Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony A55

Here, we are comparing the Olympus E-PL8 versus Sony A55, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the A55 (16MP) is very close but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and A55 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL8 was brought out 6 years after the A55 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting right into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple view of how the E-PL8 grades vs the A55 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL8 & Sony SLT-A55. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery & Sony A55 Gallery.

When you are aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you will have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL8 enjoys outer dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) whilst the Sony A55 has dimensions of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL8 versus Sony A55 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at the time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the E-PL8 vs the A55.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL8 and A55 is 86 and 67 respectively.

Sometimes, it is hard to see the difference in sensor dimensions only by viewing technical specs. The pic underneath might offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL8 and A55.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras come with the identical megapixel count but not the same sensor dimensions. The E-PL8 has got the smaller sensor which is going to make obtaining shallow DOF harder. The more modern E-PL8 is going to have a benefit in sensor innovation.