Specifications#
- Brand
- Sony
- Model
- Alpha 850
- Also known as
- DSLR-A850
- Camera type
- DSLR
- Released
- 2009-01-01
- Lens mount
- Sony / Minolta A-mount
- Sensor size
- 35.8 × 23.9 mm (Full frame (35 mm))
- Crop factor
- 1.01×
- Resolution
- 24.6 MP (6,070 × 4,053 px)
- Weight
- 850 g (30.0 oz)
- Sensor
- 35.8 mm × 23.9 mm Exmor CMOS sensor
- Storage
- Memory Stick: Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo Compact Flash Type I, Type II (Microdrive), UDMA (Mode 5) compliant
- Viewfinder
- Fixed eye-level system with optical glass type pentaprism, approximately 98%
- Focus
- Manual, and; AF Modes : Single-shot AF, Automatic AF, Continuous AF, (AF/MF selectable)
- AF points / area
- Wide (Auto, up to 9 areas), Spot, Local (9 local areas selectable)
- Metering
- Type: TTL metering; Cell: 40-segment honeycomb-pattern SPC; Range: 0 EV to 20 EV (+2 EV to +20 EV with spot metering) (at ISO 100 equivalent with F1.4 lens); Mode: Multi segment, Spot, Centre weighted
- Exposure modes
- Mode: Auto, Program Auto (P, with program shift), Aperture priority (A), Shutter priority (S), Manual (M)
- Shutter
- Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane type
- Lens
- Sony mount; compatible with Minolta A-type bayonet mount. Sony α lens and Konica Minolta α/Maxxum/Dynax lens
Specifications merged from Wikipedia, Wikidata, Lensfun and openMVG. Spot an error? Tell us.
Sensor size compared#
Focal length equivalents & field of view#
Multiply any focal length by 1.01 to get the full-frame field of view. Angles are for a rectilinear lens focused at infinity.
| Lens on this camera | Full-frame equivalent | Horizontal | Vertical | Diagonal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 mm | 10 mm | 121.6° | 100.2° | 130.2° |
| 12 mm | 12 mm | 112.3° | 89.8° | 121.7° |
| 14 mm | 14 mm | 103.9° | 81.0° | 113.9° |
| 16 mm | 16 mm | 96.4° | 73.5° | 106.7° |
| 18 mm | 18 mm | 89.7° | 67.2° | 100.2° |
| 20 mm | 20 mm | 83.7° | 61.7° | 94.2° |
| 24 mm | 24 mm | 73.4° | 52.9° | 83.8° |
| 28 mm | 28 mm | 65.2° | 46.2° | 75.1° |
| 35 mm | 35 mm | 54.2° | 37.7° | 63.2° |
| 40 mm | 40 mm | 48.2° | 33.3° | 56.6° |
| 50 mm | 50 mm | 39.4° | 26.9° | 46.6° |
| 56 mm | 56 mm | 35.5° | 24.1° | 42.0° |
| 70 mm | 70 mm | 28.7° | 19.4° | 34.2° |
| 85 mm | 85 mm | 23.8° | 16.0° | 28.4° |
| 100 mm | 101 mm | 20.3° | 13.6° | 24.3° |
| 135 mm | 136 mm | 15.1° | 10.1° | 18.1° |
| 200 mm | 201 mm | 10.2° | 6.8° | 12.3° |
| 300 mm | 302 mm | 6.8° | 4.6° | 8.2° |
| 400 mm | 402 mm | 5.1° | 3.4° | 6.2° |
| 600 mm | 603 mm | 3.4° | 2.3° | 4.1° |
| 800 mm | 804 mm | 2.6° | 1.7° | 3.1° |
Depth of field table#
Total depth of field at each subject distance, using a circle of confusion of 29.8 µm (the 0.030 mm full-frame standard scaled by the crop factor). Detailed tables: 24 mm f/1.8, 24 mm f/2.8, 35 mm f/1.8, 35 mm f/2.8, 50 mm f/1.8, 50 mm f/2.8.
