Olympus SH-50 vs Sony W550

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Olympus SH-50 vs Sony W550, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SH-50 (16MP) and the W550 (14MP) is very well matched and they come with the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The SH-50 was launched 18 months later than the W550 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SH-50 being a Compact camera and the Sony W550 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the SH-50 grades versus the W550 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SH-50 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus SH-50 Gallery and Sony W550 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera frequently, you need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SH-50 enjoys external measurements of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) and the Sony W550 has dimensions of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") with a weight of 110 grams (0.24 lbs).

See the Olympus SH-50 vs Sony W550 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you select at that time. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the SH-50 compared to the W550.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the SH-50 and W550 is 88 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, it can be hard to picture the contrast between sensor sizing just by looking at specs. The photograph below might give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the SH-50 and W550.

All in all, both cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but different MP. You should expect to see the Olympus SH-50 to resolve greater detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The fresher SH-50 should have a benefit in sensor tech.