Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony A550

The following is a complete review of the Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony A550, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the A550 (14MP) is relatively similar but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and A550 (APS-C) provide different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL8 was brought out 6 years after the A550 which is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting right into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief view of how the E-PL8 matches up versus the A550 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to travel with your camera often, you will have to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL8 has physical measurements of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") along with a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) while the Sony A550 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony A550 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you choose during that time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the E-PL8 compared to the A550.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL8 and A550 is 86 and 63 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is tough to picture the gap between sensor dimensions just by reading a spec sheet. The image below will provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL8 and A550.

Clearly, the 2 cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL8 because of its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF harder and the Olympus E-PL8 will offer extra detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The newer E-PL8 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.