Olympus 1 vs Sony A580

Below is a extensive comparison of the Olympus 1 and Sony A580, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a sizeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the 1 (12MP) and A580 (16MP) and the 1 (1/1.7") and A580 (APS-C) offer different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The 1 was unveiled 2 years later than the A580 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus 1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the 1 grades against the A580 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus 1 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The full galleries are available at Olympus 1 Gallery and Sony A580 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to lug around your camera often, you will want to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus 1 has outside measurements of 116mm x 87mm x 57mm (4.6" x 3.4" x 2.2") with a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs) whilst the Sony A580 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Compare the Olympus 1 and Sony A580 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are using during that time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the 1 compared to the A580.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the 1 and A580 is 79 and 64 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to picture the difference in sensor measurements simply by looking through specifications. The photograph underneath will offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the 1 and A580.

Plainly, both cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The 1 using its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony A580 will render greater detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The more modern 1 should have an edge in sensor tech.