Test SLR Sony A850

Producers of camera equipment, while releasing high quality professional full-frame cameras with great sensor resolution, also offer budget models which retain the main advantages of their older cameras but are obviously more attractive in terms of price. What’s the starting point for this move??

Professional equipment of such class, which we are now talking about, is designed for a fairly narrow range of tasks, due primarily to the record matrix resolution and as a consequence, a rapid increase in noise at high and not even very by modern standards values of light sensitivity.

And it means that this camera is more intended for advertising, application and other leisurely shooting, and very few people can afford its purchase, taking into consideration its considerable price: either advertising, constantly practicing photographers or serious agencies, respectable illustrated magazines and so on. d.

But there are also freelance photographers who occasionally do this kind of work but don’t have the means to buy top models. Cameras with extremely high sensor resolution, capable of fully realizing the potential of high quality optics, is intended to fill just this niche of demand for such equipment.

Yes, these models can be without “armoured” case, shutter life can have more modest though what now to call modest? performance, some features may be missing. But the main thing is that this device has the same matrix resolution as its big brother, and all the internal electronics remains unchanged, which means the file will have exactly the same characteristics as the top model file.

Very tempting offers from modern camera makers! And Sony isn’t left out either, with the introduction of the A900 being the starting point for a lightweight camera, the Sony A850. In a previous issue of our magazine I had a chance to test the 900 model thoroughly, so we are not going to dwell on it.

Unfortunately, a magnificent stock of optics from Carl Zeiss, which was provided for the previous tests, was not available in the New York office of Sony for technical reasons . For full-frame cameras, Sony offers a fine selection of lenses and in-house designs, including upgrades formerly known as Minolta.

At the same time the testing program was already clear, so I took the only professional Sony 70-200mm f/2 lens.8 G, whose excellent performance and quality I already had the honor to evaluate. According to the plan we are going to do the test in an advertising studio which I think this camera is made for.

There will be two models in the shoot, so we can assess the merits of the new camera in the conditions for which this camera is best suited. But at the beginning, by tradition, get acquainted with the technical side of new items and try to understand if there is a similarity with the top-end Sony A900.

Amazing Resemblance

Even though it claims to be in a purely professional class the camera is a lightweight model and that means that something has to change in the appearance of the camera.

Here was a pleasant surprise: all Sony A850 controls are absolutely identical to Sony A900. It’s a big gamble: photographers who have worked with the A900 won’t have to get used to the changes in control! This time, the unit is tested without the vertical grip, and therefore the balance of the camera with a heavy lens leaves much to be desired.

Those who work with optics that have significant weight and size should take this into account. Considering that the A850 does not differ from the A900 externally, I will only list the controls on the body panels. Back side: The 3-inch display with a 5-step brightness adjustment, Custom buttons on the right side histogram display button during playback , AE mode switch, Fn button, switch for camera stabilization, joystick, back control dial.

To the left of the display – the buttons for calling menus, display brightness, delete frames and view frames taken. Just above the power switch and viewfinder with diopter adjustment wheel. Front: On the right side: sync terminal, lens mount release button, AF mode switch. To the left of the lens are the AF-assist illumination light and self-timer control light as well as the aperture repeater button.

Top panel: the display panel to the right of the pentaprism, ISO, WB, DRIVE and exposure compensation buttons as well as the display backlight button. Shooting mode switch on the left. The right side wall is the cover that conceals the memory card slot just like the A900, you have two , the left side wall has USB and other connectors. The battery compartment is traditionally located on the bottom panel to the right of the lens.

Features of creative modes

Today’s digital cameras offer a wealth of presetting options for certain scenes. And the obligatory condition for application of various settings is the necessity of preliminary trying all modes, set in the camera.

Evaluating an image by the camera monitor alone is in most cases totally inadequate, because in professional work it is necessary to evaluate the capabilities of post-production work in graphics editors as well. Sometimes the changes a camera makes to a file are totally irreversible. This applies not only to Sony cameras, but other manufacturers as well.

I find it necessary to pay attention to the creative mode setting of the A850. It has long been known that in-camera adjustments of brightness, contrast, saturation and sharpness are not properly applied by absolutely all manufacturers of modern photographic equipment, and that file processing in graphic editors is much more effective and purer in result.

