Canon A800 vs Olympus SZ-31MR iHS

Let's look more in depth at the Canon A800 versus Olympus SZ-31MR iHS, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Canon and Olympus. There is a huge difference among the sensor resolutions of the A800 (10MP) and SZ-31MR iHS (16MP) but both cameras provide the identical sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The A800 was introduced 13 months prior to the SZ-31MR iHS making them a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before going right into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick summation of how the A800 scores against the SZ-31MR iHS with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot A800 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS. The whole galleries are viewable at Canon A800 Gallery and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry your camera often, you should factor in its weight and dimensions. The Canon A800 provides outside measurements of 94mm x 61mm x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2") along with a weight of 186 grams (0.41 lbs) whilst the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS has dimensions 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 A800 versus Olympus SZ-31MR iHS in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the A800 and the SZ-31MR iHS.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the A800 and SZ-31MR iHS is 93 and 89 respectively.

Often, it is very hard to see the gap in sensor sizing simply by going through specifications. The visual underneath will provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the A800 and SZ-31MR iHS.

To sum up, each of the cameras feature the identical sensor size but not the same resolution. You should expect to see the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS to show more detail using its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos way more aggressively. The older A800 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.