Olympus E-PM2 vs Sony A55

Below is a extended analysis of the Olympus E-PM2 vs Sony A55, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-PM2 (16MP) and the A55 (16MP) is relatively well matched but the E-PM2 (Four Thirds) and A55 (APS-C) possess totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-PM2 was manufactured 2 years later than the A55 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PM2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving through a in-depth comparison, below is a simple summary of how the E-PM2 grades versus the A55 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PM2 and Sony SLT-A55. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PM2 Gallery and Sony A55 Gallery.

When you are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you'll need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-PM2 features outside measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 269 grams (0.59 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).

Compare the Olympus E-PM2 vs Sony A55 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose at that moment. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the E-PM2 versus the A55.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PM2 and A55 is 89 and 67 respectively.

Quite often, it is tough to see the difference between sensor measurements only by checking specifications. The visual underneath should offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PM2 and A55.

To sum up, both of the cameras have got the exact same megapixel count albeit not the same sensor measurements. The E-PM2 offers the tinier sensor which should make getting shallow DOF harder. The more modern E-PM2 will have a benefit with regard to sensor technology.