Olympus SZ-11 vs Sony A57

Its time to look a bit more closely at the Olympus SZ-11 vs Sony A57, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SZ-11 (14MP) and the A57 (16MP) is pretty similar but the SZ-11 (1/2.3") and A57 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor sizing.

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The SZ-11 was revealed 13 months prior to the A57 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-11 being a Compact camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going in to a in-depth comparison, below is a concise summary of how the SZ-11 matches up against the A57 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-11 and Sony SLT-A57. The full galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-11 Gallery and Sony A57 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry around your camera, you should factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-11 features external measurements 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 Sony A57 has dimensions of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") and a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SZ-11 vs Sony A57 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are using at the time. The following is the front view size comparison of the SZ-11 versus the A57.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-11 and A57 is 89 and 64 respectively.

More often than not, it is difficult to see the contrast between sensor sizes purely by reviewing technical specs. The image below may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-11 and A57.

As you have seen, both of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The SZ-11 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field trickier and the Sony A57 will offer you more detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The more aged SZ-11 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.