Sony Alpha SLT-A35 vs Sony Alpha SLT-A55

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Alpha SLT-A35 compared with Alpha SLT-A55

	SonyAlpha SLT-A35	SonyAlpha SLT-A55
Overview
Released
Released	July 2011	September 2010
Image and sensor
Camera type
Camera type	Translucent mirror	Translucent mirror
Sensor format
Sensor format	APS-C	APS-C
Sensor type
Sensor type	Exmor APS HD CMOS	Exmor APS HD CMOS
Sensor dimensions
Sensor dimensions	23.5 × 15.6 mm	23.5 × 15.6 mm
Effective resolution
Effective resolution	16.2 MP	16.2 MP
Largest image
Largest image	4912 × 3264	4912 × 3264
RAW recording
RAW recording	Yes	Yes
Standard ISO range
Standard ISO range	100–12800	100–12800
Sensor detail
Sensor detail	Fixed translucent mirror feeds the dedicated phase-detection module while the main sensor supplies live view; maker support page lists 16.5 million total pixels	16.7 million total photosites; fixed translucent mirror feeds a dedicated phase-detection AF sensor while the main sensor supplies live view
Image formats
Image formats	JPEG, RAW (Sony ARW 2.2), RAW+JPEG and 3D panorama MPO; 3:2 or 16:9 stills	JPEG, RAW (Sony ARW 2.2) and RAW+JPEG; 3:2 or 16:9 stills; Sweep Panorama and 3D MPO panorama recording
ISO detail
ISO detail	Auto ISO 100–1600; standard ISO 100–12800; multi-frame noise reduction extends to ISO 25600	Auto ISO 100–1600; multi-frame noise reduction extends sensitivity to ISO 25600; movie Auto ISO 100–3200
Image processor
Image processor	BIONZ	BIONZ
Lens and shooting
Lens mount
Lens mount	Sony A-mount	Sony A-mount
Stabilisation
Stabilisation	Sensor shift	Sensor shift
Maximum continuous burst
Maximum continuous burst	5.5 fps	10 fps
Lens detail
Lens detail	Sony, Minolta and Konica Minolta A-mount AF lenses; official photograph shows the DT 18–55mm kit lens, separate from body specifications	Compatible Sony, Minolta and Konica Minolta A-mount AF lenses; kit lenses are separate from body specifications
Autofocus
Autofocus	15 phase-detection points, including three cross sensors; AF-S, AF-A, AF-C and manual focus; EV −1–18 at ISO 100; predictive tracking and flash AF assist	15-point phase-detection AF with three cross sensors; EV −1–18 at ISO 100; single-shot, automatic and continuous AF, manual focus and Eye-Start AF
Shutter
Shutter	1/4000–30 seconds and Bulb; flash sync 1/160 second	1/4000–30 seconds and Bulb; flash sync 1/160 second
Burst detail
Burst detail	Full-resolution continuous shooting up to 5.5 fps with tracking AF; Tele-zoom Continuous Advance Priority AE reaches 7 fps with approximately 1.4× central crop to 8.4 MP JPEG. Maker Hi buffer: 14 Fine or 18 Standard JPEGs, six RAW or six RAW+JPEG; cropped mode 21 Fine or 29 Standard JPEGs. Card and shooting conditions affect performance	Up to 10 fps in Continuous Advance Priority AE with AF-C focus and exposure adjustment according to the maker manual; AF-S fixes focus to the first frame. Ordinary continuous drive reaches 6 fps; its maker buffer figures are 35 Fine JPEG, 39 Standard JPEG, 20 RAW or 20 RAW+JPEG frames. PhotographyBlog’s exposure-lock description conflicts with the manual; PhotoReview tested a late pre-production unit.
