Sony A550 vs Sony WX30

On this page, we are contrasting the Sony A550 vs Sony WX30, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are created by Sony. The sensor resolution of the A550 (14MP) and the WX30 (16MP) is very similar but the A550 (APS-C) and WX30 (1/2.3") have different sensor size.

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The A550 was unveiled 19 months before the WX30 making them a generation apart from one another. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony WX30 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the A550 matches up versus the WX30 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX30. The full galleries are available at Sony A550 Gallery & Sony WX30 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor in its weight and volume. The Sony A550 has outer dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs) and the Sony WX30 has sizing of 92mm x 52mm x 19mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.7") and a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

Take a look at the Sony A550 vs Sony WX30 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use at the time. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the A550 against the WX30.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the A550 and WX30 is 63 and 96 respectively.

Normally, it's difficult to visualize the gap between sensor measurements merely by reviewing specifications. The visual below may provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the A550 and WX30.

Plainly, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The A550 using its larger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF simpler and the Sony WX30 will offer you more detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos a bit more aggressively. The older A550 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.