Olympus E-3 vs Sony A550

Below, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-3 versus Sony A550, former being a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a sizable difference among the image resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and A550 (14MP) and the E-3 (Four Thirds) and A550 (APS-C) possess different sensor sizes.

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The E-3 was revealed 21 months earlier than the A550 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving through a in-depth comparison, below is a concise summary of how the E-3 grades against the A550 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-3 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-3 Gallery & Sony A550 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry your camera often, you will need to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-3 enjoys exterior dimensions of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") and a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) and the Sony A550 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-3 versus Sony A550 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you use during that time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the E-3 against the A550.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-3 and A550 is 56 and 63 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's hard to imagine the difference in sensor sizing just by viewing technical specs. The visual underneath may give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-3 and A550.

As you can tell, both of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-3 having a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field harder and the Sony A550 will render more detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The older E-3 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.