Olympus FE-4000 vs Sony A99

Here, we are matching up the Olympus FE-4000 vs Sony A99, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap between the image resolutions of the FE-4000 (12MP) and A99 (24MP) and the FE-4000 (1/2.3") and A99 (Full frame) boast totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The FE-4000 was announced 4 years before the A99 and that is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus FE-4000 being a Compact camera and the Sony A99 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving into a step-by-step comparison, here is a short summation of how the FE-4000 grades versus the A99 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus FE-4000 and Sony SLT-A99. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus FE-4000 Gallery and Sony A99 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry your camera regularly, you have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus FE-4000 has got outer measurements of 95mm x 57mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs) while the Sony A99 has proportions of 147mm x 111mm x 78mm (5.8" x 4.4" x 3.1") accompanied by a weight of 812 grams (1.79 lbs).

Look at the Olympus FE-4000 vs Sony A99 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you select at the time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the FE-4000 and the A99.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FE-4000 and A99 is 95 and 57 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to visualise the gap between sensor sizing only by checking specifications. The graphic below should provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the FE-4000 and A99.

Plainly, both of those cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The FE-4000 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony A99 will give you greater detail with its extra 12 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics way more aggressively. The older FE-4000 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.