Canon SX500 IS vs Olympus XZ-1

Below is a thorough assessment of the Canon SX500 IS vs Olympus XZ-1, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Canon and Olympus. There exists a sizable gap between the image resolutions of the SX500 IS (16MP) and XZ-1 (10MP) and the SX500 IS (1/2.3") and XZ-1 (1/1.63") posses totally different sensor sizes.

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The SX500 IS was launched 20 months later than the XZ-1 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Each of the cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before diving into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple view of how the SX500 IS scores versus the XZ-1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX500 IS & Olympus XZ-1. The complete galleries are available at Canon SX500 IS Gallery & Olympus XZ-1 Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera frequently, you'll have to consider its weight and size. The Canon SX500 IS has exterior dimensions of 104mm x 70mm x 80mm (4.1" x 2.8" x 3.1") and a weight of 341 grams (0.75 lbs) whilst the Olympus XZ-1 has specifications of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") with a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs).

Look at the Canon SX500 IS vs Olympus XZ-1 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are working with at that time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the SX500 IS versus the XZ-1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SX500 IS and XZ-1 is 80 and 88 respectively.

Normally, it is very tough to visualise the difference between sensor measurements simply by checking technical specs. The photograph below might offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SX500 IS and XZ-1.

As you have seen, both of those cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The SX500 IS featuring a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field harder and the Canon SX500 IS will give greater detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The fresher SX500 IS is going to have an edge in sensor technology.