Specs appear for Sony A500 and A850

25 August 2009 11:19 GMT / By Duncan Geere

A few specs have leaked out for the forthcoming Sony A500 and A850 DSLRs. Neither has been officially announced, the the entire manual of the A850 has leaked online, and some of the details of the A500 have also shown up and appear to be realistic.

The A500 will have a 12.3-megapixel sensor, go up to ISO 12800 and have two live view modes - a quick autofocus and a direct view mode where the mirror is down and the sensor is exposed. It has a 3-inch LCD on the back, 9 autofocus points and a 1/4000th sec minimum shutter speed.

The A850, on the other hand, is a more serious proposition. It has a 24.6-megapixel sensor, 35mm CMOS sensor, and ISO range of 100 to 6400. It can shoot at 3 frames per second, and has 9 autofocus points, along with image stabilization tech. It works with CF cards and Memory Stick Duos, and on the back is a 3-inch LCD display.

Both models will likely appear in an official capacity within the next month or so - perhaps at IFA - so that that they're ready for the public to buy in time for Christmas. When we hear more about pricing and availability, we'll let you know.