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Olympus E-500 vs Sony A99

The Olympus Evolt E-500 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A99 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2005 and September 2012. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-500) and a full frame (A99) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 8 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-500
versus
Sony A99
Olympus E-500   Sony A99
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses Sony A mount lenses
8 MP – Four Thirds sensor 24 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video 1080/60p Video
ISO 100-400 (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)
2.5 shutter flaps per second 6 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
750 shots per battery charge500 shots per battery charge
130 x 95 x 66 mm, 479 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 Evolt E-500 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.

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Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-500 and the Sony A99. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Olympus E-500 vs Sony A99
Compare E-500 versus A99 top
Comparison E-500 or A99 rear

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 (32 percent) than the Olympus E-500. Moreover, the A99 is substantially heavier (70 percent) than the E-500. It is noteworthy in this context that the A99 is splash and dust-proof, while the E-500 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-500 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-1 battery, while the A99 can take 500 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
# image 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 599ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A99 147 mm 111 mm 78 mm 812 g 500 Y Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-450 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2009 499ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-620 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 521 g 500 n Feb 2009 699ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-420 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2008 599ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-520 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 535 g 750 n May 2008 699ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-410 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Mar 2007 699ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-510 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 538 g 750 n Mar 2007 799ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-330 140 mm 87 mm 72 mm 637 g 750 n Jan 2006 999ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-400 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Sep 2006 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-300 147 mm 85 mm 64 mm 624 g 750 n Sep 2004 799ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic L10 135 mm 96 mm 78 mm 556 g 450 n Aug 2007 599ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A9 II 129 mm 96 mm 76 mm 678 g 690 Y Oct 2019 4,499 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A99 II 143 mm 104 mm 76 mm 849 g 490 Y Sep 2016 3,199ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A77 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 732 g 470 Y Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A850 156 mm 117 mm 82 mm 895 g 880 Y Aug 2009 1,999ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A900 156 mm 117 mm 82 mm 895 g 880 Y Sep 2008 2,999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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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-500 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 79 percent) than the A99, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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. 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-500 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-500 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A99 offers a 3:2 aspect.

Olympus E-500 and Sony A99 sensor measures

With 24MP, the A99 offers a higher resolution than the E-500 (8MP), but the A99 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.96μm versus 5.30μm for the E-500) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the A99 is a much more recent model (by 6 years and 11 months) than the E-500, 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-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-A99 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the E-500 is build around a CCD sensor, while the A99 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.

E-500 versus A99 MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image 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 2448none20.710.34551
2.
 
Sony A99 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p25.014.0155589
3.
 
Olympus E-450 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.551256
4.
 
Olympus E-620 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.353655
5.
 
Olympus E-420 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.452756
6.
 
Olympus E-520 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.410.454855
7.
 
Olympus E-410 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.110.049451
8.
 
Olympus E-510 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.210.044252
9.
 
Olympus E-330 Four Thirds 7.4 3136 2352none20.810.47352
10.
 
Olympus E-400 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.010.612753
11.
 
Olympus E-300 Four Thirds 8.0 3264 2448none20.410.1-4048
12.
 
Panasonic L10 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.310.842955
13.
 
Sony A9 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.0343493
14.
 
Sony A99 II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p25.413.4231792
15.
 
Sony A77 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.013.280178
16.
 
Sony A850 Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none23.812.2141579
17.
 
Sony A900 Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none23.712.3143179
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The A99 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-500 does not. The highest resolution format that the A99 can use is 1080/60p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A99 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k 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 A99 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 A99 has a higher magnification (0.71x 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 A99, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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-500optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
2.
 
Sony A992359 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 6.0/s n Y
3.
 
Olympus E-450optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
4.
 
Olympus E-620optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-420optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
6.
 
Olympus E-520optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y Y
7.
 
Olympus E-410optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
8.
 
Olympus E-510optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-330optical n2.5 / 215 tilting n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
10.
 
Olympus E-400optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
11.
 
Olympus E-300optical n1.8 / 134 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
12.
 
Panasonic L10optical n2.5 / 207 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
13.
 
