Canon SD990 IS vs Sony W550

In this article, we are analyzing the Canon SD990 IS vs Sony W550, both Ultracompact cameras by brands Canon and Sony. The resolution of the SD990 IS (15MP) and the W550 (14MP) is very comparable but the SD990 IS (1/1.7") and W550 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizes.

Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

The SD990 IS was launched 3 years prior to the W550 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer the identical body type (Ultracompact).

Before diving straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a brief summary of how the SD990 IS grades against the W550 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot SD990 IS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550. The complete galleries are provided at Canon SD990 IS Gallery and Sony W550 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera often, you have to factor in its weight and volume. The Canon SD990 IS provides external measurements of 98mm x 62mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") with a weight of 205 grams (0.45 lbs) while the Sony W550 has sizing of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 110 grams (0.24 lbs).

Check out the Canon SD990 IS vs Sony W550 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are employing at that moment. Following is the front view scale comparison of the SD990 IS vs the W550.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SD990 IS and W550 is 92 and 96 respectively.

Typically, it is very tough to visualise the difference in sensor measurements purely by going through specifications. The visual below might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the SD990 IS and W550.

To sum up, both of these cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SD990 IS because of its larger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field simpler and the Canon SD990 IS will produce greater detail utilizing its extra 1 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics far more aggressively. The older SD990 IS will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.