Canon 550D vs Olympus XZ-1

Lets examine more closely at the Canon 550D and Olympus XZ-1, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Canon and Olympus. There is a huge difference between the image resolutions of the 550D (18MP) and XZ-1 (10MP) and the 550D (APS-C) and XZ-1 (1/1.63") possess different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The 550D was introduced 10 months before the XZ-1 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Canon 550D being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight into a in depth comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the 550D scores vs the XZ-1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Canon EOS 550D and Olympus XZ-1. The whole galleries are available at Canon 550D Gallery and Olympus XZ-1 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry your camera frequently, you'll have to think about its weight and size. The Canon 550D has got external measurements of 129mm x 98mm x 62mm (5.1" x 3.9" x 2.4") having a weight of 530 grams (1.17 lbs) while the Olympus XZ-1 has specifications of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs).

Contrast the Canon 550D and Olympus XZ-1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. The following is the front view scale comparison of the 550D against the XZ-1.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the 550D and XZ-1 is 70 and 88 respectively.

Generally, it is very difficult to imagine the gap between sensor sizing merely by checking specifications. The photograph here will help offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the 550D and XZ-1.

To sum up, each of the cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The 550D having a bigger sensor is going to make achieving bokeh less difficult and the Canon 550D will resolve more detail using its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The older 550D is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.