| Focal | Aperture | 50.0 cm | 1.00 m | 2.00 m | 3.00 m | 5.00 m | 10.0 m | Hyperfocal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 mm | f/1.8 | 5.3 cm | 22.0 cm | 92.3 cm | 2.23 m | 7.95 m | ∞ | 9.03 m |
| 22 mm | f/2.8 | 8.3 cm | 34.8 cm | 1.55 m | 4.19 m | 32.9 m | ∞ | 5.81 m |
| 22 mm | f/4 | 12.0 cm | 51.2 cm | 2.56 m | 9.57 m | ∞ | ∞ | 4.08 m |
| 22 mm | f/8 | 25.0 cm | 1.26 m | 81.6 m | ∞ | ∞ | ∞ | 2.05 m |
| 43 mm | f/1.8 | 1.3 cm | 5.6 cm | 22.8 cm | 51.9 cm | 1.47 m | 6.31 m | 34.5 m |
| 43 mm | f/2.8 | 2.1 cm | 8.7 cm | 35.7 cm | 81.6 cm | 2.36 m | 11.3 m | 22.2 m |
| 43 mm | f/4 | 3.0 cm | 12.4 cm | 51.4 cm | 1.19 m | 3.57 m | 21.9 m | 15.5 m |
| 43 mm | f/8 | 5.9 cm | 25.1 cm | 1.08 m | 2.68 m | 10.8 m | ∞ | 7.79 m |
| 73 mm | f/1.8 | 0.4 cm | 1.9 cm | 7.8 cm | 17.7 cm | 49.8 cm | 2.02 m | 99.3 m |
| 73 mm | f/2.8 | 0.7 cm | 2.9 cm | 12.1 cm | 27.6 cm | 77.7 cm | 3.19 m | 63.8 m |
| 73 mm | f/4 | 1.0 cm | 4.2 cm | 17.3 cm | 39.5 cm | 1.12 m | 4.68 m | 44.7 m |
| 73 mm | f/8 | 1.9 cm | 8.3 cm | 34.8 cm | 80.1 cm | 2.32 m | 11.1 m | 22.4 m |
| 120 mm | f/1.8 | 0.1 cm | 0.7 cm | 2.8 cm | 6.4 cm | 18.2 cm | 73.8 cm | 268 m |
| 120 mm | f/2.8 | 0.2 cm | 1.0 cm | 4.4 cm | 10.0 cm | 28.3 cm | 1.15 m | 172 m |
| 120 mm | f/4 | 0.3 cm | 1.5 cm | 6.2 cm | 14.3 cm | 40.5 cm | 1.65 m | 121 m |
| 120 mm | f/8 | 0.6 cm | 2.9 cm | 12.5 cm | 28.7 cm | 81.4 cm | 3.37 m | 60.4 m |
Equivalent aperture#
Exposure is identical at the same f-number on any format; equivalence only describes depth of field and total light.
Diffraction & pixel pitch#
With 5.90 µm pixels, diffraction starts to soften pixel-level detail around f/8.8. For maximum sharpness keep landscapes between f/4.8 and f/9; stopping down further trades detail for depth of field.
| Aperture | Airy disk diameter | Spread over | At 100% view |
|---|---|---|---|
| f/2.8 | 3.8 µm | 0.6 px | sharp |
| f/4 | 5.4 µm | 0.9 px | sharp |
| f/5.6 | 7.5 µm | 1.3 px | sharp |
| f/8 | 10.7 µm | 1.8 px | sharp |
| f/11 | 14.8 µm | 2.5 px | slight softening |
| f/16 | 21.5 µm | 3.6 px | visibly soft |
| f/22 | 29.5 µm | 5.0 px | visibly soft |
Maximum print sizes#
At 24.6 MP the Sony Alpha 850 produces 6,070 × 4,053 pixel images. See the 24 megapixel guide or the print size calculator.
| Resolution | Typical use | Inches | Centimetres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300 DPI | Photo-lab quality | 20.2 × 13.5 in | 51 × 34 cm |
| 240 DPI | Fine-art inkjet | 25.3 × 16.9 in | 64 × 43 cm |
| 200 DPI | Wall print | 30.4 × 20.3 in | 77 × 51 cm |
| 150 DPI | Poster, viewed from 1 m+ | 40.5 × 27.0 in | 103 × 69 cm |
Night-sky exposure limits#
Longest exposure before stars trail. The NPF rule accounts for pixel pitch and is stricter than the classic 500 rule — use it for pin-sharp stars on high-resolution sensors.
