Canon A1100 IS vs Olympus SZ-12

Let's look a little more closely at the Canon A1100 IS versus Olympus SZ-12, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Canon and Olympus. The sensor resolution of the A1100 IS (12MP) and the SZ-12 (14MP) is very well matched and both cameras posses the identical sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The A1100 IS was launched 3 years before the SZ-12 and that is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before delving straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the A1100 IS scores against the SZ-12 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot A1100 IS & Olympus SZ-12. The complete galleries are viewable at Canon A1100 IS Gallery & Olympus SZ-12 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry your camera frequently, you should factor its weight and measurements. The Canon A1100 IS features external dimensions of 95mm x 62mm x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2") and a weight of 150 grams (0.33 lbs) while the Olympus SZ-12 has proportions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

See the Canon A1100 IS versus Olympus SZ-12 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the A1100 IS versus the SZ-12.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the A1100 IS and SZ-12 is 93 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, it's difficult to imagine the contrast between sensor sizing just by checking a spec sheet. The graphic here will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the A1100 IS and SZ-12.

Clearly, both the cameras feature the identical sensor size but different megapixels. You can expect to see the Olympus SZ-12 to give greater detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images way more aggressively. The older A1100 IS is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.