Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony A550

Below is a extended comparison of the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony A550, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and the A550 (14MP) is very similar but the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and A550 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor size.

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The XZ-2 iHS was revealed 3 years later than the A550 and that is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going into a complete comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the XZ-2 iHS grades vs the A550 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The full galleries are available at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS provides outside measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") along with a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) whilst the Sony A550 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony A550 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the XZ-2 iHS and the A550.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-2 iHS and A550 is 85 and 63 respectively.

Normally, it is very tough to envision the gap between sensor measurements merely by going over specs. The visual underneath will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the XZ-2 iHS and A550.

All in all, the 2 cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The XZ-2 iHS having a tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field tougher and the Sony A550 will offer you extra detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos way more aggressively. The more recent XZ-2 iHS will have an advantage in sensor innovation.