Olympus SP-800 UZ vs Sony A500

On this page, we are contrasting the Olympus SP-800 UZ and Sony A500, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SP-800 UZ (14MP) and the A500 (12MP) is very close but the SP-800 UZ (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) have different sensor dimensions.

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The SP-800 UZ was launched 6 months after the A500 which means that they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-800 UZ being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the SP-800 UZ scores against the A500 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SP-800 UZ & Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus SP-800 UZ Gallery & Sony A500 Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera frequently, you have to factor its weight and size. The Olympus SP-800 UZ features exterior measurements of 110mm x 90mm x 91mm (4.3" x 3.5" x 3.6") and a weight of 455 grams (1.00 lbs) and the Sony A500 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SP-800 UZ and Sony A500 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the SP-800 UZ versus the A500.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SP-800 UZ and A500 is 69 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to imagine the difference in sensor sizes just by looking through specs. The picture here will offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the SP-800 UZ and A500.

All in all, both of these cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The SP-800 UZ due to its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF more difficult and the Olympus SP-800 UZ will result in more detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images more aggressively.