Olympus SP-820UZ vs Sony A390

Lets take a more detailed look at the Olympus SP-820UZ vs Sony A390, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SP-820UZ (14MP) and the A390 (14MP) is pretty close but the SP-820UZ (1/2.3") and A390 (APS-C) have different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The SP-820UZ was announced 2 years later than the A390 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-820UZ being a Compact camera and the Sony A390 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight to a complete comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the SP-820UZ matches up against the A390 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ & Sony Alpha DSLR-A390. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-820UZ Gallery & Sony A390 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera regularly, you will have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SP-820UZ offers external dimensions of 117mm x 78mm x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") and a weight of 485 grams (1.07 lbs) while the Sony A390 has dimensions of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") accompanied by a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SP-820UZ vs Sony A390 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are utilising during that time. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the SP-820UZ compared to the A390.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the SP-820UZ and A390 is 69 and 66 respectively.

Usually, it can be hard to imagine the difference in sensor measurements purely by looking through technical specs. The visual below should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the SP-820UZ and A390.

As you can tell, each of these cameras have the same resolution albeit different sensor measurements. The SP-820UZ provides the smaller sensor which is going to make achieving bokeh tougher. The newer SP-820UZ provides an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.