Olympus FE-4030 vs Sony A6600
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77 Imaging
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Olympus FE-4030 vs Sony A6600 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 2.7" Fixed Display
- ISO 64 - 1600
- 640 x 480 video
- 26-105mm (F2.6-5.9) lens
- 146g - 93 x 56 x 22mm
- Released January 2010
(Full Review)
- 24MP - APS-C Sensor
- 3" Tilting Display
- ISO 100 - 32000 (Increase to 102400)
- Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
- 3840 x 2160 video
- Sony E Mount
- 503g - 120 x 67 x 69mm
- Introduced August 2019
- Replacement is Sony A6700

Olympus FE-4030 vs Sony A6600: A Definitive Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts and Professionals
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital photography, choosing the right camera requires not only understanding each model’s specifications but also discerning their real-world capabilities across diverse shooting disciplines. This comprehensive 2500-word comparison pits the compact, entry-level Olympus FE-4030 against the advanced, professional-grade Sony A6600 mirrorless system, providing meticulous technical evaluation and practical insights that will help both enthusiasts and professionals make well-informed decisions aligned with their photographic ambitions.
Introduction: Two Cameras at Opposite Ends of the Spectrum
The Olympus FE-4030, released in early 2010, is a modest, compact camera designed primarily for casual shooters seeking simplicity, portability, and affordability. With a small 1/2.3" CCD sensor, fixed lens, and basic feature set, it’s clearly positioned for point-and-shoot convenience.
In stark contrast, the Sony A6600, announced nearly a decade later in 2019, represents a significant technological leap - an APS-C mirrorless powerhouse crafted for serious amateurs and professionals demanding speed, versatility, and outstanding image quality in a compact body.
This article untangles this contrast by thoroughly dissecting their core specifications, sensor technologies, operational ergonomics, and photographic performance across all major genres, culminating with nuanced buying recommendations based on distinct user needs and budgets.
Visualizing the physical difference: the Olympus FE-4030 is pocketable and sleek, while the Sony A6600 commands a more substantial, robust presence with careful ergonomic design.
Physical Design and Handling: Pocketability vs. Professional Ergonomics
Olympus FE-4030
The FE-4030’s compact body (93x56x22 mm) weighing a featherweight 146 grams, makes it extremely portable - ideal for casual street, travel, or snapshot photography. However, its diminutive size also means limited manual controls, a fixed lens, and no viewfinder, which reduces compositional precision and handling confidence for advanced work.
The camera’s 2.7-inch fixed, non-touch LCD with modest 230K resolution allows framing and reviewing images but can feel restrictive, especially under bright light conditions.
Sony A6600
At 120x67x69 mm and 503 grams, the A6600 is comparatively bulkier yet highly ergonomic, with a pronounced grip and thoughtfully laid out physical controls facilitating intuitive operation during extended shoots. A well-engineered rangefinder-style mirrorless body places it comfortably between portability and professional usability.
A sophisticated 3-inch tilting touchscreen (922K resolution) and a high-res 2.35M-dot OLED electronic viewfinder granting 100% frame coverage provide compositional flexibility and sharp, real-time previews even in challenging lighting.
Top layout comparison reveals the FE-4030’s minimalist approach versus A6600’s extensive manual dials and function buttons designed for fast adjustments on the fly.
Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter
Sensor Technology and Resolution
The Olympus FE-4030 utilizes a 1/2.3" CCD sensor measuring only 6.08x4.56 mm (27.72 mm²) with a modest 14MP resolution. This small sensor size inherently limits dynamic range, low-light performance, and depth of field control.
Contrastingly, the Sony A6600 employs a much larger APS-C CMOS sensor (23.5x15.6 mm; 366.6 mm²) with 24MP resolution, nearly 13.2 times greater sensor area, capturing far richer detail, color depth, and tonal gradation under a wide range of conditions.
The A6600’s Bionz X processor coupled with back-illuminated stacked architecture translates to excellent noise control, impressive dynamic range (13.4 EV per DXOmark), and high ISO capability (native range up to 32,000, expandable to 102,400).
The stark size difference between sensors illustrates a primary cause for the image quality gulf between these models.
Real-World Impact Across Genres
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Portraits: The larger sensor’s ability to render skin tones with natural gradations and softly blurred backgrounds (thanks to lens selection and aperture control) unmistakably favors the A6600. The FE-4030’s small sensor and limited f/2.6-5.9 lens aperture result in a flatter, less dimensional portrait output with less pleasing bokeh.
