Olympus SP-610UZ vs Sony HX1

Its time to look more in depth at the Olympus SP-610UZ and Sony HX1, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by companies Olympus and Sony. There exists a substantial gap among the sensor resolutions of the SP-610UZ (14MP) and HX1 (9MP) and the SP-610UZ (1/2.3") and HX1 (1/2.4") offer different sensor dimensions.

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The SP-610UZ was revealed 21 months later than the HX1 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-610UZ being a Compact camera and the Sony HX1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a concise view of how the SP-610UZ grades versus the HX1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SP-610UZ & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1. The full galleries are available at Olympus SP-610UZ Gallery & Sony HX1 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera, you will need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SP-610UZ features physical measurements of 107mm x 73mm x 73mm (4.2" x 2.9" x 2.9") along with a weight of 405 grams (0.89 lbs) and the Sony HX1 has dimensions of 115mm x 83mm x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6") having a weight of 544 grams (1.20 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SP-610UZ and Sony HX1 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have at the time. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the SP-610UZ versus the HX1.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SP-610UZ and HX1 is 79 and 67 respectively.

Normally, it is difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements just by seeing specs. The photograph below should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the SP-610UZ and HX1.

All in all, both of these cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The SP-610UZ using its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus SP-610UZ will produce greater detail because of its extra 5 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The fresher SP-610UZ provides an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.