Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Sony A580

Here, we are comparing the Olympus SP-590 UZ and Sony A580, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. There exists a huge gap among the resolutions of the SP-590 UZ (12MP) and A580 (16MP) and the SP-590 UZ (1/2.3") and A580 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor sizes.

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The SP-590 UZ was introduced 3 years earlier than the A580 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SP-590 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting right into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the SP-590 UZ grades vs the A580 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SP-590 UZ and Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SP-590 UZ Gallery and Sony A580 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to carry your camera regularly, you'll have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus SP-590 UZ has got outside dimensions of 116mm x 84mm x 81mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 3.2") along with a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs) whilst the Sony A580 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SP-590 UZ and Sony A580 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the SP-590 UZ versus the A580.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SP-590 UZ and A580 is 72 and 64 respectively.

Typically, it can be hard to visualise the difference in sensor sizing just by seeing technical specs. The graphic below may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the SP-590 UZ and A580.

As you can tell, both the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SP-590 UZ using its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field more challenging and the Sony A580 will show extra detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos way more aggressively. The older SP-590 UZ will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.