Canon SD980 IS vs Olympus SH-3

Here, we are looking at the Canon SD980 IS and Olympus SH-3, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Canon and Olympus. There exists a sizeable gap between the image resolutions of the SD980 IS (12MP) and SH-3 (16MP) but both cameras have the identical sensor size (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SD980 IS was introduced 7 years earlier than the SH-3 which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before diving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a short introduction of how the SD980 IS scores against the SH-3 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot SD980 IS and Olympus Stylus SH-3. The whole galleries are viewable at Canon SD980 IS Gallery and Olympus SH-3 Gallery.

If you are looking to travel with your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Canon SD980 IS has physical measurements of 100mm x 53mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.1" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 150 grams (0.33 lbs) and the Olympus SH-3 has proportions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs).

Compare the Canon SD980 IS and Olympus SH-3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are utilising at that time. Following is a front view measurement comparison of the SD980 IS against the SH-3.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SD980 IS and SH-3 is 95 and 88 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to picture the gap between sensor dimensions simply by going over technical specs. The pic here might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the SD980 IS and SH-3.

As you can tell, both cameras come with the identical sensor size but different resolution. You should expect to see the Olympus SH-3 to offer extra detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The more aged SD980 IS is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.