Olympus SP-610UZ vs Sony RX1R

In this write-up, we are reviewing the Olympus SP-610UZ and Sony RX1R, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a crucial difference between the sensor resolutions of the SP-610UZ (14MP) and RX1R (24MP) and the SP-610UZ (1/2.3") and RX1R (Full frame) use different sensor sizing.

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The SP-610UZ was released 3 years prior to the RX1R which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SP-610UZ being a Compact camera and the Sony RX1R being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going through a thorough comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the SP-610UZ scores against the RX1R in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SP-610UZ and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-610UZ Gallery and Sony RX1R Gallery.

If you are planning to carry around your camera, you will want to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus SP-610UZ comes with external dimensions of 107mm x 73mm x 73mm (4.2" x 2.9" x 2.9") with a weight of 405 grams (0.89 lbs) and the Sony RX1R has sizing of 113mm x 65mm x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 482 grams (1.06 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SP-610UZ and Sony RX1R in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you use at the time. Underneath is the front view sizing comparison of the SP-610UZ versus the RX1R.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the SP-610UZ and RX1R is 79 and 79 respectively.

In many cases, it's hard to picture the contrast between sensor sizes simply by going over a spec sheet. The pic below may offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SP-610UZ and RX1R.

Clearly, each of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The SP-610UZ due to its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony RX1R will offer more detail as a result of its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics far more aggressively. The more aged SP-610UZ is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.