Olympus E-520 vs Sony A550

Below, we are matching up the Olympus E-520 and Sony A550, both Entry-Level DSLR digital cameras by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a huge gap between the resolutions of the E-520 (10MP) and A550 (14MP) and the E-520 (Four Thirds) and A550 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-520 was launched 15 months earlier than the A550 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras come with the identical body type (Compact SLR).

Before going in to a more detailed comparison, below is a concise view of how the E-520 scores versus the A550 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-520 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-520 Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera frequently, you should take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-520 has got exterior measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") and a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) whilst the Sony A550 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-520 and Sony A550 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the E-520 compared to the A550.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-520 and A550 is 68 and 63 respectively.

Typically, it's difficult to visualise the difference between sensor sizing only by looking at a spec sheet. The photograph below may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-520 and A550.

As you can see, both of those cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-520 featuring a tinier sensor will make shooting bokeh tougher and the Sony A550 will give greater detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images somewhat more aggressively. The older E-520 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.