Canon S120 vs Olympus SP-820UZ

Here is a thorough review of the Canon S120 and Olympus SP-820UZ, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Canon and Olympus. The resolution of the S120 (12MP) and the SP-820UZ (14MP) is pretty close but the S120 (1/1.7") and SP-820UZ (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The S120 was announced 16 months later than the SP-820UZ which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before going in to a detailed comparison, below is a simple summary of how the S120 grades vs the SP-820UZ in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot S120 and Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ. The whole galleries are provided at Canon S120 Gallery and Olympus SP-820UZ Gallery.

If you are going to carry your camera frequently, you will have to consider its weight and proportions. The Canon S120 comes with external measurements of 100mm x 59mm x 29mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 217 grams (0.48 lbs) while the Olympus SP-820UZ has measurements of 117mm x 78mm x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") having a weight of 485 grams (1.07 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon S120 and Olympus SP-820UZ in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you select during that time. Below is the front view overall size comparison of the S120 versus the SP-820UZ.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the S120 and SP-820UZ is 92 and 69 respectively.

More often than not, it can be tough to see the gap in sensor sizing just by viewing specs. The graphic below might give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the S120 and SP-820UZ.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The S120 having a bigger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus SP-820UZ will render extra detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The newer S120 is going to have a benefit in sensor technology.