Olympus PEN-F vs Sony A99

Here is a extended analysis of the Olympus PEN-F vs Sony A99, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the PEN-F (20MP) and the A99 (24MP) is very well matched but the PEN-F (Four Thirds) and A99 (Full frame) boast totally different sensor sizes.

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The PEN-F was revealed 3 years later than the A99 and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus PEN-F being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A99 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going into a thorough comparison, here is a concise view of how the PEN-F matches up versus the A99 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN-F & Sony SLT-A99. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus PEN-F Gallery & Sony A99 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry your camera, you have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus PEN-F features outside dimensions of 125mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.5") having a weight of 427 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Sony A99 has sizing of 147mm x 111mm x 78mm (5.8" x 4.4" x 3.1") along with a weight of 812 grams (1.79 lbs).

Check the Olympus PEN-F vs Sony A99 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. The following is a front view scale comparison of the PEN-F vs the A99.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the PEN-F and A99 is 84 and 57 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizing purely by reading through technical specs. The graphic underneath will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the PEN-F and A99.

As you have seen, the two cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The PEN-F with its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF trickier and the Sony A99 will give extra detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The more modern PEN-F will have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.