Sony A850 vs Olympus SH-50

Sony A850 advantages over Olympus SH-50

• Larger sensor
  35mm vs 1/2.3 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
  ~ 5.94 vs 1.34 microns
  Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
• RAW file ability
  Yes vs No
  Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
• Manual focus
  Yes vs No
  AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
• More dots on screen
  922k vs 460k dots
  Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
• Hot shoe
  Hot shoe vs None
  Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
• More pixels
  24.6 vs 16.0 megapixels
  Higher resolution photos
• Dual card slots
  Yes vs No
  Gives you more storage flexibility
• Longer exposure
  30 vs 15 sec
  Long exposures for night shots
• Bulb shutter
  Bulb vs No bulb
  Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
• Faster shutter
  1/8000 vs 1/2000 sec
  Shoot wide open in bright light