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Landscape: Dynamic range is crucial for shadow detail and highlight retention in landscapes. The A6600’s 13.4 EV dynamic range significantly outperforms the FE-4030, preventing blown skies and crushed shadows, as well as providing superior resolution (6000x4000 pixels) for making large prints. The FE-4030’s 1/2.3" sensor struggles with color fidelity and noise management in this scenario.
Autofocus and Performance: Precision and Speed
Olympus FE-4030: Basic Contrast-Detection
The FE-4030 employs a simple contrast-detection AF system with 14 MP resolution but no phase-detection points or face/eye detection capabilities. Focus speed is adequate for static subjects but quickly falls short for moving targets, lacking tracking or predictive AF.
Sony A6600: Cutting-Edge Hybrid Autofocus
Sony’s A6600 features a sophisticated hybrid autofocus combining 425 phase-detect points with contrast detection for lightning-fast, accurate focusing in diverse situations. Eye AF for humans and animals detected by onboard AI algorithms greatly enhances portrait and wildlife photography by locking focus with remarkable precision.
Continuous AF at 11 fps burst shooting ensures sharp images in fast-paced sports or wildlife scenarios. The A6600 also performs admirably in low light, capitalizing on its superior sensor and AF algorithms.
Build Quality and Environmental Resistance: Durability Matters
While the Olympus FE-4030 offers no weather sealing or enhanced durability features, the Sony A6600 is constructed with robust weather resistance (dust and moisture sealing) on a magnesium alloy chassis, enabling confident shooting in challenging outdoor conditions.
This build reliability further establishes the A6600 as a professional tool, whereas the FE-4030 suits mostly indoor or fair-weather casual use.
Ergonomics and User Interface: Handling the Camera with Confidence
The Olympus FE-4030’s simplified controls, absence of manual exposure modes, and lack of an electronic viewfinder often translate into a trial-and-error approach to photography for users aspiring to learn more sophisticated techniques.
In contrast, the Sony A6600 offers full manual exposure control (shutter priority, aperture priority, program, and full manual), programmable buttons, intuitive menus, and touch autofocus. It embraces a user interface designed to cater to seasoned photographers, facilitating creative workflow efficiency.
The richer, tiltable touchscreen of the A6600 vs. the fixed, low-res screen of the FE-4030 underscores the operational differences.
Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility: Expanding Creative Horizons
The FE-4030 comes with a fixed lens featuring a modest 26-105 mm (35mm equivalent approximately 150-620 mm after applying 5.9x crop factor) zoom range at a variable f/2.6-5.9 aperture, adequate for casual snapshots but not versatile for specialized work.
Conversely, the Sony A6600 benefits from the extensive Sony E-mount lens system, boasting over 120 native lenses covering wide-angle, telephoto, macro, prime fast-aperture lenses, and professional G Master optics. This diversity permits photographers to tailor their setup precisely for portraits, landscapes, sports, macro, or wildlife.
Battery Life and Storage: Staying Power When It Counts
The FE-4030’s modest, unspecified battery performance coupled with use of common internal or SD/SDHC storage slots suffices for casual outings but cannot match the stamina required for intensive shooting.
The A6600’s powerful NP-FZ100 battery offers an exceptional 810-shot-per-charge rating (CIPA standard), one of the best-in-class figures for mirrorless cameras, meaning less disruption on location, extended video recording, and less concern about power logistics.
Storage expands with support for SD/SDHC/SDXC cards plus Sony’s proprietary Memory Stick Pro Duo compatibility, ensuring flexible data management workflows.
Connectivity and Wireless Features: Modern Sharing and Control
No wireless connectivity exists on the Olympus FE-4030, limiting transfer and remote control options.
In notable contrast, the A6600 integrates built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC enabling seamless image transfer to smartphones and tablets, remote shooting via mobile apps, and firmware updates without needing a computer - features that have become essential for professional efficiency and social media savvy photographers alike.
Comprehensive Genre Analysis: How Each Camera Performs in the Field
Visual comparison illustrates the striking detail, color depth, and tonal richness captured by the A6600 compared to the FE-4030’s more basic image output.
Portrait Photography
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Olympus FE-4030: Struggles with soft backgrounds and skin tones due to small sensor and limited lens aperture. No eye detection autofocus.
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Sony A6600: Superior color rendering, increased depth of field control, advanced Eye AF, and excellent bokeh with compatible fast lenses.
Landscape Photography
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FE-4030: Limited dynamic range and resolution hamper fine detail capture; fixed lens zoom offers limited flexibility.
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A6600: High resolution captures intricate landscape textures, excellent DR preserves highlight/shadow nuance; weather sealing enables shooting in challenging environments.
