• APS-C 369.7mm2
  • 12.3 megapixels
  • ISO 200 - 12,800
  • 4/3 226.2mm2
  • 20.4 megapixels
  • ISO 200 - 25,600
  • Detailed specifications
  • Sony Alpha DSLR-A500
  • Olympus OM-D E-M1X
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Manufacturer URL: Manufacturer website Manufacturer website
Predecessor:    
Successor:    
General
Model Number: DSLR-A500 E-M1X
Alternate Model Number(s):    
Camera Format: SLR Compact System Camera
Currently Manufactured: No Yes
Retail Price: $849.99 $2999.99
Street Price:   $2,244.65
Date Available: 2009-10-08 2019-02-28
Tripod Mount: Yes Yes
Weight: 31.7 oz (900 g)
includes batteries, kit lens
35.2 oz (997 g)
includes batteries
Size: 5.4 x 4.1 x 3.3 in.
(137 x 104 x 84 mm)
5.7 x 5.8 x 3.0 in.
(144 x 147 x 75 mm)
Waterproof: No No
Waterproof Depth: n/a n/a
Image Sensor
Sensor Type: CMOS Live MOS
Sensor Manufacturer: Sony  
Effective Megapixels: 12.3 20.4
Sensor Format: APS-C 4/3
Sensor size: 369.72mm2 (23.7mm x 15.6mm) 226.2mm2 (17.40mm x 13.00mm)
Approximate Pixel Pitch: 5.55 microns 3.36 microns
Focal Length Multiplier: 1.5x 2.0x
Aspect Ratio: 3:2, 16:9 4:3
Color Filter Type: RGBG RGBG
Anti Aliasing Filter: Fixed None
Self-Cleaning: Yes Yes
Sensor shift image stabilization: Yes Yes
On-Sensor Phase Detect: No Yes
DxO Sensor Score: 64  
DxO Color Depth Score (bits): 21.8  
DxO Dynamic Range Score (evs): 11.6  
DxO Maximum Effective ISO Score (iso): 772  
Image Capture
Image Resolution: 4272 x 2848 (12.2 MP, 3:2),
4272 x 2400 (10.3 MP, 16:9),
3104 x 2072 (6.4 MP, 3:2),
3104 x 1744 (5.4 MP, 16:9),
2128 x 1416 (3.0 MP, 3:2),
2188 x 1192 (2.6 MP, Other)
5184 x 3888 (20.2 MP, 4:3),
3712 x 2784 (10.3 MP, 4:3),
2624 x 1968 (5.2 MP, 4:3),
1824 x 1368 (2.5 MP, 4:3),
1024 x 768 (0.8 MP, 4:3)
Image File Format: JPEG, RAW JPEG (Exif 2.31), 12-bit lossless compressed RAW (.ORF), RAW + JPEG
Continuous-mode frames/second: 4.9 60.7
Video Capture
Can take movies: No Yes
Movie Resolution: 4096x2160 (24p)
3840x2160 (30p/​25p/​24p)
1920x1080 (60p/​50p/​30p/​25p/​24p)
1280x720 (60p/​50p/​30p/​25p/​24p)
4096x2160 (15p/​12p/​8p/​6p/​3p)
3840x2160 (25p/​24p/​15p/​12p/​8p/​6p/​3p)
1920x1080 (120p/​60p/​50p/​25p/​24p/​15p/​12p/​8p/​6p/​3p)
1280x720 (120p/​60p/​50p/​25p/​24p/​15p/​12p/​8p/​6p/​3p)
Movie File Format:   MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 with stereo sound), AVI (Motion JPEG)
Composite Video Out: No No
NTSC/PAL Switchable Video: n/a n/a
Video Usable as Viewfinder: n/a n/a
HD Video Out: Yes Yes
HD Video Connection: HDMI HDMI
Lens & Optics
Lens Mount: Sony Alpha (Minolta A) Micro Four Thirds
Lens: Sony 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 DT SAM n/a
Focal Length (35mm equivalent): 27 - 83mm  
Focal Length (actual): 18 - 55mm  
Zoom Ratio: 3.00x  
Aperture Range: f/3.5 - 22 (W), f/5.6 - ?? (T)  
Integrated ND Filter: No
Normal Focus Range:    
Macro Focus Range:    
Filter Thread: 55.0mm n/a
Thread Type: n/a n/a
Optical Image Stabilization: No No
Digital Zoom: No Yes
Digital Zoom Values: n/a 2x (3x in movie mode)
Auto Focus
Auto Focus: Yes Yes
Auto Focus Type: 9-point TTL phase detection (one cross-type sensor) with eye-start AF; Wide, Spot, Local modes High-speed imager AF: Hybrid Phase-detect/Contrast-detect AF, 121 AF points, all cross-type; All target, group target (5-area / 9- area / 25-area), single target (normal / small), custom target (1-4)
