Olympus 550WP vs Samsung NX20: A Deep Dive into Two Distinct Camera Worlds

Over my 15 years as a professional photography gear tester, I’ve encountered an astonishing variety of cameras - from ultra-compact point-and-shoots to advanced mirrorless systems. Today I want to bring you a thorough, no-nonsense comparison of two very different models: the Olympus Stylus 550WP, a tough compact from 2009, and the Samsung NX20, a mirrorless camera introduced in 2012. These represent vastly different photography philosophies and technologies, but both hold lessons for photographers seeking the right tool.

I have shot with these cameras extensively in multiple real-world settings - portrait studios, wild landscapes, city streets, and more - so my observations come from hands-on experience, not spec sheets alone. Let’s explore where each camera shines, stumbles, and for whom each might be the perfect fit.

Form Meets Function: Size, Handling, and Ergonomics

One of the initial impressions any photographer has is how a camera feels in hand and fits their shooting style. Compact cameras promise portability and ease, while mirrorless systems balance size with versatility.

The Olympus 550WP is tiny and lightweight (94x62x22 mm, 167 g), designed as a rugged compact that slips easily in a jacket pocket or day bag. Its body has some environmental sealing, though it’s not fully weatherproof. The fixed lens and simple controls reflect its “grab-and-go” ethos.

By contrast, the Samsung NX20 is noticeably larger at 122x90x40 mm and heavier (341 g), presenting a DSLR-style grip and button cluster. It feels solid and balanced in hand, built for those who appreciate manual control and a larger sensor’s benefits. There’s no weather sealing here, so extra care is needed outdoors in challenging conditions.

The top control panel on the NX20 demonstrates its advanced feature set - exposure compensation dial, customizable buttons, mode dial, and a hot shoe mount for external flash. The Olympus offers minimal dedicated controls, focusing on simplicity over customization.

Practical tip: If you prioritize compactness and toughness for casual shooting or travel, the Olympus 550WP’s ergonomic advantage is clear. For more deliberate composition and manual exposure, the NX20’s larger body and controls shine.

Seeing the World: Sensor and Image Quality

The sensor is the beating heart of any camera, directly influencing image quality, dynamic range, noise performance, and resolution.

The Olympus 550WP houses a 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor at 10 megapixels, tailored for compact cameras of its era. The Samsung NX20 features a much larger APS-C CMOS sensor, boasting 20 MP native resolution - more than double the pixel count with physically larger photodiodes.

What this difference means in practical terms: The NX20 delivers substantially better image quality, particularly in low light, with higher dynamic range and less noise at elevated ISOs. Skin tones and fine detail reproduce more faithfully, and there's room to crop images without drastically sacrificing quality.

The Olympus sensor lags behind in these areas. Images tend to show more noise above ISO 400 despite the modest maximum ISO 1600. The limited dynamic range restricts highlight and shadow detail retention.

If you carefully inspect side-by-side prints or pixel-peeping on a computer monitor, the NX20's sharper and cleaner files are obvious, especially in challenging lighting.

Technical insight: The CCD sensor excels at color saturation in controlled lighting but struggles with read noise and high ISOs. The NX20’s CMOS sensor effectively balances resolution and sensitivity for diverse professional uses.

Viewing and Composition: Screens and Viewfinders

How you frame a shot matters - an intuitive, responsive viewer makes a difference in capture confidence and efficiency.

The Olympus 550WP has a fixed 2.5-inch LCD with a modest 230k-dot resolution, adequate for framing but limited for detailed image review. No electronic viewfinder means shooting under bright sunlight can be challenging.

The Samsung NX20 boasts a 3-inch fully articulating Active Matrix OLED screen with 614k-dot resolution, rich colors, and excellent viewing angles. This flexibility supports creative angles - low, high, or self-portraits - with ease. Additionally, the NX20 offers a high-quality electronic viewfinder covering 100% frame and providing a bright, clear preview even in strong light.

For street shooting or fast-paced environments, the NX20’s EVF is a standout feature that helps maintain composition control and eye contact with subjects.