Stabilisation detail
Stabilisation detail	SteadyShot INSIDE sensor shift; maker claim approximately 2.5–4 stops, dependent on lens and conditions	SteadyShot INSIDE sensor-shift system; maker claim approximately 2.5–4 stops depending on lens and conditions
Flash
Flash	Automatic pop-up flash, guide number 10 metres at ISO 100; ADI/pre-flash TTL; compatible external flash required for wireless and high-speed sync	Automatic pop-up flash, guide number 10 in metres at ISO 100; ADI and pre-flash TTL control; compatible external flash required for wireless flash and high-speed sync
Exposure controls
Exposure controls	PASM, Auto, Auto+, scene and panorama modes; 1200-zone metering; ±2 EV compensation in 1/3 steps; D-Range Optimizer, Auto HDR and Picture Effects	PASM, Auto, Auto+, scene, panorama and Continuous Advance Priority AE modes; 1200-zone main-sensor metering; ±2 EV compensation in 1/3 steps; D-Range Optimizer and three-frame Auto HDR
Video
Highest video resolution
Highest video resolution	1920 × 1080 at 25 fps	1920 × 1080 at 29.97 fps
Video detail
Video detail	PAL configuration: Full HD AVCHD at 50 interlaced fields per second with 25 fps sensor output, approximately 17 Mbps; MP4 up to 1440 × 1080 at 25 fps. Main frame rate is sensor output, not interlaced field rate; NTSC/PAL depends on sales region. Maker maximum movie recording approximately 29 minutes; Sony overseas brochure separately qualifies about 11 minutes with SteadyShot at room temperature	Japan/NTSC specification is 1920 × 1080 AVCHD at 59.94 interlaced fields/s from 29.97 sensor frames/s, approximately 17 Mbps; PAL bodies use 50i from 25 frames/s. MP4 supports 1440 × 1080 and VGA. At 20°C Sony claims approximately nine minutes of continuous recording with SteadyShot enabled or 29 minutes disabled; higher temperatures shorten this further.
Audio
Audio	Built-in stereo microphone and mono playback speaker	Built-in stereo microphone, mono playback speaker and external microphone input
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic
Screen size
Screen size	3″	3″
Screen dots
Screen dots	921,600	921,600
Tilting screen
Tilting screen	No	Yes
Display detail
Display detail	Fixed Xtra Fine LCD with TruBlack technology; dots count colour subpixels	Xtra Fine TruBlack LCD; 180° tilt and 270° rotation on a bottom hinge; dots count colour subpixels
Viewfinder detail
Viewfinder detail	Tru-Finder with 1,152,000 effective dot equivalents and 1,440,000 total dot equivalents; 100% coverage and approximately 1.1× magnification with a 50 mm lens	Electronic finder with approximately 100% coverage, 1.10× magnification with a 50 mm lens, and 1,152,000 effective equivalent dots out of 1,440,000 total; electronic level and grid display
Connections and design
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	440 photographs	330 photographs
Body weight
Body weight	415 g (better)	441 g
Release detail
Release detail	Sony Hong Kong states July 2011 availability; Sony UK and US state August 2011	Sony Japan specifies 10 September 2010 for SLT-A55V; the US announcement specifies October 2010. September is the earliest maker-stated retail month found.
Recording media
Recording media	Single slot accepting SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick PRO Duo and PRO-HG Duo	Single slot accepting SD, SDHC, SDXC, Memory Stick PRO Duo and PRO-HG Duo
Ports
Ports	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed and mini HDMI Type C; microphone and wired remote inputs	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, mini HDMI Type C, external microphone input and wired remote terminal; optional infrared remote and AC adaptor
Wireless connections
Wireless connections	–	SLT-A55V includes GPS geotagging; SLT-A55 sold in some markets omits GPS. The Japanese specification and photo represent SLT-A55V.
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	NP-FW50; overseas brochure and Hong Kong specification claim approximately 440 viewfinder or 420 LCD photographs under CIPA. Sony UK launch text/table reverses these to 420 viewfinder/440 LCD	NP-FW50; CIPA maker claim approximately 330 photographs using the viewfinder or 380 using the LCD
Charging
Charging	Supplied BC-VW1 external charger	Supplied BC-VW1 external battery charger
Dimensions
Dimensions	Approximately 124.4 × 92 × 84.7 mm (width × height × depth), excluding protrusions	Approximately 124.4 × 92 × 84.7 mm (width × height × depth)
Weight detail
Weight detail	Sony overseas brochure and Hong Kong launch specification: approximately 415 g body only, 473 g with battery and Memory Stick PRO Duo. Malaysian support page instead lists 433 g body only	Approximately 441 g body only; 500 g including battery and Memory Stick PRO Duo
Materials
Materials	Polycarbonate outer body (PhotographyBlog and Photo Review)	–
Colours
Colours	Black	Black
In the box
In the box	–	NP-FW50 battery, BC-VW1 charger, USB cable, shoulder strap, caps and software CD; kit lenses depend on configuration