Canon S90 vs Olympus SH-2

Following is a detailed review of the Canon S90 and Olympus SH-2, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Canon and Olympus. There exists a crucial gap among the image resolutions of the S90 (10MP) and SH-2 (16MP) and the S90 (1/1.7") and SH-2 (1/2.3") posses different sensor sizes.

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The S90 was introduced 5 years prior to the SH-2 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before diving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple summary of how the S90 grades against the SH-2 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Canon PowerShot S90 and Olympus Stylus SH-2. The whole galleries are available at Canon S90 Gallery and Olympus SH-2 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry around your camera often, you need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Canon S90 offers outside measurements of 100mm x 58mm x 31mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.2") having a weight of 195 grams (0.43 lbs) whilst the Olympus SH-2 has measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs).

Contrast the Canon S90 and Olympus SH-2 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are employing at that time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the S90 and the SH-2.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the S90 and SH-2 is 92 and 88 respectively.

Quite often, it's tough to visualize the difference in sensor sizes purely by going through a spec sheet. The pic here will provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the S90 and SH-2.

As you can see, the two cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The S90 with its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus SH-2 will produce more detail using its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more aged S90 will be behind in sensor tech.