Olympus SH-2 vs Sony A55

Here is a comprehensive analysis of the Olympus SH-2 and Sony A55, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SH-2 (16MP) and the A55 (16MP) is fairly well matched but the SH-2 (1/2.3") and A55 (APS-C) offer different sensor sizes.

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The SH-2 was manufactured 4 years later than the A55 and that is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SH-2 being a Compact camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the SH-2 scores vs the A55 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SH-2 & Sony SLT-A55. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus SH-2 Gallery & Sony A55 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry your camera often, you will want to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus SH-2 has outer measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) whilst the Sony A55 has sizing of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") and a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SH-2 and Sony A55 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have attached at that time. The following is a front view overall size comparison of the SH-2 versus the A55.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the SH-2 and A55 is 88 and 67 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to imagine the contrast between sensor sizing simply by reading through specifications. The visual below will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the SH-2 and A55.

To sum up, both the cameras feature the identical resolution but different sensor sizing. The SH-2 offers the tinier sensor which should make achieving bokeh tougher. The fresher SH-2 provides an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.