Olympus SP-100 vs Sony A850

Here, we are evaluating the Olympus SP-100 vs Sony A850, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a sizeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the SP-100 (16MP) and A850 (25MP) and the SP-100 (1/2.3") and A850 (Full frame) boast different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The SP-100 was revealed 3 years after the A850 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SP-100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go straight to a complete comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the SP-100 grades against the A850 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus SP-100 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A850. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-100 Gallery and Sony A850 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to travel with your camera, you'll need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SP-100 comes with exterior dimensions of 122mm x 91mm x 133mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 5.2") with a weight of 594 grams (1.31 lbs) whilst the Sony A850 has dimensions of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") with a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Check the Olympus SP-100 vs Sony A850 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you use during that time. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the SP-100 vs the A850.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the SP-100 and A850 is 63 and 54 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is difficult to imagine the difference in sensor dimensions purely by researching technical specs. The picture below should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the SP-100 and A850.

As you can tell, both of those cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The SP-100 having a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony A850 will render greater detail because of its extra 9MP. Greater resolution will help you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The newer SP-100 provides an advantage with regard to sensor technology.