Sony W550 vs Sony ZV-1

On this page, we are reviewing the Sony W550 and Sony ZV-1, former being a Ultracompact while the other is a Large Sensor Compact and both are built by Sony. There is a noticeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the W550 (14MP) and ZV-1 (20MP) and the W550 (1/2.3") and ZV-1 (1") boast different sensor measurements.

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The W550 was revealed 9 years before the ZV-1 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Sony W550 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony ZV-1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before delving straight to a thorough comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the W550 scores against the ZV-1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550 & Sony ZV-1. The full galleries are available at Sony W550 Gallery & Sony ZV-1 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Sony W550 comes with exterior measurements of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") along with a weight of 110 grams (0.24 lbs) while the Sony ZV-1 has measurements of 105mm x 60mm x 44mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.7") and a weight of 294 grams (0.65 lbs).

Examine the Sony W550 and Sony ZV-1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you select at the time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the W550 versus the ZV-1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the W550 and ZV-1 is 96 and 88 respectively.

In many cases, its hard to imagine the contrast between sensor sizing simply by reviewing specifications. The photograph below will offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the W550 and ZV-1.

Plainly, both cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The W550 having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony ZV-1 will offer extra detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images a bit more aggressively. The older W550 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.