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Olympus 550WP vs Sony HX20V

Portability
94
Imaging
33
Features
17
Overall
26
Olympus Stylus 550WP front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V front
Portability
90
Imaging
42
Features
50
Overall
45

Olympus 550WP vs Sony HX20V Key Specs

Olympus 550WP
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Display
  • ISO 64 - 1600
  • Digital Image Stabilization
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 38-114mm (F3.5-5.0) lens
  • 167g - 94 x 62 x 22mm
  • Revealed January 2009
  • Additionally referred to as mju 550WP
Sony HX20V
(Full Review)
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-500mm (F3.2-5.8) lens
  • 254g - 107 x 62 x 35mm
  • Released July 2012
  • Earlier Model is Sony HX10V
  • Later Model is Sony HX30V
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Olympus 550WP vs Sony HX20V Overview

Lets look more closely at the Olympus 550WP vs Sony HX20V, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a big difference between the sensor resolutions of the 550WP (10MP) and HX20V (18MP) but both cameras posses the identical sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The 550WP was launched 4 years prior to the HX20V and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before going straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a simple summation of how the 550WP grades vs the HX20V in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus 550WP over the Sony HX20V

 550WP HX20V 

Reasons to pick Sony HX20V over the Olympus 550WP

 HX20V 550WP 
ReleasedJuly 2012January 2009More recent by 43 months
Manual focus More accurate focusing
Screen size3"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Screen resolution922k230kClearer screen (+692k dot)

Common features in the Olympus 550WP and Sony HX20V

 550WP HX20V 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Missing selfie screen
Touch screen Neither provides Touch screen

Olympus 550WP vs Sony HX20V Physical Comparison

For those who are looking to lug around your camera often, you have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus 550WP provides external measurements of 94mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") having a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs) and the Sony HX20V has dimensions of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") and a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Check out the Olympus 550WP vs Sony HX20V in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you use at that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the 550WP and the HX20V.

Olympus 550WP vs Sony HX20V size comparison

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the 550WP and HX20V is 94 and 90 respectively.

Olympus 550WP vs Sony HX20V top view buttons comparison

Olympus 550WP vs Sony HX20V Sensor Comparison

Usually, it can be tough to envision the contrast between sensor measurements only by checking technical specs. The visual below will provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the 550WP and HX20V.

As you have seen, both the cameras come with the identical sensor size albeit not the same megapixels. You should expect the Sony HX20V to give you greater detail utilizing its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The older 550WP is going to be behind in sensor tech.

Olympus 550WP vs Sony HX20V sensor size comparison

Olympus 550WP vs Sony HX20V Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus 550WP vs Sony HX20V Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Olympus 550WP
Portrait photography with Sony HX20V
19
lack of manual focus
lack of manual mode
can't use external flash
sensor resolution not great (10 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
45
manual focus
good MP (18MP)
has face detect focus
cannot use external flash
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW format
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Street Comparison

Olympus 550WP Street photography features
Sony HX20V Street photography features
61
image stabilization (Digital)
environment proof
no moving screen
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
61
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competition (254 grams)
no articulating screen
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Olympus 550WP Sports photography info
Sony HX20V Sports photography info
30
image stabilization (Digital)
environment proof
max shutter speed is low (1/1,000 seconds)
no shutter priority
sensor resolution not great (10 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
has no phase detect AF
49
incredible zoom range (25-500mm 20.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (18MP)
has tracking focus
lack of shutter priority mode
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
no phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus 550WP as a Travel photography camera
Sony HX20V as a Travel photography camera
55
environment proof
flash built-in
does not have Timelapse mode
sensor resolution not great (10 megapixels)
screen isn't selfie friendly
wide angle not great (38mm)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
69
lighter than competition (254 grams)
good MP (18 megapixels)
flash built-in
decently wide (25mm)
very long zoom (500mm)
missing Timelapse function
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.2)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus 550WP Landscape photography features
Sony HX20V Landscape photography features
30
image stabilization (Digital)
environment proof
lack of manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not great (38mm)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
screen is somewhat small (2.5")
lack of manual mode
sensor resolution not great (10MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
does not have Timelapse mode
50
manual focus
decently wide (25mm)
screen is a good size (3 inch)
image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (18 megapixels)
cannot swap lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.2)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW format
missing Timelapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus 550WP
Vlogging with Sony HX20V
25
image stabilization (Digital)
wide angle not great (38mm)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
screen isn't selfie friendly
video quality not great (640 x 480 pixels)
does not have microphone support
34
decently wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
has face detect focus
video res high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than competition (254g)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.2)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
missing microphone support
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Olympus 550WP vs Sony HX20V Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus 550WP and Sony HX20V
 Olympus Stylus 550WPSony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V
General Information
Make Olympus Sony
Model Olympus Stylus 550WP Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V
Other name mju 550WP -
Category Small Sensor Compact Small Sensor Superzoom
Revealed 2009-01-07 2012-07-20
Physical type Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Processor - BIONZ
Sensor type CCD BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 6.08 x 4.56mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 27.7mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 10 megapixel 18 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 16:9, 4:3 and 3:2 4:3 and 16:9
Highest resolution 3648 x 2736 4896 x 3672
Highest native ISO 1600 12800
Minimum native ISO 64 100
RAW files
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points - 9
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 38-114mm (3.0x) 25-500mm (20.0x)
Maximal aperture f/3.5-5.0 f/3.2-5.8
Macro focus range 7cm 1cm
Crop factor 5.9 5.8
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display sizing 2.5 inches 3 inches
Display resolution 230 thousand dots 922 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Display tech - XtraFine TruBlack TFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 4s 30s
Maximum shutter speed 1/1000s 1/1600s
Continuous shooting rate - 10.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range - 7.10 m
Flash options Auto, Fill-in, Red-Eye reduction, Off, On Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution 640x480 1920x1080
Video data format Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 167g (0.37 lb) 254g (0.56 lb)
Physical dimensions 94 x 62 x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") 107 x 62 x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life - 320 photographs
Style of battery - Battery Pack
Battery model - NP-BG1
Self timer Yes (12 seconds) Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type xD-Picture Card, microSD, internal SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Card slots One One
Retail price $399 $397