Sony A550 vs Sony NEX-6

Its time to look more closely at the Sony A550 versus Sony NEX-6, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless and both are produced by Sony. The image resolution of the A550 (14MP) and the NEX-6 (16MP) is relatively well matched and both cameras have the same sensor size (APS-C).

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The A550 was revealed 4 years before the NEX-6 which is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony NEX-6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a complete comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the A550 scores versus the NEX-6 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 & Sony Alpha NEX-6. The full galleries are provided at Sony A550 Gallery & Sony NEX-6 Gallery.

For those who are intending to travel with your camera regularly, you'll need to consider its weight and measurements. The Sony A550 has exterior measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs) while the Sony NEX-6 has proportions of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 345 grams (0.76 lbs).

See the Sony A550 versus Sony NEX-6 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have during that time. Here is a front view dimensions comparison of the A550 versus the NEX-6.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the A550 and NEX-6 is 63 and 85 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very hard to picture the contrast between sensor dimensions just by checking a spec sheet. The image below will offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the A550 and NEX-6.

Clearly, both the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit different megapixels. You can count on the Sony NEX-6 to give extra detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs more aggressively. The more aged A550 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.