Olympus SH-50 vs Sony A380

On this page, we will be comparing the Olympus SH-50 and Sony A380, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SH-50 (16MP) and the A380 (14MP) is pretty close but the SH-50 (1/2.3") and A380 (APS-C) have different sensor sizing.

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The SH-50 was introduced 3 years after the A380 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-50 being a Compact camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the SH-50 grades against the A380 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SH-50 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SH-50 Gallery & Sony A380 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry around your camera, you are going to need to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus SH-50 features physical dimensions of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) while the Sony A380 has proportions of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") with a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SH-50 and Sony A380 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the SH-50 and the A380.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the SH-50 and A380 is 88 and 68 respectively.

Usually, it's hard to imagine the gap in sensor sizes simply by looking through specifications. The pic underneath should offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the SH-50 and A380.

To sum up, both the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The SH-50 using its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more difficult and the Olympus SH-50 will provide you with greater detail using its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The fresher SH-50 should have an advantage in sensor technology.