Olympus E-M5 II vs Sony A550

On this page, we are comparing the Olympus E-M5 II and Sony A550, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-M5 II (16MP) and the A550 (14MP) is very close but the E-M5 II (Four Thirds) and A550 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-M5 II was announced 5 years later than the A550 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M5 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving right into a detailed comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the E-M5 II grades against the A550 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M5 II & Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-M5 II Gallery & Sony A550 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M5 II has external measurements of 124mm x 85mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8") with a weight of 469 grams (1.03 lbs) whilst the Sony A550 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-M5 II and Sony A550 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at that moment. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the E-M5 II against the A550.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the E-M5 II and A550 is 80 and 63 respectively.

Usually, it is very tough to see the gap in sensor sizing just by researching specs. The photograph below may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M5 II and A550.

All in all, the two cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-M5 II using its smaller sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field tougher and the Olympus E-M5 II will render greater detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a bit more aggressively. The more modern E-M5 II is going to have a benefit in sensor tech.