Olympus FE-4030 vs Sony A500

Its time to examine more in depth at the Olympus FE-4030 vs Sony A500, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the FE-4030 (14MP) and the A500 (12MP) is relatively comparable but the FE-4030 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor measurements.

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The FE-4030 was released 5 months later than the A500 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus FE-4030 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a detailed comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the FE-4030 grades vs the A500 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus FE-4030 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus FE-4030 Gallery and Sony A500 Gallery.

If you are planning to lug around your camera frequently, you have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus FE-4030 provides outer measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 146 grams (0.32 lbs) while the Sony A500 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus FE-4030 vs Sony A500 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Below is the front view overall size comparison of the FE-4030 and the A500.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the FE-4030 and A500 is 95 and 63 respectively.

Generally, it is very difficult to visualise the gap in sensor measurements purely by checking out technical specs. The graphic below should offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the FE-4030 and A500.

As you have seen, both of these cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The FE-4030 due to its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Olympus FE-4030 will provide extra detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs much more aggressively.