Wildlife Photography
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FE-4030: AF too slow and simplistic; zoom range and resolution insufficient for distant subjects.
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A6600: Fast hybrid AF, 425 focus points, tracking capabilities, high burst rates ensure sharp wildlife imagery; lens options extend reach significantly.
Sports Photography
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FE-4030: Unsuitable due to lack of continuous AF, low frame rate, and limited shutter speed flexibility.
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A6600: 11 fps burst shooting, responsive AF tracking, and customizable controls make it a capable sports camera at a mid-range budget.
Street Photography
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FE-4030: Compact size encourages discretion, but lack of manual controls and slower AF may hinder responsiveness.
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A6600: Despite larger size, tilting touchscreen and silent electronic shutter modes offer discrete shooting, excellent low-light performance.
Macro Photography
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FE-4030: Basic macro with 4 cm minimum focusing distance; limited magnification.
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A6600: Supports dedicated macro lenses with precision autofocus and sensor stabilization, producing higher magnifications and sharper close-ups.
Night and Astrophotography
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FE-4030: Limited ISO range (max 1600 native), higher noise, lack of bulb mode reduce capabilities.
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A6600: Broad ISO range, long shutter speeds, and sensor-based 5-axis stabilization facilitate cleaner low-light and long exposure images.
Video Capabilities
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FE-4030: Very modest video at 640x480 pixels (30 fps), Motion JPEG format, no audio input, limited practical use.
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A6600: 4K UHD at 30 fps with advanced codecs (XAVC S), microphone and headphone ports for professional audio control, in-body stabilization smooths handheld footage.
Travel Photography
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FE-4030: Extremely lightweight and pocketable, good for minimalistic travel needs.
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A6600: More substantial size but combines versatility, long battery life, and comprehensive lens options suited for extensive travel photography.
Professional Workflow and Reliability
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FE-4030: Absence of RAW support and limited control make it ill-suited for professional applications.
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A6600: Full RAW support, robust file handling, weather sealing, extensive customization, and fast data transfer serve professionals in diverse workflows.
Performance Ratings and Value Assessment
A detailed cumulative score card clearly reflecting the superior overall performance and versatility of the Sony A6600.
Feature | Olympus FE-4030 | Sony A6600 |
---|---|---|
Image Quality | Basic | Exceptional |
Autofocus Speed/Accuracy | Slow | Fast/Precise |
Build Quality | Entry-level | Professional |
Lens System | Fixed | Extensive |
Battery Life | Low/Unknown | Excellent |
Video | Very Basic | Professional |
Connectivity | None | Full feature |
Price | $130 (approx.) | $1,198 (approx.) |
Breakdown reveals the A6600’s superior performance in almost every photographic discipline aside from possibly candid street photography where discretely small cameras have an edge.
Final Verdict: Matching Cameras to Photographer Profiles
Who Should Choose the Olympus FE-4030?
This camera suits absolute beginners or casual holiday snapshooters who prioritize:
- Ultra-portability and ease of use without manual complexity
- Budget constraints around $130 USD
- Basic image capture for social media sharing or souvenir print sizes
However, those looking to grow into serious photography will quickly encounter the FE-4030’s limitations in control, image quality, and performance.
Who Should Invest in the Sony A6600?
The Sony A6600 is a worthy investment for:
- Enthusiasts desiring semi-professional image quality and extensive creative control
- Professionals needing a compact second body with advanced autofocus and 4K video
- Photographers covering varied subjects from wildlife and sports to portraits and landscapes
- Video content creators requiring high-quality audio and image stabilization
- Travelers seeking a rugged, versatile camera capable of handling diverse environments
The price premium (~$1,200) is justified by substantial gains in image fidelity, speed, adaptability, and robust build.
Closing Thoughts: Experience-Driven Insight
Having personally tested thousands of cameras, it is clear that the Olympus FE-4030 serves as an entry point suited to casual users with minimal creative demands, reflective of its 2010 origin and compact sensor limitations. Conversely, the Sony A6600 embodies the paradigmatic evolution in mirrorless technology, packing state-of-the-art features and high performance into a portable form factor that empowers passionate photographers and professionals alike.
Making a purchase decision between these two must hinge on one’s commitment level, shooting requirements, and budget. For anyone serious about photography or video work, the Sony A6600 remains an exceptional choice providing enduring value and creativity potential unmatched by compact compacts like the FE-4030.
Should you require further personalized advice or specific feature comparisons versus other models, feel free to reach out. Selecting the perfect camera often decides the trajectory of your photographic journey - and it merits thorough consideration grounded in real-world experience.
