Olympus E-500 vs Olympus 550WP

Here, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-500 vs Olympus 550WP, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both are created by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-500 (8MP) and the 550WP (10MP) is pretty similar but the E-500 (Four Thirds) and 550WP (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-500 was launched 4 years prior to the 550WP and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus 550WP being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a full comparison, here is a simple summation of how the E-500 scores against the 550WP in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-500 and Olympus Stylus 550WP. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Olympus 550WP Gallery.

For anybody who is going to lug around your camera frequently, you'll have to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-500 enjoys physical dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") and a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) while the Olympus 550WP has sizing of 94mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") along with a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-500 vs Olympus 550WP in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilising at that time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the E-500 compared to the 550WP.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the E-500 and 550WP is 70 and 94 respectively.

Usually, its tough to envision the contrast between sensor measurements simply by going over a spec sheet. The visual here should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-500 and 550WP.

As you can see, the two cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-500 featuring a bigger sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus 550WP will offer more detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will let you crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The older E-500 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.