Olympus E-PL6 vs Sony A55

Here, we will be matching up the Olympus E-PL6 vs Sony A55, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL6 (16MP) and the A55 (16MP) is relatively well matched but the E-PL6 (Four Thirds) and A55 (APS-C) have different sensor size.

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The E-PL6 was announced 3 years later than the A55 and that is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight to a thorough comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the E-PL6 grades versus the A55 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL6 and Sony SLT-A55. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL6 Gallery and Sony A55 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to lug around your camera regularly, you are going to need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL6 provides external dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) whilst the Sony A55 has specifications of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") along with a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL6 vs Sony A55 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you choose at that moment. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL6 and the A55.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL6 and A55 is 88 and 67 respectively.

More often than not, it can be tough to visualize the contrast between sensor measurements merely by checking a spec sheet. The visual underneath will help offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL6 and A55.

As you can see, both cameras come with the identical megapixels albeit different sensor measurements. The E-PL6 comes with the tinier sensor which will make achieving shallow DOF more challenging. The newer E-PL6 provides an edge with regard to sensor technology.