Olympus VR-330 vs Sony A55

Its time to look closer at the Olympus VR-330 and Sony A55, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the VR-330 (14MP) and the A55 (16MP) is relatively close but the VR-330 (1/2.3") and A55 (APS-C) provide different sensor dimensions.

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The VR-330 was unveiled 6 months after the A55 and they are of a similar age. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus VR-330 being a Compact camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a in-depth comparison, here is a short summation of how the VR-330 scores against the A55 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus VR-330 & Sony SLT-A55. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus VR-330 Gallery & Sony A55 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to travel with your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus VR-330 enjoys exterior measurements of 101mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) while the Sony A55 has specifications of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") and a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus VR-330 and Sony A55 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the VR-330 against the A55.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the VR-330 and A55 is 94 and 67 respectively.

Normally, it is very tough to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions only by looking through specs. The image below may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the VR-330 and A55.

All in all, both of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The VR-330 having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh trickier and the Sony A55 will provide you with more detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots more aggressively.