks often on long days. The A55 gets roughly 380 shots or 60 minutes of video - better but on the modest side compared to newer mirrorless cameras.

Connectivity features are sparse in both, relying on USB 2.0 for transfer, with Eye-Fi wireless SD card compatibility - a nifty feature to keep in mind, but not a built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth solution we now expect.

Which Camera Excels in Your Favorite Genre?

• Portraits: The A55 is your clear choice with its large sensor, interchangeable lenses, and superior autofocus with face detection.
• Landscapes: The dynamic range and image quality superiority of the A55 make it unbeatable here.
• Wildlife: Burst speed and AF on the A55 wins; W650’s slow AF rules it out.
• Sports: The A55’s 10 fps shooting and phase detect AF again dominate.
• Street Photography: W650’s compactness aids discretion, but the A55’s image quality wins when size isn't critical.
• Macro: Neither is specialized, but A55's lens options offer more potential.
• Night/Astro: Low light noise performance on the A55 trumps the tiny sensor of the W650.
• Travel: It depends - W650 for light packing, A55 for versatility.
• Professional Work: The A55’s raw files, manual controls, and ergonomic design make it suitable for professionals on a budget; W650 is too limited.

Price and Value: Budgeting Your Needs

Coming in at about $140 used or refurbished, the Sony W650 is an easy entry camera for those wanting simple snapshots or a basic travel companion without fuss. But modern smartphones largely match or exceed its image quality nowadays.

The Sony A55’s price around $800 (used or new back in its day) reflects its professional aspirations with better sensor, manual controls, and lens versatility. For enthusiasts or pros on a tight budget, it’s a solid investment - assuming you’re ready to handle the bulk and complexity.

Summary and Practical Recommendations

The Sony Cyber-shot W650 and A55 sit at opposite ends of the camera spectrum, and the right pick depends heavily on your priorities:

• If you want simplicity, ultimate portability, and casual snapshot convenience, the Sony W650 delivers a pocket-friendly solution. Think quick family snaps, day trips, and social media sharing without delving into manual modes or swapping lenses.

• If you aspire to serious photography, creative control, higher image and video quality, and scalability through a large lens ecosystem, the Sony A55’s APS-C sensor, fast autofocus, manual modes, and superior ergonomics provide a platform that rewards learning and growth.

In my experience, for budding enthusiasts who value image quality and creative exploration, the A55 remains a terrific value proposition, especially paired with a modest prime lens. It punches above its price point for portraits, landscapes, and sports, while also offering respectable video features.

On the flip side, if your photography needs are purely casual, or you need a backup camera that fits in your pocket, the W650 will do the job, but don’t expect miracles with image noise or speed.

Photography evolves rapidly, but the principles of sensor size, lens quality, and control accessibility remain constant. The Sony A55 encapsulates these fundamentals better, while the W650 represents convenience and simplicity. Choose accordingly.

Happy shooting!

If you want hands-on lessons on either camera or an in-depth walkthrough of specific photography techniques using these models, just ask - my practical tutorials and video reviews can guide you further.

Until then, trust experiential insights, not just spec sheets, and always shoot what excites you most.

Cheers!