Olympus E-30 vs Sony A550

Lets look a bit more closely at the Olympus E-30 versus Sony A550, former being a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-30 (12MP) and the A550 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the E-30 (Four Thirds) and A550 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-30 was introduced 8 months earlier than the A550 and they are both of a similar age. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving into a more detailed comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the E-30 grades versus the A550 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-30 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-30 Gallery & Sony A550 Gallery.

When you are going to carry your camera regularly, you are going to need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-30 offers exterior dimensions of 142mm x 108mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.3" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 695 grams (1.53 lbs) whilst the Sony A550 has dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-30 versus Sony A550 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at the time. Underneath is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-30 versus the A550.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-30 and A550 is 60 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to visualise the difference between sensor sizing only by looking at specs. The graphic underneath should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-30 and A550.

All in all, the two cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-30 using its tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh more difficult and the Sony A550 will resolve extra detail using its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The older E-30 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.