Olympus E-500 vs Sony A230

Its time to look more in depth at the Olympus E-500 vs Sony A230, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-500 (8MP) and the A230 (10MP) is pretty comparable but the E-500 (Four Thirds) and A230 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor size.

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The E-500 was launched 4 years earlier than the A230 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony A230 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple summation of how the E-500 grades vs the A230 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-500 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A230. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-500 Gallery & Sony A230 Gallery.

In case you're going to travel with your camera frequently, you need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-500 offers outside measurements of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") with a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) whilst the Sony A230 has dimensions of 128mm x 97mm x 68mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.7") and a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-500 vs Sony A230 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you use during that time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the E-500 vs the A230.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the E-500 and A230 is 70 and 69 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor dimensions only by checking out technical specs. The image underneath should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-500 and A230.

As you can tell, both of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-500 because of its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Sony A230 will show greater detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-500 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.