Olympus SZ-11 vs Sony A550

Here, we are reviewing the Olympus SZ-11 and Sony A550, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SZ-11 (14MP) and the A550 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the SZ-11 (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) provide different sensor sizes.

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The SZ-11 was revealed 20 months after the A550 making them a generation away from one another. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-11 being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise summary of how the SZ-11 matches up versus the A550 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-11 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The full galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-11 Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-11 enjoys exterior measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Sony A550 has dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SZ-11 and Sony A550 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the SZ-11 and the A550.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-11 and A550 is 89 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be tough to visualize the difference between sensor sizes just by checking technical specs. The image underneath may provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-11 and A550.

As you can tell, both of those cameras come with the identical megapixels but different sensor sizes. The SZ-11 contains the tinier sensor which should make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult. The more recent SZ-11 provides an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.