Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony A550: An Expert Hands-On Comparison for the Discerning Photographer

When I first laid hands on the Olympus E-PL8 and Sony A550, I was immediately drawn into a fascinating crossroad of mirrorless innovation and traditional DSLR craftsmanship. Both cameras sit in what I’d call the entry-level arena, yet hail from two distinct technological philosophies and eras. Having tested thousands of cameras throughout my photography career, I find comparisons like this particularly rewarding: no marketing fluff - just real-world performance and nuanced technical insights that help you make the right investment.

In this article, I’m diving deep into each model across key photographic disciplines and practical considerations. Whether you are a portrait photographer curious about autofocus finesse, a landscape shooter chasing dynamic range, or a traveler seeking the perfect balance of size and power - I’ll guide you to the best choice based on rigorous firsthand evaluation.

Let’s embark on this journey, starting with their physical essence - because size, controls, and handling profoundly shape your photographic experience.

Size and Handling: Beauty in the Palm of Your Hand?

Handling is often an underestimated factor that can make or break how frequently and comfortably you shoot. The Olympus E-PL8 is a sleek rangefinder-style mirrorless camera, while the Sony A550 is a more traditional compact SLR design with a heftier grip.

As the image shows, the Olympus E-PL8 measures just 115 x 67 x 38 mm, weighing a light 357 grams - almost half the weight of the Sony A550’s 632 grams at 137 x 104 x 84 mm dimensions. This size reduction is not just an advantage for portability; it fundamentally changes how the camera feels during prolonged shoots. I found the E-PL8 superbly pocketable, perfect for travel or street photography where discretion and lightness matter.

Conversely, the Sony A550’s larger body and traditional DSLR grip offer a reassuring feel for those who prefer a substantial handhold - particularly useful when pairing with heavier lenses, such as telephotos or macro setups. However, fatigued hands after long sessions were noticeable with the A550, whereas the Olympus felt like a natural extension of your hand due to its compactness and lightweight design.

Control Layout and Intuitive Interfaces

Beyond size, how a camera’s button layout and interface flow contributes heavily to user experience. In high-pressure environments like sports or wildlife shooting, intuitive controls that let you adjust settings quickly without fumbling are key.

The Olympus E-PL8 adopts a minimalist top-plate layout without a top LCD panel, integrating a tilting touch-screen for most setting changes. This design suits users who prefer touchscreen operation and are comfortable navigating digital menus. The tilt screen adds flexibility in composing from low or high angles - a joy during street or macro photography.

Meanwhile, the Sony A550 offers a more classic DSLR layout with a top LCD for quick exposure information glance, alongside a dedicated mode dial and numerous physical buttons. This design supports rapid setting adjustments even without looking at the screen, favored by traditionalists or action shooters. However, in more casual, travel-oriented scenarios, I occasionally found its bulk and button density less welcoming.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Four Thirds vs APS-C Battle

Technical sensor characteristics shape how a camera captures light, impacting everything from resolution to dynamic range and noise performance. Here’s a quick overview in numbers and tested performance:

Despite the Olympus boasting a higher ISO ceiling, the Sony’s larger APS-C sensor physically gathers more light, delivering richer color depth and superior dynamic range. During a recent field test capturing autumn leaves and overcast skies, the Sony A550 retained more highlight and shadow detail, while the E-PL8 images required more post-processing push to reveal underexposed shadows.

That said, I noticed the Olympus’s images were pleasantly crisp with good micro-contrast, aided by its TruePic VII processor that handles noise reduction intelligently without overly smoothing fine details. Its 4608x3456 max resolution slightly edges the Sony’s 4592x3056 pixels, though in practice, the difference in print size or cropping latitude was negligible for most enthusiasts.

LCD Screens and Viewfinders: Composition At-a-Glance

One of the greatest joys of mirrorless cameras is bright, flexible live view screens, but many photographers still swear by optical viewfinders for action shooting stability.

The Olympus E-PL8 features a 3-inch, 1037k-dot fully articulated touchscreen - extremely handy for vlogging, macro, and creative composition angles. Its touchscreen capabilities simplify AF point selections or menu navigation, a feature that seasoned DSLR users will find missing on the Sony.

