Canon SX510 HS vs Olympus XZ-1

Lets take a deeper look at the Canon SX510 HS versus Olympus XZ-1, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Canon and Olympus. The image resolution of the SX510 HS (12MP) and the XZ-1 (10MP) is pretty well matched but the SX510 HS (1/2.3") and XZ-1 (1/1.63") use totally different sensor dimensions.

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The SX510 HS was announced 2 years later than the XZ-1 and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting in to a in depth comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the SX510 HS scores versus the XZ-1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX510 HS & Olympus XZ-1. The whole galleries are available at Canon SX510 HS Gallery & Olympus XZ-1 Gallery.

In case you're intending to lug around your camera frequently, you'll have to consider its weight and size. The Canon SX510 HS provides exterior measurements of 104mm x 70mm x 80mm (4.1" x 2.8" x 3.1") having a weight of 349 grams (0.77 lbs) while 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).

Examine the Canon SX510 HS versus Olympus XZ-1 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you select at the time. Following is the front view over all size comparison of the SX510 HS compared to the XZ-1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SX510 HS and XZ-1 is 80 and 88 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to visualise the difference between sensor measurements purely by checking specifications. The graphic below may give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the SX510 HS and XZ-1.

Plainly, both of those cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SX510 HS with its tinier sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field harder and the Canon SX510 HS will give you extra detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots much more aggressively. The fresher SX510 HS will have a benefit in sensor tech.