Olympus E-420 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS

In this article, we are reviewing the Olympus E-420 versus Olympus XZ-2 iHS, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both built by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-420 (10MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) is fairly comparable but the E-420 (Four Thirds) and XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") use totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-420 was manufactured 5 years prior to the XZ-2 iHS which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before going through a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the E-420 matches up vs the XZ-2 iHS in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-420 & Olympus XZ-2 iHS. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-420 Gallery & Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery.

For those who are going to travel with your camera often, you need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-420 has got external dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") and a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS has measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") having a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-420 versus Olympus XZ-2 iHS in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have attached during that time. Underneath is the front view measurements comparison of the E-420 against the XZ-2 iHS.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-420 and XZ-2 iHS is 77 and 85 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be hard to envision the gap in sensor dimensions simply by going through specifications. The pic here will offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-420 and XZ-2 iHS.

To sum up, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-420 featuring a larger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS will produce more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images far more aggressively. The more aged E-420 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.