Canon SX50 HS vs Olympus SH-2

Let's look more in depth at the Canon SX50 HS and Olympus SH-2, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by rivals Canon and Olympus. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the SX50 HS (12MP) and SH-2 (16MP) but both cameras offer the identical sensor sizes (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SX50 HS was launched 3 years prior to the SH-2 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Canon SX50 HS being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Olympus SH-2 being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a full comparison, here is a simple view of how the SX50 HS scores against the SH-2 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX50 HS & Olympus Stylus SH-2. The complete galleries are available at Canon SX50 HS Gallery & Olympus SH-2 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to consider its weight and volume. The Canon SX50 HS enjoys outer measurements of 123mm x 87mm x 106mm (4.8" x 3.4" x 4.2") and a weight of 595 grams (1.31 lbs) while the Olympus SH-2 has sizing of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs).

See the Canon SX50 HS and Olympus SH-2 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the SX50 HS vs the SH-2.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the SX50 HS and SH-2 is 65 and 88 respectively.

Generally, it is very tough to visualise the gap in sensor sizes just by viewing technical specs. The pic underneath should give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the SX50 HS and SH-2.

As you can tell, both of those cameras come with the identical sensor size albeit not the same MP. You can expect the Olympus SH-2 to render greater detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The more aged SX50 HS will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.