In the Sony digital SLR lineup, the Sony Alpha DSLR A500 and it’s big brother, the Sony Alpha DSLR A550, are aimed squarely at the more experienced DSLR user although most users will find this camera easy to use.

The Alpha DSLR A500 Versus the Alpha DSLR A550

The main differences between the A500 and the A550 are resolution and speed.

The A500 has 12.3 megapixels and the A550 has 14.2 megapixels.  As for speed, the A550 can capture 7 frames per second while the A500 can capture 5 per second.

The A550 also has an amazing 3 inch LCD in high-resolution whereas the A500 LCD appears to be slightly lower resolution.

Frame Difficult Shots with the Tilt-Able LCD

The 3 inch LCD on the A500 and A550 can tilt up or down 90 degrees which makes framing awkward angle shots easier.

For example, when you are holding the camera above or below your line of site you can tilt the LCD so you can see your subject.

Easier to Focus

If you do macro photography or take many photographs from a tripod, you’ll enjoy the Manual Focus Check Live View feature that lets you see your subject on the LCD as you manually focus the camera.

The 9-point AF sensor is a cross-type but the neat feature is the Eye-Start Autofocus that starts focusing the camera as soon as you put your eye to the viewfinder.  This is great for portrait and action photography.

Combine Multiple Exposures with HDR

Now you can combine multiple images and blend them together into High Dynamic Range (HDR) images inside the A500.  This feature has been limited to off-camera photo editing software but now you can do it within the DSLR.

With this feature you can combine two exposures into one shot to get more contrast in the final image.

Long Battery Life

Sony has a few battery saving and monitoring features that allow you to shoot up to 1,000 images using the viewfinder alone or up to 520 shots using the Live View mode.

The InfoLithium battery system displays the percent power remaining so you can estimate how much shooting time you have left.

The A500 and A550 feature Anti-Dust Technology to help keep the CMOS sensor clean.

High-Definition Thumbnails

Both the A500 and the A550 come with HDMI output so you can view your thumbnails in HD on Sony Bravia HDTVs with the Bravia Sync System.

Use Your Favorite Flash Cards

The A500 and A550 have dual media slots so you can use either Memory Stick Pro/Pro-HG Duo or SD/SDHC flash cards to store your images.

This feature makes it easier to share images and you can use the SD/SDHC cards in other cameras and digital equipment.

Read more or pre-order the A500 and the A550 at Amazon: Sony Alpha DSLR A500 / Sony Alpha DSLR A550.