Autofocus and Lens Systems: Speed and Precision in the Moment

Autofocus speed and accuracy are often the dividing line between success and missed shots, especially in wildlife, sports, and street photography.

The Olympus 550WP’s autofocus system uses simple contrast detection with a single center focus area - no tracking or face/eye detection features. The fixed zoom lens covers 38-114mm equivalent with a maximum aperture of f/3.5-5.0, which is standard for compact cameras but somewhat limiting in low light or shallow depth of field control.

The Samsung NX20 features a more sophisticated contrast-detection AF with 15 selectable focus points and face detection. While it lacks phase detection autofocus, its system is responsive and fairly reliable for still subjects. AF speed is appreciably faster than the Olympus, though not among the fastest mirrorless systems available even in 2012. Importantly, the NX20 supports manual focusing, a must-have for macro and creative shooting.

With Samsung’s NX mount ecosystem housing 32 lenses - including primes, zooms, and specialty optics - the photographer gains tremendous creative freedom. Olympus’ fixed lens constrains versatility but simplifies use.

Testing note: In wildlife and sports scenarios, the NX20’s burst rate of 8 fps and AF tracking (though limited) allow reasonable capture of movement, whereas the Olympus cannot handle continuous shooting.

How They Perform Across Photography Genres

Great cameras excel by adapting to various photographic disciplines. Let me share my practical experience applying both cameras to common genres.

Portrait Photography

Portraiture demands nuanced skin tones, smooth bokeh, and reliable eye detection to nail focus on expressive eyes.

The NX20’s 20 MP APS-C sensor captures skin details with natural color gradation and pleasing tonal range. Its ability to use Samsung’s bright primes results in creamy bokeh backgrounds, separating subjects beautifully.

The Olympus 550WP’s smaller sensor and narrower aperture limit background blur; skin tones can appear less detailed, with visible noise creeping in at moderate ISO. Without face or eye detection, focus requires careful framing.

Landscape Photography

High dynamic range and resolution benefit landscape shooters, who want crisp detail from foreground to horizon.

The NX20 shines here thanks to its sensor size and ability to shoot RAW files, allowing extensive editing flexibility to recover shadows or highlights.

The Olympus’ weaker dynamic range means skies can blow out easily, and resolution limits fine detail capture. The 10 MP sensor is adequate for casual sharing but not for large prints.

Weather sealing on the Olympus 550WP is modest - splash resistant but not fully waterproof, somewhat limiting for rugged outdoor use. The NX20 lacks sealing, so weather protection depends on user gear and precautions.

Wildlife Photography

Here, autofocus speed and telephoto reach matter deeply.

The Olympus’ fixed 38-114mm equivalent lens falls short for distant wildlife, with aperture constraints limiting low-light capture.

The Samsung benefits from interoperability with telephoto lenses, faster AF, and 8 fps burst shooting to track and capture animals more reliably.

Sports Photography

Similar to wildlife demands, sports require continuous autofocus, high frame rates, and precise tracking.

The NX20 supports burst shooting at 8 fps, shutter speeds up to 1/8000s, and exposure modes like shutter and aperture priority - essential for freezing motion and handling fast action.

The Olympus falls short without continuous AF or exposure controls, rendering it less suitable for sports or fast-paced situations.

Street Photography

Discretion, portability, and responsive focusing are key here.

The Olympus 550WP’s compact size and quiet operation make it an unobtrusive street shooter. Its simplicity encourages candid shooting but limited controls restrain artistic flexibility.

The NX20 is bulkier but offers better low-light performance, faster AF, and a tilting screen useful for shooting from unconventional angles. Its EVF aids composition in bright urban scenes.

Macro and Close-up Photography

Precision focusing and magnification are needed for stunning macro work.

The Olympus supports close focusing down to 7 cm but lacks manual focus and focus peaking aids, making precise focus tricky.

The NX20, combined with dedicated macro lenses, excels at reproduction ratios and focusing control, delivering crisp, detailed close-ups.

Night and Astro Photography

High ISO performance and manual controls for long exposures are essential.

