 The a550 uses a 14.2 megapixel APS-C Type CMOS Exmor Sensor.It is a 23.4 x 15.6 mm APS-C Type CMOS Exmor Sensor with an RGB Color Filter Array, Built-in fixed low-pass filter, with 14.6 million total pixels and 14.2 million effective pixels.This sensor is capable of recording in 5 different File qualities / formats