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Sony A550 vs Sony WX80

Portability
63
Imaging
54
Features
65
Overall
58
Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX80 front
Portability
96
Imaging
40
Features
38
Overall
39

Sony A550 vs Sony WX80 Key Specs

Sony A550
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 632g - 137 x 104 x 84mm
  • Revealed December 2009
  • Earlier Model is Sony A100
Sony WX80
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 3200 (Increase to 12800)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-224mm (F3.3-8.0) lens
  • 124g - 92 x 52 x 22mm
  • Launched January 2013
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Sony A550 vs Sony WX80 Overview

In this article, we will be evaluating the Sony A550 and Sony WX80, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are manufactured by Sony. The sensor resolution of the A550 (14MP) and the WX80 (16MP) is relatively close but the A550 (APS-C) and WX80 (1/2.3") come with different sensor size.

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The A550 was manufactured 4 years before the WX80 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony WX80 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a complete comparison, below is a brief overview of how the A550 grades versus the WX80 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Sony A550 over the Sony WX80

 A550 WX80 
Manually focus Very exact focusing
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen sizing3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution922k230kCrisper screen (+692k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony WX80 over the Sony A550

 WX80 A550 
LaunchedJanuary 2013December 2009Fresher by 37 months

Common features in the Sony A550 and Sony WX80

 A550 WX80 
Selfie screen Neither provides selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Lack of Touch friendly screen

Sony A550 vs Sony WX80 Physical Comparison

When you are going to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to factor its weight and size. The Sony A550 provides outside dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs) while the Sony WX80 has specifications of 92mm x 52mm x 22mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.9") and a weight of 124 grams (0.27 lbs).

Look at the Sony A550 and Sony WX80 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose at the time. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the A550 versus the WX80.

Sony A550 vs Sony WX80 size comparison

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the A550 and WX80 is 63 and 96 respectively.

Sony A550 vs Sony WX80 top view buttons comparison

Sony A550 vs Sony WX80 Sensor Comparison

In many cases, it can be tough to imagine the contrast in sensor sizing just by researching specs. The visual underneath may offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the A550 and WX80.

All in all, both of the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The A550 because of its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF simpler and the Sony WX80 will provide you with more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs a little more aggressively. The older A550 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.

Sony A550 vs Sony WX80 sensor size comparison

Sony A550 vs Sony WX80 Screen and ViewFinder

Sony A550 vs Sony WX80 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Sony A550
Portrait photography with Sony WX80
72
focusing manually
megapixel count decent (14MP)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
provides face detection focusing
supports RAW files
35
decent megapixels (16MP)
features face detection focusing
lack of manual focus
manual mode not available
cannot use external flash
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
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Street Comparison

Sony A550 Street photography features
Sony WX80 Street photography features
74
has a tilting screen
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports RAW files
67
built in image stabilization (Optical)
supports focus via touch
lighter than average (124g)
fixed screen
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Sony A550
Sports photography with Sony WX80
67
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count decent (14MP)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports phase detect AF
terrible battery pack (480 CIPA)
45
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
features tracking autofocus
no shutter priority
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Sony A550 as a Travel photography camera
Sony WX80 as a Travel photography camera
52
megapixel count decent (14 megapixels)
built-in flash
lack of Timelapse mode
terrible battery pack (480 per charge)
screen isn't selfie friendly
71
lighter than average (124 grams)
supports focus via touch
decent megapixels (16MP)
built-in flash
reasonably wide (28mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
does not have selfie friendly screen
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
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Landscape Comparison

Sony A550 Landscape photography factors
Sony WX80 Landscape photography factors
66
focusing manually
change lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
nice screen size (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count decent (14 megapixels)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports RAW files
terrible battery pack (480 per charge)
lack of Timelapse mode
39
reasonably wide (28mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (16MP)
lack of manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
screen is somewhat small (2.7 inches)
manual mode not available
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Sony A550 Vlogging information
Sony WX80 Vlogging information
9
no video recording
35
reasonably wide (28mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
features face detection focusing
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than average (124g)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
does not have selfie friendly screen
doesn't have external mic jack
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Sony A550 vs Sony WX80 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Sony A550 and Sony WX80
 Sony Alpha DSLR-A550Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX80
General Information
Brand Name Sony Sony
Model type Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX80
Type Entry-Level DSLR Small Sensor Compact
Revealed 2009-12-09 2013-01-08
Body design Compact SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Chip Bionz BIONZ
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size APS-C 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 23.4 x 15.6mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 365.0mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 14 megapixel 16 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 3:2 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Peak resolution 4592 x 3056 4608 x 3456
Highest native ISO 12800 3200
Highest enhanced ISO - 12800
Min native ISO 200 100
RAW data
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points 9 -
Cross type focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount type Sony/Minolta Alpha fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 28-224mm (8.0x)
Highest aperture - f/3.3-8.0
Macro focusing range - 5cm
Amount of lenses 143 -
Crop factor 1.5 5.8
Screen
Screen type Tilting Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3" 2.7"
Resolution of screen 922 thousand dot 230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Screen technology - TFT LCD display
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) None
Viewfinder coverage 95% -
Viewfinder magnification 0.53x -
Features
Minimum shutter speed 30 secs 4 secs
Fastest shutter speed 1/4000 secs 1/1600 secs
Continuous shutter speed 7.0 frames/s 10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Change WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 12.00 m 4.20 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync, Advanced Flash
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Fastest flash sync 1/160 secs -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions - 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (60, 30 fps), 1280 x 720 ( 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution None 1920x1080
Video data format - MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 632 gr (1.39 pounds) 124 gr (0.27 pounds)
Dimensions 137 x 104 x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") 92 x 52 x 22mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.9")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating 66 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 21.9 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 11.8 not tested
DXO Low light rating 807 not tested
Other
Battery life 480 photographs 240 photographs
Battery format Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID NP-FM500H NP-BN
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage SD/ SDHC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots 1 1
Launch price $749 $276