Olympus SH-50 vs Sony RX10

Here, we are reviewing the Olympus SH-50 vs Sony RX10, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SH-50 (16MP) and the RX10 (20MP) is fairly close but the SH-50 (1/2.3") and RX10 (1") posses totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The SH-50 was unveiled 14 months prior to the RX10 making them a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SH-50 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX10 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a concise overview of how the SH-50 scores against the RX10 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SH-50 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. The full galleries are available at Olympus SH-50 Gallery & Sony RX10 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera, you'll need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus SH-50 enjoys external dimensions of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") along with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) while the Sony RX10 has measurements of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") with a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SH-50 vs Sony RX10 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you choose at the time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the SH-50 against the RX10.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the SH-50 and RX10 is 88 and 58 respectively.

Generally, its difficult to visualise the difference in sensor sizing only by researching specs. The visual here may provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-50 and RX10.

All in all, each of these cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The SH-50 with its smaller sensor will make achieving bokeh tougher and the Sony RX10 will provide you with greater detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics way more aggressively. The older SH-50 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.