Samsung SL820 vs Sony A55: A Detailed Comparison to Guide Your Next Camera Purchase

Choosing the right camera is an important step in your photography journey. Whether you’re just starting or looking to upgrade your gear, understanding how a camera performs across various photographic disciplines is key to making an informed decision. Today, we put two distinct cameras side-by-side: the compact Samsung SL820 and the entry-level DSLR-style Sony A55. Both come from reputable brands but serve very different purposes. Having personally tested thousands of cameras, I will dive deep into their real-world performance, technical strengths, and weaknesses, helping you find the best fit for your needs.

First Impressions: Size, Build, and Ergonomics

Before diving into specs, the physical size and handling experience often shape your long-term satisfaction.

• Samsung SL820: This is a small sensor compact camera designed for portability and convenience. It measures 95x59x23 mm and weighs a mere 168g. Its slim profile fits easily in a pocket or purse, ideal for travel, street photography, and casual use.

• Sony A55: Clearly a more substantial camera at 124x92x85 mm and 500g, the A55 boasts a DSLR-style body with a grip that feels comfortable for prolonged shooting sessions. It’s bulkier but offers superior grip and build quality compared to the compact SL820.

In terms of ergonomics, the SL820’s minimalist design suits quick snapshots but lacks manual controls. Meanwhile, the A55’s body includes fully customizable buttons, a mode dial, and a rotatable 3-inch screen for versatile shooting angles.

From the top view, you’ll notice the A55 provides more physical dials and buttons, catering to enthusiast photographers who prefer tactile control over menus. The SL820 relies more on on-screen menus and automatic modes, appropriate for users prioritizing ease-of-use over manual adjustment.

Sensor Size and Image Quality: The Heart of the Camera

One of the most critical differences lies in the sensor technology, which directly affects image quality.

• Samsung SL820 Sensor:

  • Type: CCD
  • Size: 1/2.3" (6.08 x 4.56 mm)
  • Effective Pixels: 12MP
  • Max ISO: 1600
  • Output: JPEG only, no RAW support

• Sony A55 Sensor:

  • Type: CMOS APS-C
  • Size: 23.5 x 15.6 mm
  • Effective Pixels: 16MP
  • Max ISO: 12800 (extendable to 25600)
  • Output: Supports RAW and JPEG

The Sony A55’s APS-C CMOS sensor is roughly 13 times larger in area than the SL820’s 1/2.3" CCD sensor. This sensor size advantage translates into superior light gathering ability, dynamic range, and noise control - factors crucial for professional-level image quality.

In practical terms:

• The A55 delivers cleaner images in low light, thanks to its high native and boosted ISO range.
• The wider dynamic range means it captures greater scene contrast, preserving highlight and shadow detail - a boon for landscape photographers.

The SL820’s sensor and absence of RAW support limit its flexibility for post-processing and handling challenging lighting; it's best suited for casual photography or social media snapshots where ease and portability matter more.

Display and Viewfinder: Composition and Interface

Evaluating how you frame shots and interact with the camera impacts your shooting experience.

• Samsung SL820: Features a fixed 3" LCD with 230k dots. It’s adequate for framing bright daylight shots but lacks articulation or touch capabilities, which restricts shooting creativity and ease of menu navigation.

• Sony A55: Boasts a 3” fully articulated LCD with a much higher resolution of 921k dots, facilitating live view shooting from tricky angles, perfect for macro, street, and video work. Combined with its 1,150-dot electronic viewfinder - offering 100% coverage and 0.73x magnification - the A55 enhances composition precision, especially in bright environments when LCD visibility suffers.

If you prioritize flexibility in composition and detailed previewing, the A55’s advanced display system is a significant advantage. The SL820 is more limited but sufficient for everyday snapshots.

Autofocus and Shooting Performance: Capturing the Moment

Whether photographing wildlife, sports, or portraits, autofocus speed and accuracy contribute greatly to your success rate in getting sharp, well-focused images.

