Olympus E-500 vs Sony A58
The Olympus Evolt E-500 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A58 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2005 and February 2013. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-500) and an APS-C (A58) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 8 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 19.8 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 Evolt E-500 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A58? 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
An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-500 and the Sony A58 is provided 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 width, height and depth measures 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 Olympus E-500 and the Sony A58 are of equal size. However, the A58 is slightly heavier (3 percent) than the E-500. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-500 nor the A58 are weather-sealed.
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-500 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-1 battery, while the A58 can take 690 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack.
The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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-500 | 130 mm | 95 mm | 66 mm | 479 g | 750 | n | Sep 2005 | 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A58 | 129 mm | 95 mm | 78 mm | 492 g | 690 | n | Feb 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
3. | Nikon D3200 | 125 mm | 96 mm | 77 mm | 505 g | 540 | n | Apr 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
4. | Olympus E-300 | 147 mm | 85 mm | 64 mm | 624 g | 750 | n | Sep 2004 | 799 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus E-330 | 140 mm | 87 mm | 72 mm | 637 g | 750 | n | Jan 2006 | 999 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus E-400 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 435 g | 500 | n | Sep 2006 | 699 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-410 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 435 g | 500 | n | Mar 2007 | 699 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-420 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 440 g | 500 | n | Mar 2008 | 599 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-450 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 440 g | 500 | n | Mar 2009 | 499 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-510 | 136 mm | 92 mm | 68 mm | 538 g | 750 | n | Mar 2007 | 799 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-520 | 136 mm | 92 mm | 68 mm | 535 g | 750 | n | May 2008 | 699 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-620 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 60 mm | 521 g | 500 | n | Feb 2009 | 699 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic L10 | 135 mm | 96 mm | 78 mm | 556 g | 450 | n | Aug 2007 | 599 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A68 | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 610 g | 540 | n | Nov 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A77 II | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 647 g | 480 | Y | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A5100 | 110 mm | 63 mm | 36 mm | 283 g | 400 | n | Aug 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A6000 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 45 mm | 344 g | 360 | n | Feb 2014 | 599 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same 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. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-500 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A58 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the A58 is 63 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.5. The sensor in the E-500 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A58 offers a 3:2 aspect.
With 19.8MP, the A58 offers a higher resolution than the E-500 (8MP), but the A58 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.31μm versus 5.30μm for the E-500). Yet, the A58 is a much more recent model (by 7 years and 4 months) than the E-500, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.
The resolution advantage of the Sony A58 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A58 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.3 x 18.2 inches or 69.3 x 46.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.8 x 14.5 inches or 55.4 x 36.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.1 inches or 46.2 x 30.8 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-500 are 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm for good quality, 13.1 x 9.8 inches or 33.2 x 24.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.9 x 8.2 inches or 27.6 x 20.7 cm for excellent quality prints.
The Olympus Evolt E-500 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 400, which can be extended to ISO 100-1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha SLT-A58 are ISO 100 to ISO 16000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.
In terms of underlying technology, the E-500 is build around a CCD sensor, while the A58 uses a 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.
Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-500 | Four Thirds | 8.0 | 3264 | 2448 | none | 20.7 | 10.3 | 45 | 51 | |
2. | Sony A58 | APS-C | 19.8 | 5456 | 3632 | 1080/60i | 23.3 | 12.5 | 753 | 74 | |
3. | Nikon D3200 | APS-C | 24.1 | 6016 | 4000 | 1080/30p | 24.1 | 13.2 | 1131 | 81 | |
4. | Olympus E-300 | Four Thirds | 8.0 | 3264 | 2448 | none | 20.4 | 10.1 | -40 | 48 | |
5. | Olympus E-330 | Four Thirds | 7.4 | 3136 | 2352 | none | 20.8 | 10.4 | 73 | 52 | |
6. | Olympus E-400 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.0 | 10.6 | 127 | 53 | |
7. | Olympus E-410 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.1 | 10.0 | 494 | 51 | |
8. | Olympus E-420 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.4 | 527 | 56 | |
9. | Olympus E-450 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.5 | 512 | 56 | |
10. | Olympus E-510 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.2 | 10.0 | 442 | 52 | |
11. | Olympus E-520 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.4 | 10.4 | 548 | 55 | |
12. | Olympus E-620 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.3 | 10.3 | 536 | 55 | |
13. | Panasonic L10 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.3 | 10.8 | 429 | 55 | |
14. | Sony A68 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60i | 24.1 | 13.5 | 701 | 79 | |
15. | Sony A77 II | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.4 | 13.4 | 1013 | 82 | |
16. | Sony A5100 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.8 | 12.7 | 1347 | 80 | |
17. | Sony A6000 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.1 | 13.1 | 1347 | 82 | |
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 A58 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-500 does not. The highest resolution format that the A58 can use is 1080/60i.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A58 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the E-500 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 A58 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the E-500 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A58 has a higher magnification (0.57x vs 0.45x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-500, the Sony A58, and comparable 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-500 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
2. | Sony A58 | 1440 | n | 2.7 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Nikon D3200 | optical | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
4. | Olympus E-300 | optical | n | 1.8 / 134 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
5. | Olympus E-330 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Olympus E-400 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
7. | Olympus E-410 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Olympus E-420 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
9. | Olympus E-450 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
10. | Olympus E-510 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
11. | Olympus E-520 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Olympus E-620 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | Y | |
13. | Panasonic L10 | optical | n | 2.5 / 207 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
14. | Sony A68 | 1440 | Y | 2.7 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony A77 II | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 1229 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony A5100 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
17. | Sony A6000 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | n | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One feature that differentiates the A58 and the E-500 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The A58 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the E-500 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.