| Focal length | 500 rule | NPF f/1.8 | NPF f/2.8 | NPF f/4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 mm (14 mm eq.) | 35.5 s | 17.1 s | 19.6 s | 22.6 s |
| 20 mm (20 mm eq.) | 24.9 s | 12.0 s | 13.7 s | 15.8 s |
| 24 mm (24 mm eq.) | 20.7 s | 10.0 s | 11.5 s | 13.2 s |
| 35 mm (35 mm eq.) | 14.2 s | 6.9 s | 7.9 s | 9.1 s |
| 50 mm (50 mm eq.) | 9.9 s | 4.8 s | 5.5 s | 6.3 s |
Handheld shutter speed guide#
The reciprocal rule uses the equivalent focal length. High-resolution sensors may need one stop faster than this for pixel-sharp results.
| Focal length | No stabilisation (1/equiv. focal) | With 3-stop IS | With 5-stop IBIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 mm | 1/25 s | 0.3 s | 1.3 s |
| 50 mm | 1/50 s | 1/6 s | 0.6 s |
| 99 mm | 1/100 s | 1/13 s | 0.3 s |
| 199 mm | 1/200 s | 1/25 s | 1/6 s |
Lenses for the Sony Alpha 850#
Native Sony / Minolta A-mount lenses in our database (129 total). Also adaptable: T-mount (T2), M42 screw mount, Deckel (DKL), Tamron Adaptall, M39 / LTM (Leica thread).
- Samyang 8mm f/3.5 Fish-Eye CS 8 mm
- Samyang 10mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS CS 10 mm
- Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D 12 mm
- Samyang 14mm f/2.8 AE ED AS IF UMC 14 mm
- Laowa 15mm F/4 Wide Angle Macro 15 mm
- Samyang 16mm f/2.0 ED AS UMC CS 16 mm
- Samyang 20mm f/1.8 ED AS UMC 20 mm
- Samyang 24mm f/1.4 ED AS IF UMC 24 mm
- Samyang T-S 24mm f/3.5 ED AS UMC 24 mm
- Laowa 60mm f/2.8 2X Ultra-Macro 60 mm
- Samyang 85mm f/1.4 IF UMC Aspherical 85 mm
- Samyang 135mm f/2 ED UMC 135 mm
- Sigma 4.5mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM circular fisheye 4.5 mm
- Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM 8–16 mm
- Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM 10–20 mm
- Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC 10–20 mm
- Sigma 10mm f/2.8 EX DC Fisheye HSM 10 mm
- Tamron SP AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) 10–24 mm
- Tamron SP AF 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) 11–18 mm
- Tokina AF 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX 11–16 mm
- Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX II (11-16mm f/2.8) 11–16 mm
- Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 II DG HSM 12–24 mm
- Sigma 14mm f/2.8 EX 14 mm
- Sigma 14mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical HSM 14 mm
- Sigma 14mm f/3.5 EX 14 mm
- Sigma 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX DG Aspherical 15–30 mm
- Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye 15 mm
- Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD 15–30 mm
- Sony AF DT 16-105mm f/3.5-5.6 16–105 mm
- Sony DT 16-50mm f/2.8 SSM 16–50 mm
- Sony Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 16-35mm f/2.8 ZA SSM II 16–35 mm
- Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro B016 16–300 mm
- Sigma 17-35mm F2.8-4 EX DG Aspherical HSM 17–35 mm
- Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 EX DG 17–35 mm
- Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM 17–50 mm
- Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM | Contemporary 013 17–70 mm
Similar cameras#
Other Full frame (35 mm) cameras from around the same time.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the crop factor of the Sony Alpha 850?
The Sony Alpha 850 has a crop factor of 1.01× relative to 35 mm full frame (diagonal 43.0 mm vs 43.3 mm).
What size is the Sony Alpha 850 sensor?
35.8 × 23.9 mm (Full frame (35 mm)), an area of 856 mm² — 99% of full frame.
Is the Sony Alpha 850 full frame?
Yes — its sensor is the same 36 × 24 mm size as 35 mm film.
How many megapixels does the Sony Alpha 850 have?
24.6 megapixels (6,070 × 4,053 pixels), enough for a 20 × 14 inch print at 300 DPI.
What lens mount does the Sony Alpha 850 use?
The Sony Alpha 850 uses the Sony / Minolta A-mount (flange distance 44.50 mm).
How long can I expose the night sky with the Sony Alpha 850?
With a 20 mm lens (20 mm equivalent) the 500 rule gives 25 s and the stricter NPF rule at f/2.8 gives 14 s.
Sources & licences#
- Wikipedia: Sony Alpha 850 — CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wikidata Q1130213 — CC0
- Lensfun camera database — CC BY-SA 3.0
- openMVG sensor width database — MPL-2.0
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources