Panasonic G85 vs Sony A550

Lets look a little more closely at the Panasonic G85 and Sony A550, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the G85 (16MP) and the A550 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the G85 (Four Thirds) and A550 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor size.

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The G85 was launched 6 years after the A550 which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic G85 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a step-by-step comparison, here is a brief overview of how the G85 matches up vs the A550 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic G85 Gallery & Sony A550 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera often, you'll have to consider its weight and size. The Panasonic G85 comes with outer measurements of 128mm x 89mm x 74mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 2.9") with a weight of 505 grams (1.11 lbs) while the Sony A550 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic G85 and Sony A550 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are using during that time. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the G85 against the A550.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the G85 and A550 is 69 and 63 respectively.

More often than not, it can be tough to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes merely by checking technical specs. The image below will help offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the G85 and A550.

As you have seen, both the cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The G85 due to its tinier sensor will make shooting bokeh harder and the Panasonic G85 will give more detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The more modern G85 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.