Personally I almost always prefer the “no settings” option in my work: then it is always clear what file I am dealing with and what I have to change to improve it. However, checking the results of such settings is part of the mandatory testing program for any camera although we don’t always mention this part of the test – usually due to limitations on the length of the article .

In the Sony A850, besides the settings common to all manufacturers’ cameras, there is another, unaccustomed one – ZONE. When I use it, the contrast control is turned off, and the ZONE mode itself controls not only the contrast, but also the saturation and brightness so as to prevent overexposure when shooting an object with bright spots.

The mode is effective, but I had to use it down one notch when setting the light for the models in the studio and the file turned out to be completely “dead”. Of course, it is possible to edit such a file in a graphic editor, but in this case no good quality could be obtained. That’s why I want to point out that with any setting you have to understand what the output will be.

With “zero” settings for the studio and choosing the creative mode “standard” we have a great file by all parameters: impeccable in sharpness and information content, as one would expect from a Sony A850.

The camera monitor is very bright and contrasty: I turned down the brightness level by one notch, and when I looked at the footage I saw a picture that was very close to what the computer monitor showed later. And one more thing: with absolutely correct exposure the file seemed to me at the beginning to be a bit lighter, but without any information loss maybe this is a peculiarity of the particular instance of the camera .

Advertising photographers, mind you

Moving into the studio. The photo shoot includes two models, and we are shooting clothes for the magazine Knit@Mode, which I have the honor to work with. The management of the publication is more than happy to cooperate with us and the testing of the new camera goes off without a hitch. This session was chosen for testing due to the high demands on the technical quality of the file and the great difficulty in reproducing different textures correctly.

When preparing the models for the shoot, there was a lot of preparation for each scene, including the work of the stylist and makeup artist with image correction during the shoot. We felt that the complexity of the task was just the thing to allow us to fully test the novelty in the most uncompromising conditions.

The very first shots convince us of our choice: the wide dynamic range is so impressive, that the shooting with the predominance of highlights not only doesn’t cause any critical remarks, but also sets us up for excellent results in the future, although, as always in the beginning of the test, some doubts still arise photo 1 .

Frame two: a fragmented portrait. The high resolution of the sensor of the A850 reminds me a lot of the 900 model: at ISO 200 the detail of the image as well as the absence of noticeable noise is very praiseworthy. The frame is suitable not only for graphic reproduction, but also for printing photos in an exhibition size of at least 60×90 cm photo 2 .

On the following shots Photos 3-6 we check the elaboration on the white surfaces, the smoothness of tonal transitions and the level of detail. The knitwear has a very delicate structure which was shown by the camera.

A huge resolution reserve lets you crop the image within a reasonable range without sacrificing image quality or noticeable loss of detail. Advertising photographers should definitely take note of one more factor: Carl Zeiss produces the highest quality AUTO FOCUS lenses only for Sony, and the quality of optics is one of the most important factors in advertising photography.

Here is our second model on the set. An excellent reason to mention the accuracy of flesh tones reproduction by the sensor: the white balance setting of 5500 K absolutely corresponds to the color temperature of pulse devices, and Sony A850 works out this position without any deviations in color, which, by the way, I also noticed when testing other Sony cameras Photos 7-10 .

Now the model is wearing a black elastic jacket with a hood. The objectives of the test in this scene are detail in the dark surfaces, balance with the bright areas of the image and no noise in the dark areas. The new device is quite good with contrast photos 11 and 12 .

The next test to conclude our studio program is to check the texture reproduction in different parts of the image. On the white pants and on the purple knit sweater we can see absolutely all the details. I attribute the slight decrease in sharpness on the sweater to the shallow depth of field of the Sony 70-200 mm f/2 lens.8 G.

Still, the lens is a long focal length lens, and the aperture was set to 8, so the lens was focusing on the eyes of the model maybe the aperture needed to be set one or two more positions .

So, the studio tests of our new camera turned out to be quite successful and, taking into account the preliminary detailed study of the camera, quite predictable. Sony A850 has kept in itself all the best, laid in the Sony A900, and in the field of application of the new device there is no doubt photos 13-14 .

