Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500

On this page, we are reviewing the Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the XZ-1 (10MP) and the A500 (12MP) is fairly similar but the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and A500 (APS-C) provide different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The XZ-1 was revealed 18 months after the A500 making them a generation away from one another. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the XZ-1 scores against the A500 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus XZ-1 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The full galleries are provided at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery and Sony A500 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus XZ-1 has got outside measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) whilst the Sony A500 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check out the Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Underneath is a front view overall size comparison of the XZ-1 compared to the A500.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the XZ-1 and A500 is 88 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to visualize the gap between sensor sizes simply by going over specifications. The pic below might provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the XZ-1 and A500.

To sum up, both the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The XZ-1 with its tinier sensor is going to make shooting bokeh trickier and the Sony A500 will offer extra detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop photos more aggressively. The newer XZ-1 provides a benefit with regard to sensor technology.