Canon SX540 HS vs Olympus SH-50

Let's look more closely at the Canon SX540 HS and Olympus SH-50, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by competitors Canon and Olympus. There exists a significant gap between the resolutions of the SX540 HS (20MP) and SH-50 (16MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor sizing (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SX540 HS was revealed 3 years after the SH-50 which is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Canon SX540 HS being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Olympus SH-50 being a Compact camera.

Before delving right into a detailed comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the SX540 HS scores vs the SH-50 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX540 HS and Olympus SH-50. The full galleries are available at Canon SX540 HS Gallery and Olympus SH-50 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry around your camera often, you're going to have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Canon SX540 HS has got outside measurements of 120mm x 82mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 442 grams (0.97 lbs) and the Olympus SH-50 has dimensions of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon SX540 HS and Olympus SH-50 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilising during that time. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the SX540 HS vs the SH-50.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SX540 HS and SH-50 is 69 and 88 respectively.

More often than not, it is difficult to visualize the difference between sensor sizes purely by reading specifications. The image here might give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the SX540 HS and SH-50.

To sum up, the 2 cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit different resolution. You should expect the Canon SX540 HS to offer you extra detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs more aggressively. The newer SX540 HS provides a benefit with regard to sensor tech.