Nikon S640 vs Sony A550

Here is a in-depth assessment of the Nikon S640 versus Sony A550, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Nikon and Sony. The sensor resolution of the S640 (12MP) and the A550 (14MP) is pretty well matched but the S640 (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor dimensions.

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The S640 was manufactured 4 months earlier than the A550 so they are both of a similar generation. The two cameras feature different body design with the Nikon S640 being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a complete comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the S640 grades vs the A550 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon Coolpix S640 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The entire galleries are available at Nikon S640 Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry your camera, you'll need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Nikon S640 comes with physical dimensions of 91mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.6" x 2.2" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 130 grams (0.29 lbs) while the Sony A550 has dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check the Nikon S640 versus Sony A550 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are using at the time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the S640 against the A550.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the S640 and A550 is 96 and 63 respectively.

Normally, it can be hard to visualise the gap between sensor sizing purely by checking specifications. The graphic here should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the S640 and A550.

Plainly, both of these cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The S640 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field harder and the Sony A550 will resolve more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots a good deal more aggressively.