Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A55

Here, we are comparing the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony A55, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the A55 (16MP) is fairly comparable but the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and A55 (APS-C) offer different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-12 was released 17 months after the A55 making them a generation away from one another. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a more detailed comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the SZ-12 matches up vs the A55 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-12 and Sony SLT-A55. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Sony A55 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry around your camera often, you should take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus SZ-12 has got outer 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 A55 has proportions of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") having a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Check the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony A55 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you use at that moment. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the SZ-12 and the A55.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and A55 is 89 and 67 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to visualize the contrast in sensor sizes simply by going through technical specs. The image here should give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-12 and A55.

As you can tell, the two cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The SZ-12 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field tougher and the Sony A55 will produce more detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos way more aggressively. The more modern SZ-12 provides a benefit in sensor tech.