Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony A550

Below is a extensive comparison of the Olympus E-PL1s and Sony A550, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-PL1s (12MP) and the A550 (14MP) is very well matched but the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and A550 (APS-C) boast different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL1s was introduced 12 months later than the A550 and they are both of a similar generation. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting straight to a full comparison, here is a brief summation of how the E-PL1s scores against the A550 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL1s and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera, you will have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL1s has got exterior measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Sony A550 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL1s and Sony A550 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 select at that moment. Here is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL1s vs the A550.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1s and A550 is 86 and 63 respectively.

Generally, it can be hard to visualize the contrast between sensor measurements simply by looking at technical specs. The visual underneath may provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1s and A550.

As you have seen, both of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL1s having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF harder and the Sony A550 will resolve more detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop photos a bit more aggressively. The more modern E-PL1s should have an edge in sensor innovation.