Olympus 8010 vs Sony A100

Here, we are contrasting the Olympus 8010 and Sony A100, one being a Waterproof and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a significant difference between the resolutions of the 8010 (13MP) and A100 (10MP) and the 8010 (1/2.3") and A100 (APS-C) provide different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The 8010 was launched 3 years later than the A100 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus 8010 being a Compact camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going into a complete comparison, here is a quick summary of how the 8010 grades against the A100 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus Tough 8010 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The complete galleries are available at Olympus 8010 Gallery and Sony A100 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera often, you'll have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus 8010 has got exterior dimensions of 98mm x 64mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.5" x 0.9") having a weight of 245 grams (0.54 lbs) while the Sony A100 has proportions of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") and a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

See the Olympus 8010 and Sony A100 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have at that moment. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the 8010 vs the A100.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the 8010 and A100 is 92 and 64 respectively.

In many cases, it is very hard to picture the gap between sensor sizing purely by reading through technical specs. The photograph here might give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the 8010 and A100.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The 8010 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field harder and the Olympus 8010 will give greater detail utilizing its extra 3MP. Greater resolution will help you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The newer 8010 should have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.