Sony A550 vs Sony NEX-7

Below, we will be reviewing the Sony A550 vs Sony NEX-7, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless and both are built by Sony. There exists a sizeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the A550 (14MP) and NEX-7 (24MP) but they feature the exact same sensor sizes (APS-C).

Photography Glossary

The A550 was launched 24 months prior to the NEX-7 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony NEX-7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting through a more detailed comparison, below is a concise overview of how the A550 scores versus the NEX-7 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 and Sony Alpha NEX-7. The complete galleries are viewable at Sony A550 Gallery and Sony NEX-7 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor in its weight and size. The Sony A550 offers 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) whilst the Sony NEX-7 has specifications of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 400 grams (0.88 lbs).

Take a look at the Sony A550 vs Sony NEX-7 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you select at that time. The following is the front view sizing comparison of the A550 against the NEX-7.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the A550 and NEX-7 is 63 and 84 respectively.

Normally, it can be tough to picture the gap between sensor measurements just by looking at specifications. The photograph underneath will help offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the A550 and NEX-7.

To sum up, both the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements albeit different resolution. You should count on the Sony NEX-7 to give more detail utilizing its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs much more aggressively. The older A550 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.