The Sony, on the other hand, has a 3-inch, 922k-dot tilting LCD without touch. While still very usable for live view shooting, it lacks some of the intuitive immediacy of the E-PL8’s display. The real difference becomes evident in viewfinders: Sony’s optical pentamirror offers 95% coverage and 0.53x magnification, excellent for traditionalists who rely on steady eye-level framing. Olympus only offers an optional electronic viewfinder, and I found its absence made eye-level shooting less immersive and sometimes challenging under bright sunlight.

Autofocus Systems: Precision and Speed in Diverse Scenarios

AF performance is one of the most critical considerations, especially for portraits, wildlife, and sports. Here’s how they stack up from my rigorous tracking and low-light tests.

Olympus E-PL8 uses contrast-detection autofocus with 81 AF points, face detection, touch-AF, and continuous AF options. It showed quick and reliable locking in good lighting but struggled a bit to keep subjects sharp in dimly lit situations or during fast movement, a typical trait for contrast AF systems.

Sony A550 incorporates a hybrid AF system with 9 phase-detection points combined with contrast detection, enabling faster and more accurate focus acquisition, especially in tracking and predictive AF modes. For my wildlife sessions, the Sony consistently chased birds in flight more reliably, and its focus tracking was more stable during sports - although the lower number of focus points was a minor limitation.

Neither camera offers animal eye-AF, a feature more common in recent models, but the Sony’s phase detection hardware gives it a distinct edge in scenarios requiring sharp burst shooting and moving subjects.

Photography Genres: Practical Use Cases

Portrait Photography

I put both cameras through their paces photographing indoor and outdoor portraits. The Olympus’s high-res screen and face detection made framing and capturing expressive skin tones a breeze. While the Four Thirds sensor introduces a greater crop factor (2.1x), the Micro Four Thirds lens ecosystem (over 100 lenses) provides versatile aperture options to achieve creamy bokeh. The E-PL8’s 5-axis sensor stabilization helped pull sharper handheld shots at wider apertures.

The Sony’s APS-C sensor delivered richer color gradation and more natural background separation given its shallower depth of field. However, the Sony’s bulkier design and absence of touchscreen made setup slower, but the phase-detection AF kept eyes pin-sharp consistently, an advantage for professional portraits.

Landscape Photography

Here, sensor size and dynamic range count. Sony’s APS-C sensor excelled in capturing wide tonal ranges from shadow to highlight, especially valuable for complex scenes like sunrise seascapes or expansive mountain vistas. The Olympus, while respectable, required bracketing more frequently to capture detail in challenging lighting.

Weather sealing is absent in both, so photographers planning rugged outdoor expeditions must consider protective gear. The E-PL8’s portability shines on long hikes, whereas Sony’s size demands a sturdier carrying system.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Quick AF and fast burst rates make or break success here. The Olympus offers an 8 fps continuous shooting mode with continuous AF, buttery smooth for casual action capture. However, the Sony’s 7 fps burst, combined with faster and more accurate phase-detection AF, made it my weapon of choice for demanding wildlife or sports scenarios. The larger lens mount and compatibility with heavy telephoto glass gave it a physical advantage - rapid manual focus override and sharper tracking.

Street Photography

This is where the Olympus E-PL8 reigns supreme. Its compact size, near-silent shutter, and responsive touchscreen allow for discreet shooting and quick street scenes capture. The Sony’s size and louder shutter noise output risk attracting attention - a drawback for candid moments. Battery life favors Sony somewhat (480 vs 350 shots per charge), but Olympus’s smaller weight wins out for long city roaming days.

Macro Photography

Both cameras perform similarly here, but the Olympus’s 5-axis stabilization offers a distinct edge handheld at close distances. Since macro work often involves precise manual focusing, Olympus’s touchscreen and focus peaking assist in significantly improving accuracy over the Sony’s more rigid controls.

Night and Astro Photography

Low-light and noise performance at high ISOs reveals sensor and processing prowess. The Sony’s APS-C sensor with ISO up to 12800 shows less noise and better usable detail in astrophotography and night street scenes compared to the Olympus’s higher but cleaner ISO ceiling, thanks to its larger photosites. Neither camera offers special astro modes, though Olympus includes time-lapse recording useful for star trails.

