Olympus E-520 vs Sony A580

The following is a in depth assessment of the Olympus E-520 and Sony A580, both Entry-Level DSLR cameras by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a big difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-520 (10MP) and A580 (16MP) and the E-520 (Four Thirds) and A580 (APS-C) have totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-520 was released 3 years prior to the A580 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have the same body design (Compact SLR).

Before getting right into a detailed comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-520 matches up against the A580 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-520 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-520 Gallery and Sony A580 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to travel with your camera regularly, you need to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-520 has exterior measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") having a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) whilst the Sony A580 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

See the Olympus E-520 and Sony A580 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at the time. Here is a front view scale comparison of the E-520 against the A580.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-520 and A580 is 68 and 64 respectively.

Generally, it's tough to see the contrast in sensor dimensions merely by researching specifications. The pic here should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-520 and A580.

Plainly, both cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-520 because of its smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Sony A580 will result in extra detail as a result of its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-520 will be behind in sensor tech.