Olympus FE-45 vs Sony A500

Following is a detailed assessment of the Olympus FE-45 vs Sony A500, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the FE-45 (10MP) and the A500 (12MP) is very well matched but the FE-45 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) provide different sensor sizing.

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The FE-45 was manufactured 7 months prior to the A500 so they are of a similar generation. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus FE-45 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a concise overview of how the FE-45 grades against the A500 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus FE-45 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus FE-45 Gallery and Sony A500 Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus FE-45 provides exterior measurements of 94mm x 62mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") and a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs) whilst the Sony A500 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check the Olympus FE-45 vs Sony A500 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have chosen during that time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the FE-45 vs the A500.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FE-45 and A500 is 95 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to imagine the difference between sensor sizes just by reading through a spec sheet. The picture below might give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the FE-45 and A500.

Clearly, both cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The FE-45 because of its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Sony A500 will give you greater detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics more aggressively. The more aged FE-45 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.