Finally, to test the image stabilization system at slow shutter speeds. Courtyard, quite gloomy light, ISO 200, focal length 160mm, shutter speed 1/60s, aperture 2.8. I took a couple of shots, all of which were in the sweet spot, even though the aperture value and the shutter speed were not at all conducive to sharpness. A slight overlight on the shoulder of the model when viewed on a computer screen made me think of the ZONE setting, but the shooting was already over.

Conclusions

What I want to note first of all? Sony’s advances in the professional photographic market are undeniable – the products of the famous company are finding more and more of their admirers. The reliability of the offered cameras and excellent

The technical specifications of the professional series cannot but win the respect of photographers engaged in high-end commercial and applied photography.

And Sony A850 is no exception: a lightweight version of the 900th model, given the lower price, will undoubtedly find its followers. With its high-quality optics, it captures beautiful images with great detail and highlight gradation. In application and subject photography the increased range of tones can be a decisive argument for the A850.

Flashguns, battery packs and many other useful accessories, which Sony makes constantly improving, help to make a professional photographer’s work successful. Of course, the speed of the A850 does not meet the demands of reportage photography, nor does it speak for very high ISO’s, but you can use it for studio, interiors, architecture, and other work that requires serious preparations,

The Sony A850 realizes its full potential. I advise to have a good look at this camera for free-lance photographers, performing advertising photography of high technical level.

Good luck to you, colleagues!

The editorial team would like to thank the Sony New York office for the equipment they made available for testing.

The editorial staff would like to thank Knit@Mode magazine and “Objective” studio for cooperation in the test.

Picture tests

By clicking on the picture you can see enlarged image. You can exit full screen mode by clicking outside the field of photo.

Photo 1. The very first shots let us see if our choice is the right one: the wide dynamic range of the sensor does not cause any critical remarks in the shooting with predominance of light tones 100 mm, f/8, 1/250 s, ISO 200 .

Photo 2. Fragmented portrait. The enormous resolution of the Sony A850’s sensor is a lot like that of the 900. At ISO 200 the detail of the image, as well as the absence of noticeable noise deserves all praise 200 mm, f/8, 1/250 s, SO 200 .

Photo 3. Checking the texture retouching on light surfaces, smoothness of tonal transitions and level of detail. The knitted elements of our model have a very fine structure, which the camera reproduces very faithfully 135 mm, f/8, 1/250 s, ISO 200 .

Photo 4. Headband with gold metallic thread on the model’s head. Very faithful reproduction of color and distinctive glow 180 mm, f/8, 1/250 s, ISO 200 .

Photo 5. The same model in a different scale, the camera succeeded in rendering the texture of the clothes, including on the edges of the frame 120 mm, f/8, 1/250 s, ISO 200 .

Photo 6. Same scale, but the range of clothing sections ranges from white to completely black 120 mm, f/8, 1/250 s, ISO 200 .

Photo 7. White balance of 5500 K according to the color temperature of the pulse devices . Sony A850 works out without any color variations 200mm, f/8, 1/250s, ISO 200 .

Photo 8. In an abundance of very unsaturated colors, color rendering is excellent 135mm, f/8, 1/250s, ISO 200 .

Photo 9. The pure warm complexion and the gentle blue look the same in the picture 160 mm, f/8, 1/250 s, ISO 200 .

Photo 10. Detailed processing and lack of noise on dark surfaces, balanced with highlights 75 mm, f/8, 1/250 s, ISO 200 .

Photo 11. The camera handles contrast quite well: dark surfaces are detailed, and the overall tonal balance is excellent 135 mm, f/8, 1/250 s, ISO 200 .

Photo 12. Checking the texture transfer in different areas of the image. Slight lack of sharpness on the sweater, due to the small DOF 80 mm, f/8, 1/250 s, ISO 200 .

Photo 13. More frontal pose of the model, with depth of field all right 150mm, f/8, 1/250 s, ISO 200 .

Photo 14. Testing image stabilization at slow shutter speeds. All shots are quite sharp, despite the settings 160 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 s, ISO 200 .