Sony A500 vs Sony H55

Below is a in-depth overview of the Sony A500 versus Sony H55, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are designed by Sony. The sensor resolution of the A500 (12MP) and the H55 (14MP) is fairly close but the A500 (APS-C) and H55 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The A500 was announced 9 months earlier than the H55 so they are both of a similar generation. Both cameras offer different body type with the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony H55 being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a more detailed comparison, below is a short summation of how the A500 matches up vs the H55 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55. The whole galleries are viewable at Sony A500 Gallery and Sony H55 Gallery.

If you are planning to lug around your camera frequently, you should factor in its weight and size. The Sony A500 provides outer dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs) whilst the Sony H55 has specifications of 103mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Examine the Sony A500 versus Sony H55 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have chosen at that time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the A500 and the H55.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the A500 and H55 is 63 and 92 respectively.

Quite often, it is tough to see the contrast in sensor measurements just by researching specs. The visual here might give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the A500 and H55.

All in all, each of these cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The A500 with its larger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field easier and the Sony H55 will provide you with greater detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos a little more aggressively. The older A500 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.