Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A550

Below is a thorough review of the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony A550, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the A550 (14MP) is relatively similar but the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-12 was revealed 2 years later than the A550 and that is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving into a full comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the SZ-12 matches up vs the A550 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-12 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The full galleries are available at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.

In case you're intending to lug around your camera, you will have to think about its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-12 provides external dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Sony A550 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony A550 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have during that time. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the SZ-12 versus the A550.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and A550 is 89 and 63 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to envision the difference between sensor measurements merely by reading a spec sheet. The photograph below may provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-12 and A550.

As you can see, both of those cameras feature the identical megapixels albeit not the same sensor measurements. The SZ-12 comes with the tinier sensor which will make obtaining shallower depth of field more challenging. The more modern SZ-12 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.