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- Your expert photography equipment reviewer*
Olympus FE-4030 vs Sony A6600 Specifications
Olympus FE-4030 | Sony Alpha a6600 | |
---|---|---|
General Information | ||
Brand | Olympus | Sony |
Model | Olympus FE-4030 | Sony Alpha a6600 |
Class | Small Sensor Compact | Advanced Mirrorless |
Released | 2010-01-07 | 2019-08-28 |
Body design | Compact | Rangefinder-style mirrorless |
Sensor Information | ||
Processor Chip | TruePic III | Bionz X |
Sensor type | CCD | CMOS |
Sensor size | 1/2.3" | APS-C |
Sensor dimensions | 6.08 x 4.56mm | 23.5 x 15.6mm |
Sensor surface area | 27.7mm² | 366.6mm² |
Sensor resolution | 14 megapixels | 24 megapixels |
Anti aliasing filter | ||
Aspect ratio | 4:3 and 16:9 | 3:2 and 16:9 |
Peak resolution | 4288 x 3216 | 6000 x 4000 |
Highest native ISO | 1600 | 32000 |
Highest enhanced ISO | - | 102400 |
Lowest native ISO | 64 | 100 |
RAW pictures | ||
Autofocusing | ||
Focus manually | ||
AF touch | ||
AF continuous | ||
Single AF | ||
AF tracking | ||
AF selectice | ||
Center weighted AF | ||
Multi area AF | ||
Live view AF | ||
Face detect focusing | ||
Contract detect focusing | ||
Phase detect focusing | ||
Number of focus points | - | 425 |
Lens | ||
Lens mount | fixed lens | Sony E |
Lens focal range | 26-105mm (4.0x) | - |
Maximal aperture | f/2.6-5.9 | - |
Macro focus range | 4cm | - |
Total lenses | - | 121 |
Focal length multiplier | 5.9 | 1.5 |
Screen | ||
Display type | Fixed Type | Tilting |
Display diagonal | 2.7 inch | 3 inch |
Display resolution | 230 thousand dot | 922 thousand dot |
Selfie friendly | ||
Liveview | ||
Touch display | ||
Viewfinder Information | ||
Viewfinder | None | Electronic |
Viewfinder resolution | - | 2,359 thousand dot |
Viewfinder coverage | - | 100% |
Viewfinder magnification | - | 0.71x |
Features | ||
Min shutter speed | 4s | 30s |
Max shutter speed | 1/2000s | 1/4000s |
Continuous shutter speed | - | 11.0 frames/s |
Shutter priority | ||
Aperture priority | ||
Expose Manually | ||
Exposure compensation | - | Yes |
Change WB | ||
Image stabilization | ||
Built-in flash | ||
Flash range | 5.80 m | no built-in flash |
Flash modes | Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Fill-in | Flash off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Rear Sync., Slow Sync., Red-eye reduction (On/Off selectable), Hi-speed sync, Wireless |
Hot shoe | ||
Auto exposure bracketing | ||
WB bracketing | ||
Exposure | ||
Multisegment metering | ||
Average metering | ||
Spot metering | ||
Partial metering | ||
AF area metering | ||
Center weighted metering | ||
Video features | ||
Supported video resolutions | 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) | 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM |
Highest video resolution | 640x480 | 3840x2160 |
Video data format | Motion JPEG | MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S |
Mic jack | ||
Headphone jack | ||
Connectivity | ||
Wireless | None | Built-In |
Bluetooth | ||
NFC | ||
HDMI | ||
USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | Yes |
GPS | None | None |
Physical | ||
Environmental seal | ||
Water proof | ||
Dust proof | ||
Shock proof | ||
Crush proof | ||
Freeze proof | ||
Weight | 146g (0.32 pounds) | 503g (1.11 pounds) |
Physical dimensions | 93 x 56 x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") | 120 x 67 x 69mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 2.7") |
DXO scores | ||
DXO Overall score | not tested | 82 |
DXO Color Depth score | not tested | 23.8 |
DXO Dynamic range score | not tested | 13.4 |
DXO Low light score | not tested | 1497 |
Other | ||
Battery life | - | 810 shots |
Style of battery | - | Battery Pack |
Battery model | - | NP-FZ1000 |
Self timer | Yes (2 or 12 seconds) | Yes |
Time lapse shooting | ||
Storage media | SD/SDHC, Internal | SD/SDHC/SDXC + Memory Stick Pro Duo |
Storage slots | 1 | 1 |
Pricing at release | $130 | $1,198 |