Olympus E-510 vs Sony A99

The following is a in-depth analysis of the Olympus E-510 and Sony A99, both Advanced DSLR digital cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There is a noticeable difference between the resolutions of the E-510 (10MP) and A99 (24MP) and the E-510 (Four Thirds) and A99 (Full frame) provide totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-510 was introduced 6 years prior to the A99 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature the same body design (Mid-size SLR).

Before delving into a full comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the E-510 matches up vs the A99 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-510 & Sony SLT-A99. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-510 Gallery & Sony A99 Gallery.

If you are going to travel with your camera regularly, you are going to need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-510 features external dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") accompanied by a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) while the Sony A99 has proportions of 147mm x 111mm x 78mm (5.8" x 4.4" x 3.1") and a weight of 812 grams (1.79 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-510 and Sony A99 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you choose at the time. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the E-510 compared to the A99.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-510 and A99 is 69 and 57 respectively.

In many cases, it is difficult to envision the difference between sensor dimensions purely by checking specs. The pic below might provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-510 and A99.

All in all, each of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-510 with its tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Sony A99 will give you extra detail using its extra 14MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images way more aggressively. The more aged E-510 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.