Olympus 8000 vs Sony A350

Here, we are comparing the Olympus 8000 versus Sony A350, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the 8000 (12MP) and the A350 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the 8000 (1/2.3") and A350 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor dimensions.

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The 8000 was revealed 13 months later than the A350 making them a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus 8000 being a Compact camera and the Sony A350 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick summation of how the 8000 scores against the A350 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A350. The full galleries are available at Olympus 8000 Gallery & Sony A350 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry your camera regularly, you have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus 8000 comes with external dimensions of 95mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") having a weight of 182 grams (0.40 lbs) whilst the Sony A350 has specifications of 131mm x 99mm x 75mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") having a weight of 674 grams (1.49 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus 8000 versus Sony A350 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. The following is a front view dimension comparison of the 8000 compared to the A350.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the 8000 and A350 is 94 and 62 respectively.

Generally, it is difficult to see the difference between sensor sizing merely by reading through specs. The visual here should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the 8000 and A350.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The 8000 with its tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF more challenging and the Sony A350 will give you greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics way more aggressively. The newer 8000 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.