Olympus E-420 vs Sony A99 II
The Olympus E-420 and the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in March 2008 and September 2016. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-420) and a full frame (A99 II) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 42.2 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-420 and the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II? 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-420 and the Sony A99 II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side 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 II is notably larger (26 percent) than the Olympus E-420. Moreover, the A99 II is substantially heavier (93 percent) than the E-420. It is noteworthy in this context that the A99 II is splash and dust-proof, while the E-420 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.
Concerning battery life, the E-420 gets 500 shots out of its Olympus BLS-1 battery, while the A99 II can take 490 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-420 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 440 g | 500 | n | Mar 2008 | 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A99 II | 143 mm | 104 mm | 76 mm | 849 g | 490 | Y | Sep 2016 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 5DS R | 152 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 930 g | 700 | Y | Feb 2015 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon D850 | 146 mm | 124 mm | 79 mm | 1005 g | 1840 | Y | Jul 2017 | 3,299 | amazon.com | |
5. | Nikon D3000 | 126 mm | 97 mm | 64 mm | 536 g | 500 | n | Jul 2009 | 599 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D60 | 126 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 500 | n | Jan 2008 | 629 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D40X | 124 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 520 | n | Mar 2007 | 729 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-450 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 440 g | 500 | n | Mar 2009 | 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-600 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 60 mm | 535 g | 500 | n | Aug 2009 | 449 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-620 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 60 mm | 521 g | 500 | n | Feb 2009 | 699 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-520 | 136 mm | 92 mm | 68 mm | 535 g | 750 | n | May 2008 | 699 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-410 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 435 g | 500 | n | Mar 2007 | 699 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-400 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 435 g | 500 | n | Sep 2006 | 699 | ebay.com | |
14. | Panasonic L10 | 135 mm | 96 mm | 78 mm | 556 g | 450 | n | Aug 2007 | 599 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7R IIIA | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 650 | Y | Apr 2021 | 3,199 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony A7R II | 127 mm | 96 mm | 60 mm | 625 g | 290 | Y | Jun 2015 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A7S II | 127 mm | 96 mm | 60 mm | 627 g | 370 | Y | Sep 2015 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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-420 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 81 percent) than the A99 II, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better 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-420 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A99 II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A99 II is 283 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-420 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A99 II offers a 3:2 aspect.
With 42.2MP, the A99 II offers a higher resolution than the E-420 (10MP), but the A99 II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.52μm versus 4.74μm for the E-420). Yet, the A99 II is a much more recent model (by 8 years and 6 months) than the E-420, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the A99 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Sony A99 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A99 II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 39.8 x 26.5 inches or 101 x 67.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 31.8 x 21.2 inches or 80.8 x 53.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 26.5 x 17.7 inches or 67.3 x 44.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-420 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 A99 II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
The Olympus E-420 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-25600.
In terms of underlying technology, the E-420 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A99 II uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.
Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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. Of the two cameras under consideration, the A99 II offers substantially better image quality than the E-420 (overall score 36 points higher). The advantage is based on 3.9 bits higher color depth, 3 EV in additional dynamic range, and 2.1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-420 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.4 | 527 | 56 | |
2. | Sony A99 II | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 25.4 | 13.4 | 2317 | 92 | |
3. | Canon 5DS R | Full Frame | 50.3 | 8688 | 5792 | 1080/30p | 24.6 | 12.4 | 2308 | 86 | |
4. | Nikon D850 | Full Frame | 45.4 | 8256 | 5504 | 4K/30p | 26.4 | 14.8 | 2660 | 100 | |
5. | Nikon D3000 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.3 | 11.1 | 563 | 62 | |
6. | Nikon D60 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.5 | 11.4 | 562 | 65 | |
7. | Nikon D40X | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.4 | 11.4 | 516 | 63 | |
8. | Olympus E-450 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.5 | 512 | 56 | |
9. | Olympus E-600 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.5 | 10.3 | 541 | 55 | |
10. | Olympus E-620 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.3 | 10.3 | 536 | 55 | |
11. | Olympus E-520 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.4 | 10.4 | 548 | 55 | |
12. | Olympus E-410 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.1 | 10.0 | 494 | 51 | |
13. | Olympus E-400 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.0 | 10.6 | 127 | 53 | |
14. | Panasonic L10 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.3 | 10.8 | 429 | 55 | |
15. | Sony A7R IIIA | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.7 | 3523 | 100 | |
16. | Sony A7R II | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 13.9 | 3434 | 98 | |
17. | Sony A7S II | Full Frame | 12.0 | 4240 | 2832 | 4K/30p | 23.6 | 13.3 | 2993 | 85 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The A99 II indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-420 does not. The highest resolution format that the A99 II can use is 4K/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A99 II has an electronic viewfinder (2400k dots), while the E-420 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 II offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the E-420 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A99 II has a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.46x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-420 and Sony A99 II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
# | 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-420 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
2. | Sony A99 II | 2400 | Y | 3.0 / 1229 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | n | Y | |
3. | Canon 5DS R | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
4. | Nikon D850 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 2359 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 9.0/s | n | n | |
5. | Nikon D3000 | optical | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Nikon D60 | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
7. | Nikon D40X | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Olympus E-450 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
9. | Olympus E-600 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Olympus E-620 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | Y | |
11. | Olympus E-520 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Olympus E-410 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
13. | Olympus E-400 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
14. | Panasonic L10 | optical | n | 2.5 / 207 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
15. | Sony A7R IIIA | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 2340 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
16. | Sony A7R II | 2400 | n | 3.0 / 1229 | tilting | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | Y | |
17. | Sony A7S II | 2400 | n | 3.0 / 1229 | tilting | 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-420 has one, while the A99 II does not. While the built-in flash of the E-420 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
The A99 II has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the E-420 does not have a selfie-screen.The E-420 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the A99 II 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-420 and Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
# | Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-420 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Sony A99 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon 5DS R | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Nikon D850 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
5. | Nikon D3000 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Nikon D60 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Nikon D40X | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Olympus E-450 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Olympus E-600 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Olympus E-620 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Olympus E-520 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Olympus E-410 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Olympus E-400 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Panasonic L10 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Sony A7R IIIA | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony A7R II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
17. | Sony A7S II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
It is notable that the A99 II offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-420 does not provide wifi capability.
