Olympus E-400 vs Sony A99

The Olympus E-400 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A99 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2006 and September 2012. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-400) and a full frame (A99) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-400		Sony A99
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses		Sony A mount lenses
10 MP – Four Thirds sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 100-25,600
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
2.5" LCD – 215k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
3 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
500 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
130 x 91 x 53 mm, 435 g		147 x 111 x 78 mm, 812 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-400 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A99? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Olympus E-400 and the Sony A99 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A99 is notably larger (38 percent) than the Olympus E-400. Moreover, the A99 is substantially heavier (87 percent) than the E-400. It is noteworthy in this context that the A99 is splash and dust-proof, while the E-400 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-400	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Sep 2006	EUR 699	ebay.com
2.		Sony A99	147 mm	111 mm	78 mm	812 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	EUR 2 799	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D40X	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	520	n	Mar 2007	EUR 699	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-410	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Mar 2007	EUR 699	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-420	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2008	EUR 499	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-450	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2009	EUR 449	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-500	130 mm	95 mm	66 mm	479 g	750	n	Sep 2005	EUR 599	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-510	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	538 g	750	n	Mar 2007	EUR 799	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-620	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	521 g	500	n	Feb 2009	EUR 599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus Stylus 1	116 mm	87 mm	57 mm	402 g	410	n	Oct 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
11.		Olympus Stylus 1s	116 mm	87 mm	57 mm	402 g	450	n	Apr 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic L10	135 mm	96 mm	78 mm	556 g	450	n	Aug 2007	EUR 599	ebay.com
13.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	EUR 5 299	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	EUR 1 299	ebay.com
15.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	EUR 3 599	ebay.com
16.		Sony A850	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Aug 2009	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
17.		Sony A900	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Sep 2008	EUR 2 799	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The E-400 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 75 percent) than the A99, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-400 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A99 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A99 is 279 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.0. The sensor in the E-400 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A99 offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 24MP, the A99 offers a higher resolution than the E-400 (10MP), but the A99 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.96μm versus 4.74μm for the E-400) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the A99 is a much more recent model (by 6 years) than the E-400, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A99 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A99 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-400 are 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm for good quality, 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm for very good quality, and 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus E-400 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha SLT-A99 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Olympus E-400	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
2.		Sony A99	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	14.0	1555	89
3.		Nikon D40X	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.4	11.4	516	63
4.		Olympus E-410	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.1	10.0	494	51
5.		Olympus E-420	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.4	527	56
6.		Olympus E-450	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.5	512	56
7.		Olympus E-500	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.7	10.3	45	51
8.		Olympus E-510	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.2	10.0	442	52
9.		Olympus E-620	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.3	536	55
10.		Olympus Stylus 1	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.7	11.6	179	51
11.		Olympus Stylus 1s	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.2	11.3	-111	47
12.		Panasonic L10	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.3	10.8	429	55
13.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
14.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
15.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
16.		Sony A850	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.8	12.2	1415	79
17.		Sony A900	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.7	12.3	1431	79
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The A99 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-400 does not. The highest resolution format that the A99 can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A99 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), while the E-400 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the A99 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the E-400 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A99 has a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.46x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus E-400 and Sony A99 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Olympus E-400	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony A99	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
3.		Nikon D40X	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Olympus E-410	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Olympus E-420	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
6.		Olympus E-450	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
7.		Olympus E-500	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
8.		Olympus E-510	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus E-620	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus Stylus 1	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus Stylus 1s	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic L10	optical	n	2.5 / 207	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A850	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A900	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The E-400 has one, while the A99 does not. While the built-in flash of the E-400 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The E-400 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the A99 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus E-400 and Sony Alpha SLT-A99 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Olympus E-400	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony A99	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Nikon D40X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Olympus E-410	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Olympus E-420	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus E-450	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Olympus E-500	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Olympus E-510	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-620	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus Stylus 1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Olympus Stylus 1s	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic L10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A850	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony A900	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A99 (unlike the E-400) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the A99 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the E-400 and the A99 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-400 was replaced by the Olympus E-410, while the A99 was followed by the Sony A99. Further information on the features and operation of the E-400 and A99 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-400 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A99 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-400 and the Sony A99? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Olympus E-400:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• More compact: Is smaller (130x91mm vs 147x111mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 377g or 46 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (75 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2006).

Advantages of the Sony Alpha SLT-A99:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 10MP), which boosts linear resolution by 58%.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60p video.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.46x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 215k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More modern: Reflects 6 years of technical progress since the E-400 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A99 is the clear winner of the contest (21 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-400 and the Sony A99 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the E-400 and the A99 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-400	..	85/100	..	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2006	EUR 699	ebay.com
2.		Sony A99	5/5	..	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 2 799	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D40X	..	79/100	..	+ +	4/5	4/5	Mar 2007	EUR 699	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-410	..	86/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	EUR 699	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-420	..	85/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2008	EUR 499	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-450	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Mar 2009	EUR 449	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-500	..	76/100	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2005	EUR 599	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-510	..	89/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	EUR 799	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-620	3/5	88/100	..	72/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2009	EUR 599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus Stylus 1	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
11.		Olympus Stylus 1s	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic L10	..	85/100	..	+	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2007	EUR 599	ebay.com
13.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	EUR 5 299	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	EUR 1 299	ebay.com
15.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	EUR 3 599	ebay.com
16.		Sony A850	3/5	..	..	75/100	..	4.5/5	Aug 2009	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
17.		Sony A900	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2008	EUR 2 799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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