Samsung TL500 vs Sony A550

On this page, we are matching up the Samsung TL500 vs Sony A550, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Samsung and Sony. There exists a crucial gap among the resolutions of the TL500 (10MP) and A550 (14MP) and the TL500 (1/1.7") and A550 (APS-C) have totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The TL500 was revealed 8 months later than the A550 and they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Samsung TL500 being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a detailed comparison, here is a short summation of how the TL500 matches up versus the A550 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Samsung TL500 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The full galleries are viewable at Samsung TL500 Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.

If you are intending to lug around your camera, you will have to think about its weight and measurements. The Samsung TL500 offers external dimensions of 114mm x 63mm x 29mm (4.5" x 2.5" x 1.1") and a weight of 386 grams (0.85 lbs) and the Sony A550 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Look at the Samsung TL500 vs Sony A550 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are employing at the time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the TL500 versus the A550.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the TL500 and A550 is 88 and 63 respectively.

Quite often, its hard to envision the contrast in sensor measurements just by checking out specs. The graphic underneath will give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the TL500 and A550.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The TL500 having a smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Sony A550 will produce extra detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop images more aggressively. The newer TL500 is going to have an advantage in sensor innovation.