Olympus E-420 vs Sony A380

On this page, we will be comparing the Olympus E-420 versus Sony A380, both Entry-Level DSLR cameras by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the E-420 (10MP) and A380 (14MP) and the E-420 (Four Thirds) and A380 (APS-C) provide different sensor sizing.

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The E-420 was brought out 14 months prior to the A380 which makes them a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras have the same body design (Compact SLR).

Before getting straight to a thorough comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the E-420 scores versus the A380 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-420 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-420 Gallery & Sony A380 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-420 comes with physical dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") accompanied by a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Sony A380 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") having a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

See the Olympus E-420 versus Sony A380 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the E-420 compared to the A380.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-420 and A380 is 77 and 68 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor sizes merely by researching a spec sheet. The pic below will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-420 and A380.

Clearly, each of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-420 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh more difficult and the Sony A380 will result in more detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-420 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.