Olympus FE-5010 vs Sony A100

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus FE-5010 and Sony A100, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the FE-5010 (12MP) and the A100 (10MP) is fairly close but the FE-5010 (1/2.3") and A100 (APS-C) have different sensor sizes.

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The FE-5010 was unveiled 2 years later than the A100 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus FE-5010 being a Compact camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving right into a detailed comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the FE-5010 matches up against the A100 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus FE-5010 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The full galleries are available at Olympus FE-5010 Gallery and Sony A100 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry your camera regularly, you should take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus FE-5010 has exterior measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 21mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") and a weight of 130 grams (0.29 lbs) while the Sony A100 has sizing of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") having a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus FE-5010 and Sony A100 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the FE-5010 versus the A100.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FE-5010 and A100 is 96 and 64 respectively.

More often than not, it is very hard to visualize the gap in sensor sizing merely by researching a spec sheet. The graphic underneath might offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the FE-5010 and A100.

Clearly, each of the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The FE-5010 with its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field harder and the Olympus FE-5010 will render more detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop photos a bit more aggressively. The newer FE-5010 provides an edge with regard to sensor innovation.