Olympus FE-4030 vs Sony A55

Its time to look much closer at the Olympus FE-4030 vs Sony A55, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the FE-4030 (14MP) and the A55 (16MP) is pretty similar but the FE-4030 (1/2.3") and A55 (APS-C) possess different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The FE-4030 was revealed 7 months prior to the A55 so they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus FE-4030 being a Compact camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go through a in depth comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the FE-4030 grades against the A55 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus FE-4030 and Sony SLT-A55. The full galleries are available at Olympus FE-4030 Gallery and Sony A55 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera regularly, you're going to have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus FE-4030 offers outside dimensions 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 A55 has specifications of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") and a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus FE-4030 vs Sony A55 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Here is the front view measurement comparison of the FE-4030 versus the A55.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FE-4030 and A55 is 95 and 67 respectively.

Normally, it is very difficult to picture the gap between sensor measurements only by reviewing technical specs. The graphic below will offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the FE-4030 and A55.

As you can tell, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The FE-4030 having a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony A55 will offer greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs far more aggressively. The older FE-4030 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.