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A99 II (unlike the E-420) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Both the E-420 and the A99 II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Olympus and Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the E-420 and A99 II can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-420 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A99 II Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-420 or the Sony A99 II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Advantages of the Olympus E-420:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- More compact: Is smaller (130x91mm vs 143x104mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 409g or 48 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 (81 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in March 2008).
Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (42.2 vs 10MP), which boosts linear resolution by 110%.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (36 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
- Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (3.9 bits more color depth).
- More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (3 EV of extra DR).
- Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (2.1 stops ISO advantage).
- Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/30p video.
- Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- 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 (0.78x 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 2.7") 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 (12 vs 3.5 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 file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- More modern: Reflects 8 years and 6 months of technical progress since the E-420 launch.
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A99 II is the clear winner of the contest (25 : 7 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision 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-420 and the Sony A99 II 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 technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-420 or the A99 II. 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 why expert reviews are important. 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.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-420 | .. | 85/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2008 | 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A99 II | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2016 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 5DS R | 5/5 | + | .. | 83/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2015 | 3,699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon D850 | 4.5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 89/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jul 2017 | 3,299 | amazon.com | |
5. | Nikon D3000 | .. | + | .. | 72/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2009 | 599 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D60 | .. | 80/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2008 | 629 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D40X | .. | 79/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2007 | 729 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-450 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2009 | 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-600 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | Aug 2009 | 449 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-620 | 3/5 | 88/100 | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2009 | 699 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-520 | .. | 87/100 | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | May 2008 | 699 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-410 | .. | 86/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2007 | 699 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-400 | .. | 85/100 | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Sep 2006 | 699 | ebay.com | |
14. | Panasonic L10 | .. | 85/100 | .. | + | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2007 | 599 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7R IIIA | .. | + + | 4/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2021 | 3,199 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony A7R II | 5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 90/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Jun 2015 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A7S II | 5/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Sep 2015 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
- Canon 5DS R vs Sony A99 II
- Canon G7 X vs Olympus E-420
- Canon T5 vs Olympus E-420
- Canon XC10 vs Olympus E-420
- Nikon 1 J5 vs Sony A99 II
- Nikon 1 V1 vs Sony A99 II
- Nikon D1X vs Olympus E-420
- Nikon D500 vs Olympus E-420
- Olympus E-420 vs Olympus E-PM2
- Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony A99 II
- Panasonic GM1 vs Sony A99 II
- Panasonic ZS200 vs Sony A99 II
Specifications: Olympus E-420 vs Sony A99 II
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Olympus E-420 | Sony A99 II |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Digital single lens reflex |
Camera Lens | Four Thirds lenses | Sony A mount lenses |
Launch Date | March 2008 | September 2016 |
Launch Price | USD 599 | USD 3,199 |
Sensor Specs | Olympus E-420 | Sony A99 II |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | BSI-CMOS |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | Full Frame Sensor |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | 35.9 x 24.0 mm |
Sensor Area | 224.9 mm2 | 861.6 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | 43.2 mm |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | 1.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 10 Megapixels | 42.2 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 3648 x 2736 pixels | 7952 x 5304 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 4.74 μm | 4.52 μm |
Pixel Density | 4.44 MP/cm2 | 4.90 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | no Video | 4K/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 1,600 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | no Enhancement | 50 - 25,600 ISO |
Image Processor | TruePic III | BIONZ X |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 56 | 92 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 21.5 | 25.4 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 10.4 | 13.4 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 527 | 2317 |
Screen Specs | Olympus E-420 | Sony A99 II |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.46x | 0.78x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2400k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | Control Panel |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 2.7inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 215k dots | 1229k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Fully flexible screen |
Shooting Specs | Olympus E-420 | Sony A99 II |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Phase-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/4000s | 1/8000s |
Continuous Shooting | 3.5 shutter flaps/s | 12 shutter flaps/s |
Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | CF or XD cards | MS or SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | Dual card slots |
Connectivity Specs | Olympus E-420 | Sony A99 II |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | no PC Sync | PC Sync socket |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | micro HDMI |
Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
Headphone Socket | no Headphone port | Headphone port |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | Wifi built-in |
Near-Field Communication | no NFC | NFC built-in |
Bluetooth Support | no Bluetooth | Bluetooth built-in |
Body Specs | Olympus E-420 | Sony A99 II |
Environmental Sealing | not weather sealed | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Olympus BLS-1 | Sony NP-FM500H |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 500 shots per charge | 490 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
130 x 91 x 53 mm (5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 in) |
143 x 104 x 76 mm (5.6 x 4.1 x 3.0 in) |
Camera Weight | 440 g (15.5 oz) | 849 g (29.9 oz) |
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