Nikon D3X vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Following is a detailed analysis of the Nikon D3X and Olympus XZ-2 iHS, one is a Pro DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Nikon and Olympus. There exists a big gap among the resolutions of the D3X (25MP) and XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and the D3X (Full frame) and XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") posses different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The D3X was introduced 4 years prior to the XZ-2 iHS which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Nikon D3X being a Large SLR camera and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a more detailed comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the D3X scores versus the XZ-2 iHS in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Nikon D3X and Olympus XZ-2 iHS. The whole galleries are viewable at Nikon D3X Gallery and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera frequently, you will want to factor its weight and size. The Nikon D3X comes with external measurements of 160mm x 157mm x 88mm (6.3" x 6.2" x 3.5") having a weight of 1260 grams (2.78 lbs) whilst the Olympus XZ-2 iHS has specifications of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") with a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs).

Take a look at the Nikon D3X and Olympus XZ-2 iHS in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. The following is a front view size comparison of the D3X vs the XZ-2 iHS.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the D3X and XZ-2 iHS is 51 and 85 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to visualize the difference in sensor sizes simply by seeing technical specs. The picture underneath should offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the D3X and XZ-2 iHS.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The D3X with its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field simpler and the Nikon D3X will provide extra detail using its extra 13MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics more aggressively. The more aged D3X will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.