Olympus SZ-11 vs Pentax E90

Here is a thorough analysis of the Olympus SZ-11 versus Pentax E90, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a significant difference among the image resolutions of the SZ-11 (14MP) and E90 (10MP) but they use the exact same sensor sizing (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SZ-11 was released 19 months later than the E90 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting straight into a full comparison, below is a concise summary of how the SZ-11 matches up vs the E90 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-11 and Pentax Optio E90. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-11 Gallery and Pentax E90 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry your camera, you are going to need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-11 features outside dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Pentax E90 has specifications of 102mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0") and a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-11 versus Pentax E90 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have attached at the time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the SZ-11 compared to the E90.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-11 and E90 is 89 and 94 respectively.

Generally, it is difficult to envision the difference in sensor sizing merely by seeing a spec sheet. The photograph below should offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-11 and E90.

Clearly, both the cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but not the same megapixels. You should expect to see the Olympus SZ-11 to provide more detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more modern SZ-11 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.