Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A450

Here, we are looking at the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony A450, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the A450 (14MP) is very well matched but the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and A450 (APS-C) have totally different sensor size.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The SZ-12 was brought out 2 years later than the A450 and that is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Sony A450 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight to a complete comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the SZ-12 grades vs the A450 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-12 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A450. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery & Sony A450 Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera often, you will want to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-12 has got 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) and the Sony A450 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.2") having a weight of 560 grams (1.23 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony A450 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you use at that moment. Below is a front view scale comparison of the SZ-12 compared to the A450.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and A450 is 89 and 65 respectively.

More often than not, it's difficult to envision the gap between sensor measurements simply by looking at technical specs. The graphic below may offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-12 and A450.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras come with the identical megapixels but not the same sensor measurements. The SZ-12 has the tinier sensor which is going to make getting bokeh trickier. The younger SZ-12 will have an advantage in sensor tech.