Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony A550

Here is a detailed overview of the Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony A550, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SZ-15 (16MP) and the A550 (14MP) is pretty well matched but the SZ-15 (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) have different sensor size.

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The SZ-15 was revealed 3 years later than the A550 and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-15 being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a in depth comparison, here is a quick summary of how the SZ-15 scores vs the A550 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-15 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-15 Gallery & Sony A550 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera often, you'll have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-15 enjoys exterior dimensions of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") along with a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) whilst the Sony A550 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check the Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony A550 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you choose during that time. Here is a front view dimension comparison of the SZ-15 and the A550.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-15 and A550 is 88 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, its hard to imagine the difference between sensor sizing purely by looking at a spec sheet. The graphic underneath may provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-15 and A550.

Clearly, the two cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The SZ-15 with its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF more challenging and the Olympus SZ-15 will resolve greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop pictures more aggressively. The younger SZ-15 provides a benefit with regard to sensor tech.