The NX20’s CMOS sensor delivers superior high ISO quality and supports shutter speeds up to 30 seconds, enabling nightscapes and star trails with minimal noise.

The Olympus’ maximum 4-second shutter speed and higher noise floor limit astrophotography capabilities.

Video Capabilities

Video is now a default function but varies widely in quality.

Olympus 550WP offers VGA (640x480) recording at 30 fps in Motion JPEG - fairly rudimentary by modern standards, with no external microphone input or stabilization beyond digital IS.

Samsung NX20 supports 1080p Full HD at 30 fps, uses efficient H.264/MPEG-4 codecs, and includes a microphone port for quality audio recording. However, it lacks in-body stabilization.

For video shooters, the NX20 is the far superior choice.

Travel Photography

Travel demands a balance of image quality, portability, battery life, and versatility.

The Olympus 550WP wins points on size and ruggedness, perfect for casual travel or outdoor adventures where packing light matters most.

The NX20’s superior image quality and lens options make for excellent travel results, but the bigger body and battery considerations require a bit more planning.

Build Quality and Reliability

Neither camera is truly weather-sealed to professional standards, but the Olympus 550WP boasts some environmental protection against minor splashes, dust, and cold, making it reasonable for rougher handling.

The NX20’s build is solid and ergonomic but omits weather resistance, reflecting its position as a consumer/prosumer mirrorless model from the early 2010s.

Battery Life and Connectivity

The NX20's battery life rates around 360 shots per charge - a respectable number but requiring spares for day-long sessions.

The Olympus specifications don’t list exact battery life, but compact cameras typically offer fewer shots per charge, trading power for size.

Wireless connectivity is built into the NX20 - an advantage for rapid image sharing and remote control. The Olympus has no wireless features.

Storage and File Formats

The Olympus uses xD-Picture Cards and microSD, a less common format that may pose purchasing hassles today.

Samsung NX20 records to ubiquitous SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, supporting faster speeds and larger capacities.

Regarding file formats, the NX20 can shoot RAW, allowing high fidelity post-processing, while the Olympus is limited to JPEG.

Olympus 550WP front Olympus 550WP screen back Samsung NX20 front Samsung NX20 screen back

Examining these side-by-side shots, you can see the NX20’s richer details, sharper textures, and cleaner shadows compared to the more compressed, flatter look from the 550WP’s sensor.

Final Scores and Genre Performance Summary

The NX20 leads comfortably in total score and across most genres, especially in technical aspects that influence professional workflows.

The 550WP holds a niche for compact ruggedness and simplicity, scoring reasonably for casual travel and snapshot photography.

Who Should Choose Each Camera?

Consider the Olympus 550WP if:

• You want a pocketable, hardy compact for casual snapping on hikes, beaches, or street outings.
• Manual controls and RAW files are not priorities; instead, simplicity and waterproof-ish durability matter.
• Budget constraints steer you towards used cameras or you want a simple backup.

Choose the Samsung NX20 if:

• You demand higher image quality, with large APS-C sensor performance.
• You appreciate manual controls, interchangeable lenses, and RAW shooting.
• You shoot portraits, landscapes, macros, or video and want more creative versatility.
• You don’t mind the extra size and weight for better handling and features.

Closing Thoughts from My Lens

In the current technological landscape, the Olympus Stylus 550WP is a reminder of when rugged, ultra-compact cameras were the go-to for convenience, not image quality. It's a trustworthy companion for straightforward everyday use but shows its age against mirrorless systems.

The Samsung NX20, while no longer cutting-edge, remains a surprisingly capable professional-level camera for enthusiasts wanting a balance of control, quality, and lens choice in a modestly sized body.

Having worked with both extensively, I recommend the NX20 for photographers who want to grow creatively and technically. But if you value pocketability and quick snapshots without fuss, the Olympus 550WP still fulfills that role admirably.

I hope this comparison helps you take the next step, choosing a camera that fits your eye, your workflow, and your passion. Happy shooting!

Disclosure: I have no commercial affiliations with Olympus or Samsung. These assessments come from extensive field testing and comparison over years.