Canon A490 vs Olympus SZ-31MR iHS

Here is a extensive comparison of the Canon A490 versus Olympus SZ-31MR iHS, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Canon and Olympus. There is a sizeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the A490 (10MP) and SZ-31MR iHS (16MP) but they come with the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The A490 was manufactured 3 years before the SZ-31MR iHS and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting in to a full comparison, below is a brief summary of how the A490 grades versus the SZ-31MR iHS with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot A490 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS. The entire galleries are viewable at Canon A490 Gallery and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Gallery.

If you're intending to carry your camera, you'll have to think about its weight and proportions. The Canon A490 has outside measurements of 94mm x 62mm x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 175 grams (0.39 lbs) whilst the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS has measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

See the Canon A490 versus Olympus SZ-31MR iHS in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have at that time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the A490 versus the SZ-31MR iHS.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the A490 and SZ-31MR iHS is 93 and 89 respectively.

Usually, it is difficult to imagine the gap between sensor sizing only by looking at specs. The graphic underneath might offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the A490 and SZ-31MR iHS.

As you can plainly see, both cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit different resolution. You should expect the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS to resolve greater detail due to its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop shots a little more aggressively. The older A490 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.