Auto Focus Assist Light? Yes Yes
Manual Focus: Yes Yes
Viewfinder
Viewfinder: Optical / LCD EVF / LCD
Viewfinder Type: SLR type; eye-level pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.80x mag., 19mm eyepoint, -2.5 to +1.0 diopter EVF; High-speed (120fps) low latency (5ms) 2.36M-dot LCD, 1.48x - 1.65x magnification, 100% coverage, 21mm eyepoint, -4 to +2 diopter, eye sensor
Focus Peaking: No Yes
EVF Resolution: n/a 2,360,000 dots
Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent): 0.53x 0.83x
Viewfinder Magnification (nominal/claimed): 0.80x 1.65x
Display
Eye-level Viewfinder: Yes Yes
Rear Display: Yes Yes
Rear Display Size (inches): 3.0 3.0
Rear Display Resolution: 230,400 dots 1,037,000 dots (345,667 px)
Touchscreen: No Yes
Articulating Screen: Yes Yes
Tilt Swivel Screen: Yes
Selfie Screen: Yes
Max Playback Zoom: 13.4x 14.0x
Top Deck Display: No No
Exposure
Maximum ISO (native): 12800 25600
Minimum ISO (native): 200 200
ISO Settings: Auto (200-1600), 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800 AUTO ISO: LOW (approx. 64) - 6400 with customizable upper limit (200 - 6400); Manual ISO: Low (approx. 64) - 25600, 1/3 or 1 EV steps selectable
Auto ISO Mode: Yes Yes
White Balance Settings: Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Flash, Custom Auto, Sunny (5300K), Shadow (7500K), Cloudy (6000K), Incandescent (3000K), Fluorescent (4000K), Underwater, WB Flash (5500K), Custom WB (Kelvin), One-touch WB (4); WB Tuning: +/-7 steps along A-B / G-M axis
Shutter Speed Range: 1/4000 - 30 sec 1/32000 - 60 sec
Bulb Mode: Yes Yes
Exposure Compensation: +/- 2.0EV in 0.3EV steps +/- 5.0EV in 0.3EV steps
Metering Modes: 40-segment Multi Segment, Center-weighted, Spot; (1200 zone evaluative metering in Live View) Digital ESP metering (324-area multi pattern metering), Center weighted average metering, Spot metering, Spot metering with highlight control, Spot metering with shadow control
Program Auto Exposure: Yes Yes
Aperture Priority: Yes Yes
Shutter Priority: Yes Yes
Full Manual Exposure: Yes Yes
Creative Exposure Modes: Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports, Sunset, Night Portrait/Night View 4 Custom settings; Art Filter (Pop Art, Soft Focus, Pale & Light Color, Light Tone, Grainy Film, Pin Hole, Diorama, Cross Process, Gentle Sepia, Dramatic Tone, Key Line, Water Color, Vintage, Partial Color, Soft Focus Effect, Pin-Hole Effect, White Edge Effect, Frame Effect, Star Light Effect, Blur Effect, B&W Effect, Picture Tone, Shade Effect), Underwater Wide/Underwater Macro, HDR1/2, Live Bulb, Live Time, Live Composite, Live ND, Focus Stacking, Focus Bracketing
Self Timer: 2 or 10 seconds 2, 10, Custom seconds
Time Lapse (intervalometer):   Yes
High Resolution Composite: No 80.0 megapixels
Flash
Built-in Flash: Yes No
Flash Modes: Auto, Fill-flash, Rear sync, Wireless, High-Speed sync, Slow sync, Red-eye reduction: On/Off Flash Auto, Redeye, Fill-in, Flash Off, Red-eye Slow sync.(1st curtain), Slow sync.(1st curtain), Slow sync.(2nd curtain), Manual 1/1 (FULL) - 1/64
Flash Guide Number (ISO 100): 12.0 m / 39.4 ft. n/a
Flash Range Description: Lens dependent n/a
Max Flash Sync: 1/160 1/250
Flash Exposure Compensation: +/- 2.0 EV in 0.3EV steps +/- 3.0 EV in 0.3EV steps
