Olympus E-500 vs Sony A99

Its time to look a bit more in depth at the Olympus E-500 and Sony A99, both Advanced DSLR cameras by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a big gap among the resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and A99 (24MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and A99 (Full frame) provide different sensor size.

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The E-500 was announced 8 years prior to the A99 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras have the same body design (Mid-size SLR).

Before we go straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a simple summation of how the E-500 scores vs the A99 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-500 and Sony SLT-A99. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Sony A99 Gallery.

If you're looking to travel with your camera, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-500 provides exterior measurements of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) and the Sony A99 has measurements of 147mm x 111mm x 78mm (5.8" x 4.4" x 3.1") having a weight of 812 grams (1.79 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-500 and Sony A99 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are working with during that time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the E-500 vs the A99.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-500 and A99 is 70 and 57 respectively.

Typically, it is very tough to visualize the difference in sensor dimensions purely by looking through a spec sheet. The pic below may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-500 and A99.

As you can see, the two cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-500 using its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF trickier and the Sony A99 will render greater detail with its extra 16MP. Higher resolution will help you crop shots more aggressively. The more aged E-500 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.