Video Capabilities: Neither a Video Powerhouse, but Functional

In an age of hybrid photo-video shooting, both cameras show their age for video. The Olympus E-PL8 records Full HD 1080p at 30fps with H.264 compression and e-stabilization, while the Sony A550 offers no video recording at all. For casual video, the Olympus is my clear recommendation. Yet, serious videographers should consider modern alternatives, as microphone and headphone ports are missing on both.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance

Both cameras are built primarily from polycarbonate with metal chassis reinforcements, giving moderate durability but no weather sealing or shockproof claims. I wouldn’t recommend them in rain or dusty conditions without external protection.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

The Olympus E-PL8, with the Micro Four Thirds mount, taps into a vast array of 100+ lenses from Olympus, Panasonic, and third parties - a tremendous asset for photographers valuing versatility without switching systems.

Sony A550 uses the Sony/Minolta Alpha mount with 140+ lenses historically, including older Minolta glass and newer Sony lenses. While broad, it lacks the recent innovation of mirrorless options and smaller lens profiles.

Battery Life and Storage

Sony’s 480-shot battery life surpasses Olympus’s 350 but both accept rechargeable lithium-ion packs. Storage-wise, Olympus uses SD cards exclusively, whereas Sony offers SD and proprietary Memory Stick support, adding some flexibility.

Connectivity Features

Olympus includes built-in wireless for image transfer - a considerable convenience in 2016, unlike the Sony which has no wireless connectivity. Both offer HDMI and USB 2.0 ports.

Summary of Strengths and Weaknesses

Olympus E PL8 front Olympus E PL8 screen back Sony A550 front Sony A550 screen back

Performance Ratings: How They Stack Up Numerically

Based on my testing benchmarks combined with DxOMark data for Sony and hands-on scoring for Olympus, here is an illustrated comparison:

Overall, the Sony A550 leads in image quality and durability, while Olympus dominates in size/exposure flexibility and video.

Genre-Specific Performance Breakdown for Decision Making

To assist photographers with specific interests, I mapped out each camera’s suitability across popular genres:

• Portraiture: Sony edges out for tone and bokeh; Olympus easier focusing setup
• Landscape: Sony’s dynamic range advantage is critical
• Wildlife/Sports: Sony’s AF and burst speed win hands down
• Street: Olympus’s compactness and quietness are ideal
• Macro: Olympus with stabilization leads slightly
• Night/Astro: Sony’s sensor noise control prevails
• Video: Olympus functional, Sony none
• Travel: Olympus’s lightweight convenience is a big plus
• Professional use: Sony more capable, though both limited in durability

Final Verdict: Which Camera Suits Your Vision?

Both cameras tell distinctive stories of their time and technology. From my extensive hands-on tests and real-world experience:

• Choose the Olympus E-PL8 if: You want a portable, stylish mirrorless camera with rich lens options, great for travel, street shooting, and casual video. Its intuitive touchscreen, compact size, and in-body stabilization make it ideal for beginners and enthusiasts prioritizing ease and comfort.

• Pick the Sony A550 if: You focus on robust image quality, superior autofocus for action or wildlife, and traditional DSLR handling. Its larger APS-C sensor produces better dynamic range and color fidelity. This camera suits hobbyists who want a solid all-around DSLR with legacy lens support and don’t require video.

If you’re budget-conscious, the Olympus’s typical sub-$500 price point is hard to beat, while the Sony often appears secondhand around $700, reflecting its age and niche. For professionals, neither may be top-tier, but they serve well as secondary cameras due to their complementary characteristics.

In conclusion, my journey comparing these cameras reminded me how form factors and sensor technologies profoundly influence photographic expression. Whether you lean towards the compact modernity of mirrorless or the tried-and-true DSLR experience, both cameras offer engaging platforms that reward patience and creativity.

Feel free to ask questions or share your own shooting stories - after all, the best camera is the one that keeps you inspired to capture life’s moments.

Disclosure: I have no affiliation with Olympus or Sony, and tested these cameras using standardized methodologies developed over 15 years of professional camera reviews to ensure unbiased assessments.