Olympus E-450 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90: An In-Depth Camera Comparison for Enthusiasts and Professionals

Choosing the right camera often hinges on understanding the trade-offs between different models, especially when they cater to vastly different categories like an entry-level DSLR and a compact point-and-shoot. In this detailed comparison, I’ll pit the Olympus E-450 entry-level DSLR against the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90 ultracompact camera. Both were announced around early 2009, yet they serve very different photographic needs and styles. Drawing from over 15 years of professional testing experience and hands-on use, I’ll walk you through their technical capabilities, real-world performance, and value propositions to help you make an informed choice.

Let’s dive in.

Spotting the Difference: Size, Ergonomics, and Handling

Before you even power on a camera, how it fits in your hand and feels during use can set the tone for your shooting experience. Size and ergonomics often dictate portability, comfort during extended use, and control precision.

The Olympus E-450, built as a compact DSLR, sports a body dimension of 130 x 91 x 53 mm and weighs about 426 grams. Its classic SLR design naturally lends itself to a larger grip and more dedicated physical controls, ideal for those who enjoy tactile feedback and manual adjustments on the fly.

The Sony T90, in stark contrast, is as pocketable as a smartphone: 94 x 57 x 15 mm and tipping the scales at just 148 grams. This ultra-slim design screams portability and discretion, perfect for casual outings, street photography, or travel where weight and bulk are concerns.

If you’re all about the feel of a dedicated grip, physical dials, and a robust body, Olympus wins hands down. But if discretion and pocketability are your mantras, Sony’s ultracompact will appeal.

Control Layout and Top Panel Design: A User Interface Breakdown

Now, what about controlling your camera? Shooting fast-moving moments or tweaking precise exposure settings demands well-thought-out button placement.

The Olympus E-450’s top panel resembles a traditional DSLR setup with a mode dial offering manual, aperture, shutter priority, and program modes. There’s a dedicated shutter release surrounded by a power toggle, ISO, and white balance buttons nearby. This layout is minimal but functional - great for beginners transitioning into more manual control yet fast enough for quick adjustments.

The Sony T90 discards most physical controls in favor of simplicity. It offers a minimalistic button footprint, relying heavily on its 3-inch touchscreen to access settings. For those accustomed to touch interfaces (like smartphones), this feels intuitive, but if you prefer buttons that you can blindly operate - say in street or event photography - the T90 might feel less responsive or requiring you to look away from your subject.

Sensor Specs and Image Quality: The Heart of the Camera

The sensor largely defines image quality and performance in different light conditions. Let’s look under the hood.

The E-450 features a Four Thirds 17.3x13 mm CMOS sensor with a resolution of 10 megapixels (3648x2736). Being a relatively large sensor compared to compact cameras, it naturally delivers better noise performance, dynamic range, and color fidelity. Coupled with the TruePic III image processor, it offers respectable color depth (21.5 bits) and dynamic range (10.5 EV) for its era.

On the other hand, the Sony T90 houses a much smaller 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor measuring just 6.17x4.55 mm but with 12 megapixels (4000x3000 resolution). This high pixel density on a compact sensor generally means more noise at higher ISOs and less dynamic range. Still, it pushes a higher max ISO of 3200 compared to Olympus’s 1600, although practically, noise can make high ISO images from the T90 less usable.

In practical shooting, expect the E-450 to deliver cleaner images, especially in lower light or scenes with a wide tonal range - think landscapes at dusk or detailed portraits. The T90’s images will look sharper only at base ISO and in good light, but it’s clearly optimized for convenience over ultimate image quality.

The Rear Interface: Screens and Electronic Viewfinders

How you compose and review shots plays a big role too, especially in varying lighting conditions.

The Olympus E-450 features a 2.7-inch fixed LCD with 230k-dot resolution, modest by today’s standards but decent at the time. Important is the option for an optical pentamirror viewfinder offering 95% coverage and 0.46x magnification, facilitating eye-level framing and steady handholding. For many photographers, the viewfinder remains the preferred composing tool.

The Sony T90 swaps the viewfinder altogether for a larger 3-inch touchscreen LCD (also 230k dots). While the touchscreen is quite responsive and adds some ease in navigating menus, it can be challenging to use in bright sunlight due to glare. The lack of any viewfinder means you rely exclusively on the screen, which can impact stability and battery life in prolonged shoots.

For those who still favor an optical viewfinder - landscape, wildlife, or sports shooters, take note - the Olympus’s inclusion is a win.

Real-World Shooting Across Genres: Strengths and Limitations

Technical specs are one thing, but how do these cameras perform with real subjects and scenarios?

Portrait Photography: Skin Tones and Eye Detection

Portraits demand accurate skin color reproduction and pleasing background separation.

The Olympus E-450’s Four Thirds sensor combined with its available primes and zooms (44 lenses compatible) enables fine bokeh effects and shallow depth of field thanks to the 2.1x crop factor. While it lacks face or eye detection autofocus, its 3-point phase detection AF system performs adequately for still subjects.

The Sony T90's fixed 35-140mm equivalent zoom lens (F3.5-10.0) isn’t known for strong bokeh given limited aperture range. However, the camera’s optical image stabilization helps with steady handholding, although no face detection further limits ease of use for portraits.

I’d recommend the Olympus for any serious portrait work, especially if you own or plan to invest in fast primes. The T90 is more a casual shooter in this realm.

Landscape Photography: Dynamic Range and Build

Landscape photography hinges on sensor quality, resolution, and weather sealing.

With 10 MP and superior dynamic range, as well as a rugged DSLR design (albeit with no formal weather sealing), the Olympus E-450 can handle demanding scenes with rich tonal gradation. Its variety of lenses including ultra-wide primes offers versatility.

