Olympus 8000 vs Sony A560

Here is a comprehensive comparison of the Olympus 8000 vs Sony A560, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the 8000 (12MP) and the A560 (14MP) is very well matched but the 8000 (1/2.3") and A560 (APS-C) provide different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The 8000 was released 13 months earlier than the A560 making them a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus 8000 being a Compact camera and the Sony A560 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving into a thorough comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the 8000 grades against the A560 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A560. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus 8000 Gallery and Sony A560 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry your camera frequently, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus 8000 features outside dimensions of 95mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") along with a weight of 182 grams (0.40 lbs) whilst the Sony A560 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Examine the Olympus 8000 vs Sony A560 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you select during that time. Here is a front view dimensions comparison of the 8000 vs the A560.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 8000 and A560 is 94 and 64 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to picture the difference between sensor sizing only by reading through specs. The visual here might provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the 8000 and A560.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The 8000 due to its tinier sensor is going to make achieving bokeh more challenging and the Sony A560 will give you greater detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The older 8000 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.