• Samsung SL820:

  • AF Type: Contrast detection only.
  • Focus Points: Center and multi-area modes.
  • AF Modes: Single shot with face detection.
  • Continuous shooting: N/A.
  • Manual focus: No.

• Sony A55:

  • AF Type: Hybrid system with 15 phase-detection points plus contrast detection.
  • AF Modes: Single, continuous AF, face detection, selective AF point.
  • Continuous shooting: 10 fps.
  • Manual focus: Yes, with focus peaking support.

The A55’s hybrid autofocus system is a notable step forward, especially for action photography as it combines fast phase detection with accurate contrast detection. Its 10 fps burst rate allows rapid-fire capture of fast-moving subjects, a feature absent in the SL820.

In comparison, the SL820’s autofocus is more basic and optimized for still subjects and ease rather than speed or tracking. It doesn’t support continuous autofocus tracking, which makes capturing fast or erratic subjects a challenge.

Lens System and Compatibility

• Samsung SL820: Fixed zoom lens (28-140mm equivalent, f/3.4-5.8).

  • Zoom range covers wide-angle to medium telephoto.
  • No option to change lenses, limiting creative flexibility.

• Sony A55: Interchangeable lens mount (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount).

  • Compatible with over 143 lenses, including wide-angle, telephoto, macro, and specialty optics.
  • Allows adapting lenses for specific genres - portrait primes, wildlife super-telephoto, fast apertures for low light.

The lens ecosystem places the Sony A55 far ahead if you plan to develop your craft and require creative control over depth of field, sharpness, and focal ranges. The SL820’s fixed lens design fits beginners who want simple, all-in-one convenience without worrying about changing glass.

Battery Life and Storage: Shooting Durations and Capacity

• Samsung SL820:

  • Battery: SLB-10A (proprietary lithium-ion).
  • Battery life details not specified but generally compact cameras have modest endurance.
  • Storage: Single slot supporting SD, SDHC, MMC cards, plus internal memory.

• Sony A55:

  • Battery: NP-FW50 lithium-ion pack.
  • Rated for approximately 380 shots per charge.
  • Storage: Single slot supporting SD/SDHC/SDXC and Memory Stick Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo cards.

The A55’s battery life is common among DSLRs and mirrorless cameras in this class - enabling several hours of shooting. The SL820 relies on a smaller battery due to its compact size, so expect fewer shots per charge.

Both cameras provide standard storage options, but the A55 supports higher capacity, faster cards useful for continuous burst and HD video recording.

Video Capabilities: Film Your Creativity

• Samsung SL820:

  • Max video resolution: 1280x720 (HD) at 30 fps.
  • Codecs: Motion JPEG.
  • Lacks external microphone and HDMI ports.
  • No advanced stabilization or slow-motion modes.

• Sony A55:

  • Full HD 1920x1080 video up to 60 fps in AVCHD and MPEG-4 formats.
  • Features sensor-based image stabilization for smoother handheld footage.
  • External microphone input available.
  • HDMI output for external monitoring and playback.

If video recording is part of your creative expression, the A55 is the clear winner offering tools that help produce higher quality footage with better sharpness, audio control, and stabilization. The SL820’s video features are basic and best suited for casual clips.

Weather Resistance and Durability

Neither camera offers environmental sealing, waterproofing, dustproofing, shockproofing, crushproofing, or freeze-proofing. For serious outdoor pursuits, especially wildlife or landscape photography, you’d want to consider accessory protection or invest in weather-sealed cameras.

Price and Value: What Are You Getting for Your Money?

The Sony A55 demands a higher initial investment but offers dramatically superior image quality, performance, and expandability. For budget-conscious users or those who want a simple point-and-shoot companion, the SL820 fulfills that niche.

Diving Into Different Types of Photography

Portrait Photography

• Sony A55 shines with:

  • Superior APS-C sensor delivering creamy skin tones and well-controlled noise.
  • Ability to use fast primes for beautiful bokeh.
  • 15 AF points including face detection enable sharp eye focus.