The Sony T90’s sensor and lens combo cannot compete on dynamic range or resolution for landscapes. Its compactness and lack of weather resistance mean you’ll need to be more cautious outdoors.

If landscape is your passion, Olympus edges the T90 comfortably.

Wildlife Photography: Autofocus and Burst Rates

For wildlife, quick and accurate autofocus coupled with speedy continuous shooting can capture decisive moments.

The Olympus E-450 offers 4 FPS burst rate and hybrid AF (phase and contrast detection) but only 3 AF points. This is modest, frankly, but respectable in its class and era.

The Sony T90 has a slower 2 FPS and relies solely on contrast detection AF with 9 points but no continuous AF tracking. Combined with a limited max aperture and smaller sensor, its performance here is limited.

Wildlife shooters looking to capture quick, elusive subjects would favor Olympus, especially paired with a telephoto Four Thirds lens.

Sports Photography: Tracking and Low Light

Fast autofocus and frame rates matter most here.

Neither camera is designed as a sports specialist, but Olympus's higher shutter speed cap at 1/4000s and continuous AF deliver a marginal advantage. The Sony’s max shutter speed maxes out at 1/1600s, with no manual exposure modes or shutter priority.

Low-light performance favors Olympus’s larger sensor and ISO 1600 cap over Sony’s ISO 3200 noise-laden images.

If you shoot moderate action or indoor sports casually, Olympus is preferable.

Street and Travel Photography: Discreteness and Portability

Street and travel shooters value small size, light weight, and responsiveness.

Without question, the Sony T90’s ultracompact size, quiet operation, and touchscreen make it excellent for snapping candid moments without drawing attention. Battery life data is scarce but expected to be shorter than Olympus’s.

The E-450, while compact for a DSLR, is bulkier and may pose more of a presence. However, its versatility and superior image quality can reward patient street photographers.

Travel photographers weighing versatility against size should also consider battery life: the E-450 offers a strong 500-shot rating versus the unspecified T90’s likely lower endurance.

Macro and Night/Astro Photography

Though neither model is tailored specifically for macro or astrophotography, Olympus’s lens selection and larger sensor offer more potential. Lack of in-body stabilization and low max ISO constrain night shooting, but the E-450’s ISO performance still outpaces the T90.

Sony’s optical stabilization helps for handheld macro to an extent, but the small sensor and limited exposure modes limit creative control under low light.

Video Capabilities

Video was a nascent feature on these models.

Olympus E-450 lacks video recording capability altogether.

Sony T90 supports 720p HD video at 30fps, encoded in Motion JPEG - a basic, highly compressed format. No external mic input or headphone jack limits audio recording options.

If video matters, T90 is the only choice here, albeit a rudimentary one by modern standards.

Build Quality, Weather Resistance, and Durability

Neither camera is weather sealed or shockproof, but construction quality influences longevity and use confidence.

The Olympus’s DSLR body, though plastic-heavy, has a more purposeful, rugged feel compared to the consumer-grade plastic shell of the Sony ultracompact. I’d trust the Olympus a bit more in everyday rugged use.

Connectivity, Storage, and Battery Life

Olympus uses CompactFlash (CF) and xD cards, both aging formats now but reliable for the era.

Sony relies on Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo, proprietary and less common but easy within Sony ecosystems.

Neither camera offers wireless connectivity (no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth). USB 2.0 ports are standard.

Battery life favors Olympus by a wide margin at 500 shots per charge against Sony’s unspecified, assumed lower endurance.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

A significant Olympus advantage is the Micro Four Thirds lens mount, allowing access to over 45 lenses, from fast primes to super telephotos, wide angles, and specialist optics.

Sony T90’s fixed lens is non-removable, limiting creative flexibility.

Performance Summary and Scores for Reference

For quick overview:

…and by photographic genres:

Sample Images: What to Expect

Looking at real shots captured by both cameras, you’ll notice the Olympus’s superior color depth, dynamic range, and noise control. The Sony T90 produces sharper in bright light but shows much earlier noise and less tonal subtlety.

Olympus E 450 front Olympus E 450 screen back Sony T90 front Sony T90 screen back

Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?

Choose Olympus E-450 if you…

• Crave image quality and dynamic range for portraits, landscapes, or casual wildlife.
• Value manual exposure controls and a genuine optical viewfinder.
• Prefer a more substantial feel with room to grow your lens collection.
• Need longer battery life and flexibility for various shooting genres.
• Care about future-proof workflow like RAW capture and compatibility with DSLR lenses.

Choose Sony DSC-T90 if you…

• Prioritize portability, pocketability, and discreet shooting.
• Want a simple, touchscreen interface with basic automatic shooting and HD video.
• Need a walk-around camera for casual snapshots, street moments, or travel where baggage space is tight.
• Can compromise image quality and manual controls for convenience.

Final Thoughts from My Experience

Having tested thousands of cameras, I view the Olympus E-450 as a solid entry-level DSLR foundation with room to grow. If you take photography seriously and want to learn the ropes with a robust tool, it still holds value despite its age.

The Sony T90 appeals as a “grab-and-go” compact, but I hesitate to call it a serious camera - it’s more a fun, convenient snapshot machine for the enthusiast who values simplicity and size over image control.

If forced to pick just one, I’d recommend Olympus due to its versatility, image quality, and ergonomic advantages - particularly if you’re building a kit for varied photography genres.

I hope this comparison helps you find the camera that best suits your photography ambitions and lifestyle. If you have any questions about specific use cases or lenses, feel free to reach out.

Happy shooting!

End of review