Ricoh CX4 vs Sony A550

In this write-up, we will be analyzing the Ricoh CX4 and Sony A550, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Ricoh and Sony. There is a large difference between the resolutions of the CX4 (10MP) and A550 (14MP) and the CX4 (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The CX4 was brought out 9 months later than the A550 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both cameras offer different body type with the Ricoh CX4 being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going in to a thorough comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the CX4 matches up versus the A550 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Ricoh CX4 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The entire galleries are provided at Ricoh CX4 Gallery & Sony A550 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to lug around your camera often, you need to factor in its weight and size. The Ricoh CX4 enjoys outer dimensions of 102mm x 59mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 205 grams (0.45 lbs) while the Sony A550 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Compare the Ricoh CX4 and Sony A550 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are working with at the time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the CX4 against the A550.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the CX4 and A550 is 92 and 63 respectively.

Usually, it is very hard to envision the difference between sensor measurements simply by reading through technical specs. The visual here might offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the CX4 and A550.

As you can tell, each of these cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The CX4 featuring a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony A550 will give greater detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures far more aggressively. The more modern CX4 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor technology.