Olympus SH-50 vs Sony W230

Following is a complete analysis of the Olympus SH-50 and Sony W230, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sony. There exists a big gap among the image resolutions of the SH-50 (16MP) and W230 (12MP) but both cameras posses the identical sensor size (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SH-50 was manufactured 3 years after the W230 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before getting into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the SH-50 scores against the W230 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SH-50 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SH-50 Gallery and Sony W230 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you will have to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus SH-50 offers physical dimensions of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) and the Sony W230 has measurements of 95mm x 57mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 156 grams (0.34 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SH-50 and Sony W230 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are working with during that time. Underneath is a front view overall size comparison of the SH-50 compared to the W230.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SH-50 and W230 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Quite often, it is hard to visualize the difference in sensor sizes simply by going through specs. The picture below should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-50 and W230.

All in all, both cameras come with the identical sensor size albeit different megapixels. You should expect the Olympus SH-50 to show greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The more recent SH-50 should have an edge with regard to sensor technology.