Olympus 8000 vs Sony A99

The following is a in depth review of the Olympus 8000 and Sony A99, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a crucial gap between the resolutions of the 8000 (12MP) and A99 (24MP) and the 8000 (1/2.3") and A99 (Full frame) feature totally different sensor dimensions.

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The 8000 was introduced 4 years before the A99 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus 8000 being a Compact camera and the Sony A99 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting through a in-depth comparison, below is a simple summation of how the 8000 grades against the A99 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 and Sony SLT-A99. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus 8000 Gallery and Sony A99 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to travel with your camera, you'll have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus 8000 has got exterior measurements of 95mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 182 grams (0.40 lbs) while the Sony A99 has sizing of 147mm x 111mm x 78mm (5.8" x 4.4" x 3.1") with a weight of 812 grams (1.79 lbs).

Compare the Olympus 8000 and Sony A99 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you use at that time. Following is the front view over all size comparison of the 8000 and the A99.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the 8000 and A99 is 94 and 57 respectively.

Typically, it's difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor dimensions only by going over a spec sheet. The picture below might give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the 8000 and A99.

Clearly, the 2 cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The 8000 with its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Sony A99 will offer you more detail using its extra 12MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs much more aggressively. The more aged 8000 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.