Sony WX500 vs Sony A55

In this article, we will be reviewing the Sony WX500 and Sony A55, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR and both of them are produced by Sony. The image resolution of the WX500 (18MP) and the A55 (16MP) is pretty comparable but the WX500 (1/2.3") and A55 (APS-C) use totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The WX500 was released 4 years after the A55 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Sony WX500 being a Compact camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a complete comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the WX500 scores versus the A55 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX500 & Sony SLT-A55. The complete galleries are available at Sony WX500 Gallery & Sony A55 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera often, you will want to think about its weight and volume. The Sony WX500 enjoys physical measurements of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") and a weight of 236 grams (0.52 lbs) while the Sony A55 has sizing of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") having a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Check out the Sony WX500 and Sony A55 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at the time. The following is the front view dimension comparison of the WX500 against the A55.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the WX500 and A55 is 91 and 67 respectively.

In many cases, it is hard to see the contrast in sensor sizes simply by going through specs. The pic here might give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the WX500 and A55.

All in all, each of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The WX500 due to its smaller sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony WX500 will provide more detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop pictures far more aggressively. The younger WX500 will have an edge with regard to sensor tech.