Panasonic S1R vs Sony A550

Lets look much closer at the Panasonic S1R vs Sony A550, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There exists a huge gap between the resolutions of the S1R (47MP) and A550 (14MP) and the S1R (Full frame) and A550 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The S1R was manufactured 9 years later than the A550 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic S1R being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving in to a in-depth comparison, below is a short summation of how the S1R matches up against the A550 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic S1R Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry your camera often, you should think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic S1R has got exterior measurements of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") with a weight of 1020 grams (2.25 lbs) while the Sony A550 has measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic S1R vs Sony A550 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Below is the front view sizing comparison of the S1R and the A550.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the S1R and A550 is 54 and 63 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to visualise the contrast between sensor sizing just by checking a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the S1R and A550.

As you can see, both of the cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The S1R because of its bigger sensor will make getting shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic S1R will resolve extra detail due to its extra 33 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The fresher S1R is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.