The E-500 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the A58 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The E-500 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A58 only has one slot.
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 Evolt E-500 and Sony Alpha SLT-A58 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-500 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Sony A58 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Nikon D3200 | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Olympus E-300 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Olympus E-330 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Olympus E-400 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Olympus E-410 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Olympus E-420 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Olympus E-450 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Olympus E-510 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Olympus E-520 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Olympus E-620 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Panasonic L10 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Sony A68 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Sony A77 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
16. | Sony A5100 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
17. | Sony A6000 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
Both the E-500 and the A58 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-500 was replaced by the Olympus E-510, while the A58 was followed by the Sony A68. Further information on the features and operation of the E-500 and A58 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A58 Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-500 or the Sony A58 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.
Arguments in favor of the Olympus Evolt E-500:
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2005).
Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha SLT-A58:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (19.8 vs 8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 61%.
- 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 1080/60i 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 (0.57x vs 0.45x).
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.7" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (460k vs 215k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
- More modern: Reflects 7 years and 4 months of technical progress since the E-500 launch.
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A58 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 3 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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-500 and the Sony A58 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-500 or the A58 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.
Expert reviews
This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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-500 | .. | 76/100 | .. | + + | .. | .. | Sep 2005 | 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A58 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
3. | Nikon D3200 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 73/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
4. | Olympus E-300 | .. | .. | .. | + | o | 4.5/5 | Sep 2004 | 799 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus E-330 | .. | .. | .. | + | o | .. | Jan 2006 | 999 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus E-400 | .. | 85/100 | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Sep 2006 | 699 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-410 | .. | 86/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2007 | 699 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-420 | .. | 85/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2008 | 599 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-450 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2009 | 499 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-510 | .. | 89/100 | .. | + + | 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2007 | 799 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-520 | .. | 87/100 | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | May 2008 | 699 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-620 | 3/5 | 88/100 | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2009 | 699 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic L10 | .. | 85/100 | .. | + | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2007 | 599 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A68 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Nov 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A77 II | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A5100 | 4.5/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A6000 | 5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2014 | 599 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
- Canon 1Ds Mark II vs Olympus E-500
- Canon 760D vs Olympus E-500
- Canon M6 vs Olympus E-500
- Leica M8 vs Sony A58
- Leica V-LUX 3 vs Olympus E-500
- Nikon B600 vs Olympus E-500
- Nikon D1 vs Sony A58
- Olympus E-410 vs Olympus E-500
- Olympus E-620 vs Sony A58
- Pentax K-5 vs Sony A58
- Samsung NX500 vs Sony A58
- Sony A58 vs Sony A7 II
Specifications: Olympus E-500 vs Sony A58
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-500 | Sony A58 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Digital single lens reflex |
Camera Lens | Four Thirds lenses | Sony A mount lenses |
Launch Date | September 2005 | February 2013 |
Launch Price | USD 599 | USD 599 |
Sensor Specs | Olympus E-500 | Sony A58 |
Sensor Technology | CCD | CMOS |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | APS-C Sensor |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | 23.5 x 15.6 mm |
Sensor Area | 224.9 mm2 | 366.6 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | 28.2 mm |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | 1.5x |
Sensor Resolution | 8 Megapixels | 19.8 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 3264 x 2448 pixels | 5456 x 3632 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 5.30 μm | 4.31 μm |
Pixel Density | 3.55 MP/cm2 | 5.41 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | no Video | 1080/60i Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 400 ISO | 100 - 16,000 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 1,600 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
Image Processor | TruePic | BIONZ |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | .. | 74 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | .. | 23.3 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | .. | 12.5 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | .. | 753 |
Screen Specs | Olympus E-500 | Sony A58 |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.45x | 0.57x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 1440k dots | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
Rear LCD Size | 2.5inch | 2.7inch |
LCD Resolution | 215k dots | 460k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Tilting screen |
Shooting Specs | Olympus E-500 | Sony A58 |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Phase-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/4000s | 1/4000s |
Continuous Shooting | 2.5 shutter flaps/s | 5 shutter flaps/s |
Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | CF or XD cards | MS or SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | Single card slot |
Connectivity Specs | Olympus E-500 | Sony A58 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | mini HDMI |
Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | no Wifi |
Body Specs | Olympus E-500 | Sony A58 |
Battery Type | Olympus BLM-1 | Sony NP-FM500H |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 750 shots per charge | 690 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
130 x 95 x 66 mm (5.1 x 3.7 x 2.6 in) |
129 x 95 x 78 mm (5.1 x 3.7 x 3.1 in) |
Camera Weight | 479 g (16.9 oz) | 492 g (17.4 oz) |
Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.