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Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500

Portability
88
Imaging
35
Features
51
Overall
41
Olympus XZ-1 front
 
Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 front
Portability
63
Imaging
52
Features
52
Overall
52

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500 Key Specs

Olympus XZ-1
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/1.63" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-112mm (F1.8-2.5) lens
  • 275g - 111 x 65 x 42mm
  • Launched January 2011
Sony A500
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 630g - 137 x 104 x 84mm
  • Announced August 2009
  • Successor is Sony A560
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Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500 Overview

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.

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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.

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Reasons to pick Olympus XZ-1 over the Sony A500

 XZ-1 A500 
AnnouncedJanuary 2011August 2009More modern by 18 months
Display resolution614k230kCrisper display (+384k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony A500 over the Olympus XZ-1

 A500 XZ-1 
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display

Common features in the Olympus XZ-1 and Sony A500

 XZ-1 A500 
Focus manually More precise focus
Display dimensions3"3"Equal display measurements
Selfie screen Neither contains selfie screen
Touch display Neither contains Touch display

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500 Physical Comparison

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. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

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.

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500 size comparison

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

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500 top view buttons comparison

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500 Sensor Comparison

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.

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500 sensor size comparison

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus XZ-1 Portrait photography details
Sony A500 Portrait photography details
45
you can focus manually
offers face detect autofocus
saves RAW files
sensor resolution not great (10 megapixels)
sensor is very small (1/1.63")
63
focusing manually
decent sensor size (APS-C)
includes face detection focusing
supports RAW files
low MP (12MP)
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus XZ-1
Street photography with Sony A500
59
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
saves RAW files
fixed screen
sensor is very small (1/1.63")
heavier than others (275 grams)
74
screen tilts up and down
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Olympus XZ-1 Sports photography features
Sony A500 Sports photography features
38
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
offers tracking focus
good battery (320 per charge)
painfully slow continuous shooting (2.0 fps)
sensor resolution not great (10 megapixels)
sensor is very small (1/1.63")
has no phase detect autofocus
51
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
comes with phase detect AF
max fps very slow (5.0 frames per second)
low MP (12MP)
not so great battery pack (520 per charge)
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Travel Comparison

Olympus XZ-1 Travel photography information
Sony A500 Travel photography information
62
good battery (320 per charge)
built-in flash
pretty wide (28mm)
fast maximum aperture (f1.8)
does not have Time Lapse mode
heavier than others (275 grams)
sensor resolution not great (10MP)
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
43
built-in flash
no Time Lapse mode
not so great battery pack (520 shots)
low MP (12MP)
screen isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus XZ-1 as a Landscape photography camera
Sony A500 as a Landscape photography camera
54
you can focus manually
pretty wide (28mm)
fast maximum aperture (f1.8)
screen is a decent size (3")
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
saves RAW files
good battery (320 CIPA)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sensor resolution not great (10 megapixels)
sensor is very small (1/1.63")
does not have Time Lapse mode
60
focusing manually
change lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
screen size is decent (3")
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports RAW files
low MP (12MP)
not so great battery pack (520 CIPA)
no Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus XZ-1 Vlogging factors
Sony A500 Vlogging factors
31
pretty wide (28mm)
fast maximum aperture (f1.8)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
offers face detect autofocus
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
video quality not great (1280 x 720 pixels)
does not have mic socket
heavier than others (275 grams)
9
no video recording
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Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A500 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus XZ-1 and Sony A500
 Olympus XZ-1Sony Alpha DSLR-A500
General Information
Company Olympus Sony
Model Olympus XZ-1 Sony Alpha DSLR-A500
Type Small Sensor Compact Entry-Level DSLR
Launched 2011-01-26 2009-08-27
Body design Compact Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Powered by TruePic V Bionz
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/1.63" APS-C
Sensor dimensions 8.07 x 5.56mm 23.5 x 15.6mm
Sensor surface area 44.9mm² 366.6mm²
Sensor resolution 10 megapixels 12 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2 and 16:9
Peak resolution 3664 x 2752 4272 x 2848
Highest native ISO 6400 12800
Lowest native ISO 100 200
RAW data
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Number of focus points 11 9
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens Sony/Minolta Alpha
Lens focal range 28-112mm (4.0x) -
Max aperture f/1.8-2.5 -
Macro focus range 1cm -
Number of lenses - 143
Crop factor 4.5 1.5
Screen
Range of screen Fixed Type Tilting
Screen diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Resolution of screen 614k dot 230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Screen technology OLED -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic (optional) Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder coverage - 95 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.53x
Features
Min shutter speed 60 seconds 30 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Continuous shutter speed 2.0 frames per second 5.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 8.60 m (ISO 800) 12.00 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Max flash sync - 1/160 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) -
Highest video resolution 1280x720 None
Video file format Motion JPEG -
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 275 grams (0.61 lbs) 630 grams (1.39 lbs)
Physical dimensions 111 x 65 x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") 137 x 104 x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score 34 64
DXO Color Depth score 18.8 21.8
DXO Dynamic range score 10.4 11.6
DXO Low light score 117 772
Other
Battery life 320 pictures 520 pictures
Battery form Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model Li-50B NP-FM500H
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/ SDHC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots One One
Cost at release $567 $638