Sony A9 II3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A99 II2400 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
15.
 
Sony A772359 Y3.0 / 921 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s Y Y
16.
 
Sony A850optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 3.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A900optical Y3.0 / 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.
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One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The E-500 has one, while the A99 does not. While the built-in flash of the E-500 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The A99 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-500 does not have a selfie-screen.

The E-500 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.

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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-A99 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-500Y- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Sony A99Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0---
3.
 
Olympus E-450Y- / ----2.0---
4.
 
Olympus E-620Y- / ----2.0---
5.
 
Olympus E-420Y- / ----2.0---
6.
 
Olympus E-520Y- / ----2.0---
7.
 
Olympus E-410Y- / ----2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-510Y- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-330Y- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-400Y- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Olympus E-300Y- / ----2.0---
12.
 
Panasonic L10Y- / ----2.0---
13.
 
Sony A9 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
14.
 
Sony A99 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY
15.
 
Sony A77Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
16.
 
Sony A850Y- / ---mini2.0---
17.
 
Sony A900Y- / ---mini2.0---
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Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A99 (unlike the E-500) 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-500 and the A99 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-500 was replaced by the Olympus E-510, while the A99 was followed by the Sony A99. Further information on the features and operation of the E-500 and A99 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A99 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Olympus E-500 better than the Sony A99 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

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Arguments in favor of the Olympus Evolt E-500:

  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • More compact: Is smaller (130x95mm vs 147x111mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 333g or 41 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (79 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2005).

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Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha SLT-A99:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 77%.
  • 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 0.45x).
  • 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 2.5 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 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 and 11 months of technical progress since the E-500 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A99 is the clear winner of the contest (21 : 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-500 07:21 A99

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-500 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-500 and the A99 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  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 599ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A995/5....84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-450........4/54/5 Mar 2009 499ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-6203/588/100..72/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2009 699ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-420..85/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2008 599ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-520..87/100..+ +4.5/54.5/5 May 2008 699ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-410..86/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2007 699ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-510..89/100..+ +3.5/54.5/5 Mar 2007 799ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-330......+o.. Jan 2006 999ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-400..85/100....4/54/5 Sep 2006 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-300......+o4.5/5 Sep 2004 799ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic L10..85/100..+3.5/54/5 Aug 2007 599ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A9 II....5/590/1005/55/5 Oct 2019 4,499 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A99 II....4.5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2016 3,199ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A775/591/100..81/100..5/5 Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A8503/5....75/100..4.5/5 Aug 2009 1,999ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A900..+ +..+ +4.5/55/5 Sep 2008 2,999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted with care, 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 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.

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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 your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-500 vs Sony A99

    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 Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-500 Sony A99
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Four Thirds lenses Sony A mount lenses
    Launch Date September 2005 September 2012
    Launch Price USD 599 USD 2,799
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-500 Sony A99
    Sensor Technology CCD CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 35.8 x 23.8 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 852.04 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 43 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 8 Megapixels 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 3264 x 2448 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 5.30 μm 5.96 μm
    Pixel Density 3.55 MP/cm2 2.82 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 400 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 1,600 ISO 50 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) .. 89
    DXO Color Depth (bits) .. 25.0
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) .. 14.0
    DXO Low Light (ISO) .. 1555
    Screen Specs Olympus E-500 Sony A99
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.45x 0.71x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2359k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View
    Rear LCD Size 2.5inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 215k dots 1229k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fully flexible screen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-500 Sony A99
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 2.5 shutter flaps/s 6 shutter flaps/s
    Image StabilizationLens stabilization onlyIn-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-500 Sony A99
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port no HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Geotagging no internal GPS GPS built-in
    Body Specs Olympus E-500 Sony A99
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Olympus BLM-1 Sony NP-FM500H
    Battery Life (CIPA)750 shots per charge500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 130 x 95 x 66 mm
    (5.1 x 3.7 x 2.6 in)
    147 x 111 x 78 mm
    (5.8 x 4.4 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 479 g (16.9 oz) 812 g (28.6 oz)
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