Olympus SP-100 vs Sony A550

Below is a in depth overview of the Olympus SP-100 and Sony A550, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SP-100 (16MP) and the A550 (14MP) is relatively close but the SP-100 (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) use totally different sensor sizes.

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The SP-100 was announced 4 years later than the A550 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SP-100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the SP-100 scores against the A550 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus SP-100 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SP-100 Gallery & Sony A550 Gallery.

In case you're going to lug around your camera often, you are going to need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus SP-100 has got outer dimensions of 122mm x 91mm x 133mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 5.2") with a weight of 594 grams (1.31 lbs) while the Sony A550 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

See the Olympus SP-100 and Sony A550 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you choose during that time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the SP-100 compared to the A550.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SP-100 and A550 is 63 and 63 respectively.

Normally, it is hard to see the contrast in sensor measurements purely by researching specs. The photograph underneath should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the SP-100 and A550.

All in all, both of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SP-100 having a smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF harder and the Olympus SP-100 will render greater detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop shots much more aggressively. The younger SP-100 will have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.