Nikon D200 vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A100

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D200 compared with Alpha DSLR-A100

	NikonD200	SonyAlpha DSLR-A100
Overview
Released
Released	December 2005	July 2006
Image and sensor
Camera type
Camera type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor format
Sensor format	APS-C	APS-C
Sensor type
Sensor type	CCD	CCD
Sensor dimensions
Sensor dimensions	23.6 × 15.8 mm	23.6 × 15.8 mm
Effective resolution
Effective resolution	10.2 MP	10.2 MP
Largest image
Largest image	3872 × 2592	3880 × 2600
RAW recording
RAW recording	Yes	Yes
Standard ISO range
Standard ISO range	100–1600	100–1600
Sensor detail
Sensor detail	10.92 million total pixels; four-channel output; Image Dust Off reference data for software correction	Interlace-scan CCD with primary-colour filter; 10.8 million total pixels; anti-static coating and sensor vibration for dust reduction
Image formats
Image formats	12-bit NEF RAW, compressed or uncompressed, JPEG and RAW plus JPEG. The original manual and Nikon Korea establish 12-bit recording; the current US archived table also lists 14-bit, which is not used here	JPEG, RAW and RAW+JPEG; Sony UK lists 3880 × 2600 RAW and 3872 × 2592 maximum JPEG. Sony Japan's launch table gives 3872 × 2592 recording pixels without a separate RAW row.
ISO detail
ISO detail	Expanded equivalents up to ISO 3200; Auto ISO	Standard ISO 100–1600; Auto ISO 100–800; Lo80 and Hi200 are separate Zone Matching settings
Image processor
Image processor	Nikon image-processing engine inherited from the D2X	BIONZ
Lens and shooting
Lens mount
Lens mount	Nikon F mount	Sony A-mount
Stabilisation
Stabilisation	Optical lens stabilisation	Sensor shift
Maximum continuous burst
Maximum continuous burst	5 fps	3 fps
Lens detail
Lens detail	AF coupling supports compatible screw-drive lenses. Supported non-CPU AI lenses permit aperture-priority and manual exposure; entering lens data enables colour matrix metering and aperture display. IX and F3AF lenses unsupported	Interchangeable A-mount; compatible Sony, Minolta and Konica Minolta lenses; kit-lens specifications are separate from the camera body
Autofocus
Autofocus	Multi-CAM 1000 phase detection; 11 normal areas or seven wide areas; single, dynamic, group dynamic and closest-subject modes; AF-S and AF-C	TTL phase detection; nine points with centre cross sensor; single-shot, continuous, automatic AF, direct manual focus and manual focus; selectable Eye-Start AF
Shutter
Shutter	1/8000 to 30 seconds and Bulb; flash sync 1/250 second; shutter tested beyond 100000 cycles	Electronically controlled vertical-traverse focal-plane shutter; 30 seconds to 1/4000 second plus Bulb; flash sync 1/160 second with stabilisation off or 1/125 with it on
Burst detail
Burst detail	High-speed approximately 5 fps; low-speed 1–4 fps; maker claims up to 37 JPEG or 22 NEF frames, depending on settings	Up to 3 fps under Sony's L Fine JPEG, manual-focus and faster-than-1/250-second conditions. JPEG can continue until the card fills with sufficiently fast media; buffer claim is six RAW or three RAW+JPEG photographs.
Stabilisation detail
Stabilisation detail	Optical VR depends on the attached lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation	Super SteadyShot CCD-shift mechanism; Sony claims approximately 2–3.5 stops depending on lens and shooting conditions; Minolta AF Macro Zoom 3X-1X F1.7-2.8 is excluded from the launch compatibility claim
Flash
Flash	Pop-up i-TTL flash; guide number approximately 12 at ISO 100 in metres, 13 at full manual output; commander for two remote groups; hot shoe and PC sync terminal	Built-in manually raised flash; guide number 12 at ISO 100 in metres; ADI/P-TTL metering; compatible external Alpha flash support
Exposure controls
Exposure controls	P/S/A/M; 1005-pixel RGB 3D Colour Matrix Metering II; ±5 EV compensation; interval timer and multiple exposure	Program, aperture priority, shutter priority and manual; six scene modes; 40-segment honeycomb, centre-weighted and spot metering; D-Range Optimizer is unavailable for RAW and RAW+JPEG
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical	Optical
Screen size
Screen size	2.5″	2.5″
Screen dots
Screen dots	230,000	230,000
Tilting screen
Tilting screen	No	–
Display detail
Display detail	Fixed TFT with 170° viewing angle; dots count subpixels	Clear Photo LCD Plus TFT; 230,000 dots count display subpixels; shooting information rotates when the body is turned
Viewfinder detail
Viewfinder detail	Pentaprism, approximately 95% coverage and 0.94× magnification with 50mm at infinity; 19.5 mm eyepoint; selectable grid	Fixed eye-level roof-mirror system; 95% coverage; 0.83× magnification with a 50 mm lens focused at infinity
Connections and design
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	No	–
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	340 photographs	750 photographs
Body weight
Body weight	830 g	545 g (better)
Release detail
Release detail	Nikon's original US announcement specifies late December 2005 availability; main records the month	Sony Japan specifies 21 July 2006 for the body and both initial lens kits; Sony's US release gives July 2006 without a day.
Recording media
Recording media	CompactFlash Type I/II and Microdrive; no UDMA capability inferred from the current archived US table	CompactFlash Type I/II and Microdrive; Memory Stick Duo and PRO Duo through supplied CF-slot adaptor
Ports
Ports	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, analogue NTSC/PAL output, ten-pin accessory terminal, PC flash sync and optional AC adapter input; optional MC-35 connects compatible external GPS receivers	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, switchable NTSC/PAL video output, remote-release terminal and DC input
Wireless connections
Wireless connections	Optional WT-3 transmitter provides 802.11b/g image transfer; networking is not built into the body	–
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	EN-EL3e; approximately 340 photographs in the manual's single-frame test with flash on alternate exposures, not labelled CIPA. A separate continuous test claims approximately 1800; optional MB-D200 holds one or two EN-EL3e packs or six AA batteries	NP-FM55H; approximately 750 photographs under CIPA conditions with flash used for half of the shots
Charging
Charging	External MH-18a charger; optional EH-6 AC adapter	Supplied BC-VM10 external charger
Dimensions
Dimensions	Approximately 147 × 113 × 74 mm	133.1 × 94.7 × 71.3 mm (width × height × depth), excluding protrusions
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximately 830 g excluding battery, card, body cap and monitor cover	Approximately 545 g without battery, recording media, lens or body accessories
Colours
Colours	–	Black or silver
In the box
In the box	–	NP-FM55H battery, BC-VM10 charger, video and USB cables, power cord, shoulder strap, Memory Stick Duo CF adaptor, body and accessory-shoe caps, software CD
Materials
Materials	Magnesium-alloy chassis and body cover with environmental sealing; not a waterproof rating	–
Video
Video detail
Video detail	No movie recording or live view	Still-image camera; no movie recording or live-view framing (Photography Blog and Cameralabs)