Sony A850 Review

The Sony A850 is virtually identical to the A900 for significantly less money, with the only concessions to price being the slightly smaller viewfinder coverage, slower burst shooting mode and the lack of a remote control in the box. We're a little late in reviewing the A850, but that still doesn't stop it from being an attractively specified and crucially well-priced full-frame DSLR.

The Sony A850 is not simply the highest-resolution DSLR out there – it's much more than that. Its viewfinder is one of the best you'll find south of medium format, the build is incredibly robust, the controls are intuitive, with some of them – such as the dedicated Histogram button, the metering mode knob or the well-implemented rear joystick – being close to pure genius. On top of that, the fact that it is the only full-frame digital SLR with image stabilisation integrated into the body (alongside the A900) makes it a very attractive proposition. Add to this a few useful features such as Manual Exposure Shift (ME Shift), AF Micro Adjustment and Dynamic Range Optimisation, and you have a very well-rounded photographic tool that is not likely to let you down in the field.

Author:Mark Goldstein

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