Olympus 550WP vs Sony NEX-7

In this write-up, we are analyzing the Olympus 550WP versus Sony NEX-7, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There is a sizeable difference between the resolutions of the 550WP (10MP) and NEX-7 (24MP) and the 550WP (1/2.3") and NEX-7 (APS-C) use different sensor size.

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The 550WP was manufactured 3 years before the NEX-7 which is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus 550WP being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the 550WP scores versus the NEX-7 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus 550WP and Sony Alpha NEX-7. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus 550WP Gallery and Sony NEX-7 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry around your camera, you will have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus 550WP features outside dimensions of 94mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs) while the Sony NEX-7 has measurements of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") having a weight of 400 grams (0.88 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus 550WP versus Sony NEX-7 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Underneath is the front view dimension comparison of the 550WP against the NEX-7.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the 550WP and NEX-7 is 94 and 84 respectively.

Often, it can be tough to imagine the gap between sensor sizes merely by reading technical specs. The picture underneath might give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the 550WP and NEX-7.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The 550WP due to its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more challenging and the Sony NEX-7 will deliver more detail due to its extra 14MP. Greater resolution will let you crop images far more aggressively. The more aged 550WP is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.