Reasons to choose PowerShot A550
Released in 2007, PowerShot A550 has about 25 mm² of sensor area, 7.1 MP effective resolution, and a 160 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Canon PowerShot A550
vs Nikon Coolpix S230
VS
Sensor area
25 mm²
PowerShot A55028 mm²
Coolpix S230- Area ratio
- 1.12:1
- Absolute difference
- 3 mm²
- Relative difference
- 11.6%
The Coolpix S230 has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 2 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
PowerShot A550MetricCoolpix S230
7.1 MPEffective pixels10 MP
5.75 × 4.32Sensor6.08 × 4.56
1.87 µmPixel pitch1.67 µm
3.5 µm²Pixel area2.77 µm²
28.58 MP/cm²Pixel density36.07 MP/cm²
6.02Crop factor5.69
—Maximum video—
160 gWeight115 g
Secure DigitalStorageSDHC, Secure Digital
AA (2) batteries (NiMH recommended)BatteryNikon EN-EL10 Lithium-ion Battery Li-ion battery
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The Coolpix S230 has the larger sensor area. The Coolpix S230 has the lighter body. The Coolpix S230 has the higher effective resolution. The Coolpix S230 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose Coolpix S230
Released in 2009, Coolpix S230 has about 28 mm² of sensor area, 10 MP effective resolution, and a 115 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.