Sony A850 Question

Hi all,

I've been looking at a few of these, and reading a few reviews seems that the big

complaint is the distortion at high ISO's above say 800. Is this true is there any 850

user that use the high iso's that could comment?

Thanks

I've never heard it described as "distortion" but like other early 24MP full frame DSLRs the noise of A850 sensor can seem worse at high ISO than newer cameras. A850/A900 were primarily used at ISO 800 or less. From 800 onward noise increases, you would need to test for yourself how high you could go before it becomes unacceptable. A850 high ISO raws respond well to noise reduction but the Sony jpeg engine of that era wrote poor OOC jpeg files.

A850 still makes a nice traditional DSLR platform for Minolta A-mount lenses, producing excellent quality for landscape, architecture, street and portraiture if you can work within "film era" ISO expectations (up to 800 is fine, 1600 begins to stumble a bit and 3200-6400 isn't as good vs newer sensors). High ISO performance of the A850 would slot in somewhere between its contemporaries Canon 5DII and Nikon D3x, if that context means anything to you. Search for "Sony A900 High ISO" images and you'll get more sample hits (A850 was a lower-cost variation of better-known A900). A couple random examples (not mine): ISO 2000 here and ISO 6400 here.

I've never heard it described as "distortion" but like other early 24MP full frame DSLRs the noise of A850 sensor can seem worse at high ISO than newer cameras. A850/A900 were primarily used at ISO 800 or less. From 800 onward noise increases, you would need to test for yourself how high you could go before it becomes unacceptable. A850 high ISO raws respond well to noise reduction but the Sony jpeg engine of that era wrote poor OOC jpeg files.

 

A850 still makes a nice traditional DSLR platform for Minolta A-mount lenses, producing excellent quality for landscape, architecture, street and portraiture if you can work within "film era" ISO expectations (up to 800 is fine, 1600 begins to stumble a bit and 3200-6400 isn't as good vs newer sensors). High ISO performance of the A850 would slot in somewhere between its contemporaries Canon 5DII and Nikon D3x, if that context means anything to you. Search for "Sony A900 High ISO" images and you'll get more sample hits (A850 was a lower-cost variation of better-known A900). A couple random examples (not mine): ISO 2000 here and ISO 6400 here.

I meant noise but you seem to know what I mean, the pictures don't look to bad and the Minolta A lenses are good lenses. than you for the info.