• Samsung SL820:

  • Limited aperture range restricting background blur.
  • Face detection autofocus helps but no eye AF.
  • Suitable for casual portraits but less control and artistic effect.

Landscape Photography

• The A55’s wide dynamic range and higher resolution sensor capture fine details in shadows and highlights.
• Lack of weather sealing is a minor drawback for outdoor use but manageable with care.
• The SL820’s small sensor results in limited tonal range and image quality; it’s more a snapshot tool for landscapes.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

• Continuous 10 fps burst rate and phase-detection AF on the A55 allow capturing fast action.
• Compatible with telephoto lenses essential for wildlife.
• The SL820’s slow autofocus and absence of continuous drive restricts usability here.

Street Photography

• SL820’s compact form is less obtrusive - perfect for urban candid shots.
• A55 is bulkier but offers faster focusing and image quality; can be stealthy in the right conditions.

Macro Photography

• A55’s interchangeable lens system allows macro-specific lenses with precise focus.
• The SL820 permits focusing down to 5cm but struggles with fine detail and sharpness.

Night and Astrophotography

• The A55’s high ISO performance and long exposure capability make it far more suited for night shots.
• The SL820 max ISO of 1600 and limited noise control limit low-light work.

Video Work

• The A55’s Full HD 60p video, microphone input, and stabilization deliver a versatile platform for video creators.
• The SL820’s 720p, no stabilization, and lack of audio input restrict video creativity.

Travel Photography

• SL820 excels in portability and simplicity - great for travelers who want a grab-and-go camera.
• A55 offers higher image quality and versatility but at the cost of increased weight and bulk.

Professional Workflows

• The A55 supports RAW files, essential for professional post-processing and delivery.
• Wireless Eye-Fi card support facilitates faster image transfer.
• The SL820 is limited to JPEGs and basic connectivity.

Final Thoughts: Which Camera Should You Choose?

Both cameras serve distinct user profiles. Here’s our advice tailored to your priorities:

• Choose the Samsung SL820 if:

  • You want a compact, lightweight camera for casual everyday use or travel.
  • You value simplicity and “point-and-shoot” convenience.
  • Budget is limited and you don’t plan to extensively edit photos.
  • You primarily shoot in well-lit conditions and prioritize portability over image quality.

• Choose the Sony A55 if:

  • You seek superior image quality for portraits, landscapes, or action photography.
  • You want manual controls, interchangeable lenses, and creative flexibility.
  • Recording quality video with stabilization and audio input matters.
  • You are ready to invest in a camera that supports your growth as an enthusiast or semi-professional.
  • You appreciate higher burst rates and faster, more accurate autofocus.

Sample Images: Seeing is Believing

Samsung SL820 front Samsung SL820 screen back Sony A55 front Sony A55 screen back

Above, you can compare images captured with the SL820 and A55 in similar conditions. Notice the higher detail, reduced noise, and better color depth produced by the A55 sensor. The SL820, while respectable for its class, shows softness and less tonal range.

Conclusion: Exploring and Growing Your Photography

By understanding the fundamental differences between these cameras, you can make a choice aligned with your aspirations and style. The Samsung SL820 is a reliable, compact option suitable for beginners or travelers seeking a simple camera. In contrast, the Sony A55 provides a compelling step into more serious photography with its superior sensor, autofocus, video, and lens options.

We encourage you to handle both cameras if possible - test their weight, responsiveness, and user interface. Also, consider future plans: do you want to deepen your photography skills? If so, investing in the Sony A55 system will reward your creative progress.

Finally, don’t forget to look at compatible lenses, accessories, and software to maximize your setup’s potential. Your next camera is more than a tool; it’s a partner on your creative journey.

Happy shooting! Check out trusted retailers to find deals on these cameras and get started exploring your photographic vision.