Olympus SH-50 vs Sony A580

Following is a complete analysis of the Olympus SH-50 and Sony A580, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the SH-50 (16MP) and the A580 (16MP) is relatively similar but the SH-50 (1/2.3") and A580 (APS-C) possess different sensor dimensions.

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The SH-50 was revealed 20 months after the A580 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SH-50 being a Compact camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the SH-50 grades against the A580 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SH-50 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The full galleries are available at Olympus SH-50 Gallery & Sony A580 Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus SH-50 provides outer dimensions of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Sony A580 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SH-50 and Sony A580 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are using at that time. Here is the front view sizing comparison of the SH-50 versus the A580.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SH-50 and A580 is 88 and 64 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to imagine the difference between sensor sizes simply by going over a spec sheet. The picture below might offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SH-50 and A580.

Clearly, each of the cameras posses the exact same megapixel count albeit different sensor sizes. The SH-50 has the tinier sensor which is going to make getting shallow DOF harder. The fresher SH-50 should have an advantage in sensor innovation.