Sony DSLR-A550 vs Samsung TL500

Sony DSLR-A550 advantages over Samsung TL500

• Larger sensor
  APS-C vs 1/1.7 inch
  More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
• Eye-level viewfinder
  Eye-level vs Rear display only
  You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
• Bigger pixels
  ~ 5.16 vs 2.08 microns
  Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
• Better color depth

  Better color depth

  Color depth refers to the number of unique colors that a sensor can faithfully capture. Cameras with better color depth will demonstrate smoother transitions from one color to the next, and avoid "banding" in areas with subtle shading. (Blue skies are an example of where you might see color banding.)

  More color depth is generally better, but you'll struggle to notice a difference between two cameras with less than 1 bit of difference. Color depth above 22 bits is considered excellent.

  Want to learn more? Head over to our full glossary entry on color depth

  Color depth test data courtesy of DxO Mark.

  DSLR-A550 test data on DxO Mark TL500 test data on DxO Mark
  21.9 vs 19.2 bits
  Capture richer, more accurate colors
• Higher effective ISO

  Higher effective ISO

  Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

  Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

  You can learn more at our glossary entry.

  Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.

  DSLR-A550 test data on DxO Mark TL500 test data on DxO Mark
  807 vs 129 iso
  Take photos in low light with less noise
• More dots on screen
  922k vs 614k dots
  Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
• More pixels
  14.2 vs 10.0 megapixels
  Higher resolution photos
• Longer exposure
  30 vs 16 sec
  Long exposures for night shots
• Bulb shutter
  Bulb vs No bulb
  Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
• Faster shutter
  1/4000 vs 1/1500 sec
  Shoot wide open in bright light
• Higher extended ISO
  12800 vs 3200 ISO
  Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility