Olympus VR-330 vs Sony A550

In this article, we are matching up the Olympus VR-330 vs Sony A550, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the VR-330 (14MP) and the A550 (14MP) is fairly close but the VR-330 (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) use totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The VR-330 was brought out 15 months after the A550 making the cameras a generation away from one another. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VR-330 being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting in to a thorough comparison, below is a concise summation of how the VR-330 grades against the A550 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus VR-330 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The entire galleries are available at Olympus VR-330 Gallery & Sony A550 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to travel with your camera frequently, you'll have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus VR-330 has got outside measurements of 101mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Sony A550 has measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus VR-330 vs Sony A550 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the VR-330 and the A550.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the VR-330 and A550 is 94 and 63 respectively.

Typically, its hard to see the gap in sensor dimensions merely by looking through specs. The picture below will give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the VR-330 and A550.

All in all, both of the cameras offer the same exact megapixels but not the same sensor dimensions. The VR-330 comes with the smaller sensor which should make achieving shallow depth of field more challenging. The younger VR-330 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.