Olympus E-400 vs Olympus SZ-16 iHS

Here, we are reviewing the Olympus E-400 versus Olympus SZ-16 iHS, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are produced by Olympus. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the E-400 (10MP) and SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and the E-400 (Four Thirds) and SZ-16 iHS (1/2.3") have different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-400 was revealed 7 years prior to the SZ-16 iHS and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-400 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before getting right into a detailed comparison, here is a brief overview of how the E-400 matches up vs the SZ-16 iHS with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-400 & Olympus SZ-16 iHS. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-400 Gallery & Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-400 has got exterior measurements of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") along with a weight of 435 grams (0.96 lbs) whilst the Olympus SZ-16 iHS has sizing of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-400 versus Olympus SZ-16 iHS in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the E-400 against the SZ-16 iHS.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the E-400 and SZ-16 iHS is 77 and 89 respectively.

Generally, it is hard to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements just by going through a spec sheet. The graphic underneath may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-400 and SZ-16 iHS.

As you can see, each of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-400 having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus SZ-16 iHS will show greater detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos way more aggressively. The older E-400 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.