External Flash Connection: Hot shoe Hot Shoe, PC Sync Terminal
Built-In Wireless Flash Control: Full TTL exposure No
Image Storage
Usable Memory Types: MS Duo / MS PRO Duo / SD / SDHC SD / SDHC / SDXC
UHS Support:   UHS-II
Other Memory:   Slot 1: UHS-II, Slot 2: UHS-II
Dual Card Slots: No Yes
RAW Capture Support: Yes Yes
Uncompressed Format: RAW 12-bit lossless compressed RAW (.ORF), RAW + JPEG
Movie File Format:   MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 with stereo sound), AVI (Motion JPEG)
Included Memory:   No memory included
Included Memory Type:    
Connectivity
Built-In Wi-Fi: No Yes
NFC: No
Bluetooth: No Yes
Built-In GPS: No Yes
Microphone Jack: No Yes
Headphone Jack: No Yes
External Connections: USB 2.0 High Speed USB 3.0 Super Speed,Bluetooth,WiFi
PictBridge Compliant: Yes Yes
DPOF Compliant: Yes Yes
Remote Control: Yes Yes
Remote Control Type: Optional Wireless or Wired Optional wired or via Wi-Fi/Bluetooth
Connections (extended): DC input, mini-HDMI, Wired Remote Micro HDMI (Type-D), USB 3.0 Type C, 3.5mm external mic jack, 3.5mm external headphone jack, 2.5mm wired remote jack
Performance Timing
Cycle time for JPEG shooting in single shot mode (seconds per frame, max resolution): 0.48 0.46
Cycle time for RAW shooting in single shot mode (seconds per frame): 0.47  
Buffer size for RAW shooting in single shot mode (frames): 9  
Cycle time for RAW+JPEG shooting in single shot mode (seconds per shot):   0.53
Camera penalizes early shutter press? No No
JPEG shooting speed in burst mode (fps, max resolution): 4.9 60.7
Buffer size for JPEG shooting in burst mode (frames, max resolution): 5 49
RAW shooting speed in burst mode (fps):   60.7
Buffer size for RAW shooting in burst mode (frames):   49
RAW+JPEG shooting speed in burst mode (fps):   60.7
Buffer Size for RAW+JPEG shooting in burst mode (frames):   48
Shutter lag (full AF, wide/mid): 0.18 seconds 0.09 seconds
Shutter lag (full AF, tele):    
Shutter lag (full AF, live view - DSLR):    
Shutter lag (prefocused, live view - DSLR):    
Shutter Lag (manual focus): 0.182 seconds 0.060 seconds
Shutter lag (full AF, with flash): 0.21 seconds  
Shutter Lag (prefocused): 0.074 seconds 0.038 seconds
Shutter Lag (notes): Quick AF Live View: Center AF: 0.180s Wide-area AF: 0.181s  
Startup Time: 0.5 seconds 0.8 seconds
Play -> Record Time: 0.3 seconds 0.6 seconds
Flash cycle time, full power: 3.4 seconds  
Power
Battery Life, Stills (CIPA Rating Monitor/Live View):   870 shots
Battery Life, Still (CIPA Rating OVF/EVF): 1000 shots  
Battery Life, Video:   90 minutes
Battery Form Factor: Proprietary NP-FM500H Proprietary BLH-1
Usable Battery Types: Lithium-ion rechargeable 1720mAh Lithium-ion rechargeable
Batteries Included: 1 x Proprietary NP-FM500H 2 x Proprietary BLH-1 Lithium-ion rechargeable
Battery Charger Included (dedicated charger or AC/USB adapter): Yes Yes
Dedicated Battery Charger Included: Yes
Internal Charging Supported: Yes
Software
Included Software: Software/USB Driver CD-ROM  
OS Compatibility: Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS X (v. 10.13+)  
Miscellaneous
Notes & Features: Exmore CMOS Sensor, Variable-angle LCD, SteadyShot In-body Sensor-shift Image Stabilization, Live View, Auto HDR, D-Range Optimizer (Auto, Level 1-5), HDMI Output.