Olympus E-30 vs Sony A560

In this article, we will be evaluating the Olympus E-30 and Sony A560, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-30 (12MP) and the A560 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the E-30 (Four Thirds) and A560 (APS-C) use different sensor size.

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The E-30 was released 17 months prior to the A560 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony A560 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a short overview of how the E-30 grades against the A560 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-30 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A560. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-30 Gallery and Sony A560 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry your camera regularly, you have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-30 has outside 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) and the Sony A560 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

See the Olympus E-30 and Sony A560 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you use at that time. The following is the front view sizing comparison of the E-30 vs the A560.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-30 and A560 is 60 and 64 respectively.

More often than not, it can be hard to visualize the difference in sensor sizing simply by seeing technical specs. The graphic below should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-30 and A560.

As you can tell, both of the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-30 due to its smaller sensor is going to make getting bokeh harder and the Sony A560 will provide more detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures a little more aggressively. The older E-30 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.