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Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A560

Portability
89
Imaging
37
Features
36
Overall
36
Olympus SZ-12 front
 
Sony Alpha DSLR-A560 front
Portability
64
Imaging
54
Features
78
Overall
63

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A560 Key Specs

Olympus SZ-12
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-600mm (F3.0-6.9) lens
  • 226g - 106 x 69 x 40mm
  • Launched January 2012
Sony A560
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 100 - 12800 (Increase to 25600)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 599g - 137 x 104 x 84mm
  • Announced August 2010
  • Earlier Model is Sony A500
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Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A560 Overview

Below, we will be matching up the Olympus SZ-12 versus Sony A560, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the A560 (14MP) is relatively close but the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and A560 (APS-C) possess different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-12 was manufactured 17 months later than the A560 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Sony A560 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving in to a complete comparison, below is a simple overview of how the SZ-12 matches up versus the A560 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-12 over the Sony A560

 SZ-12 A560 
AnnouncedJanuary 2012August 2010More recent by 17 months

Reasons to pick Sony A560 over the Olympus SZ-12

 A560 SZ-12 
Manual focus Very accurate focusing
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen resolution922k460kClearer screen (+462k dot)

Common features in the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony A560

 SZ-12 A560 
Screen dimension3"3"Identical screen measurements
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch screen Absent Touch screen

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A560 Physical Comparison

When you are planning to lug around your camera, you will have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus SZ-12 comes with outside dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") having a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Sony A560 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SZ-12 versus Sony A560 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are working with at that moment. The following is the front view sizing comparison of the SZ-12 and the A560.

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A560 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-12 and A560 is 89 and 64 respectively.

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A560 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A560 Sensor Comparison

Normally, it's hard to visualize the gap in sensor measurements simply by researching specifications. The graphic underneath will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-12 and A560.

Plainly, both of the cameras posses the exact same megapixel count albeit different sensor measurements. The SZ-12 has got the smaller sensor which is going to make obtaining shallow depth of field more difficult. The newer SZ-12 provides an advantage with regard to sensor technology.

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A560 sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A560 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A560 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Portrait photography details
Sony A560 Portrait photography details
33
decent MP (14MP)
comes with face detection focus
no manual focus
no manual control
external flash not possible
sensor is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
72
you can focus manually
MP count decent (14MP)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
includes face detection focusing
delivers RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Street photography features
Sony A560 Street photography features
60
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than competitors in class (226 grams)
no articulating screen
sensor is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
75
screen tilts
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
delivers RAW formats
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus SZ-12
Sports photography with Sony A560
40
incredible zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
decent MP (14MP)
comes with tracking autofocus
continuous shooting slow (1.0 fps)
lack of shutter priority mode
sensor is small (1/2.3")
terrible battery pack (220 CIPA)
has no phase detect auto focus
68
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count decent (14MP)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
great battery life (1,050 shots)
has phase detect AF
painfully slow continuous shooting (5.0 fps)
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 as a Travel photography camera
Sony A560 as a Travel photography camera
65
lighter than competitors in class (226g)
decent MP (14MP)
has built in flash
reasonably wide (25mm)
long reach (600mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse function
terrible battery pack (220 CIPA)
does not have a selfie friendly screen
slow max aperture (f3.0)
60
great battery life (1,050 shots)
MP count decent (14MP)
has built in flash
no Time Lapse recording
screen is not selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus SZ-12
Landscape photography with Sony A560
40
reasonably wide (25mm)
screen is a decent size (3 inches)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
decent MP (14MP)
no manual focus
can't swap lenses (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
no manual control
sensor is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
terrible battery pack (220 CIPA)
doesn't have Time Lapse function
73
you can focus manually
change lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
screen size is good (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count decent (14 megapixels)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
delivers RAW formats
great battery life (1,050 per charge)
has double storage slots
no Time Lapse recording
Photography Glossary

Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 as a Vlogging camera
Sony A560 as a Vlogging camera
31
reasonably wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
comes with face detection focus
lighter than competitors in class (226g)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
does not have a selfie friendly screen
video quality not great (1280 x 720 resolution)
doesn't have external mic support
34
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
includes face detection focusing
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
has external mic port
screen is not selfie friendly
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Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A560 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-12 and Sony A560
 Olympus SZ-12Sony Alpha DSLR-A560
General Information
Brand Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus SZ-12 Sony Alpha DSLR-A560
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Entry-Level DSLR
Launched 2012-01-10 2010-08-24
Body design Compact Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Powered by - Bionz
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 23.5 x 15.6mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 366.6mm²
Sensor resolution 14 megapixel 14 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio - 3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution 4288 x 3216 4592 x 3056
Max native ISO 1600 12800
Max enhanced ISO - 25600
Minimum native ISO 80 100
RAW data
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points - 15
Cross type focus points - 3
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens Sony/Minolta Alpha
Lens zoom range 25-600mm (24.0x) -
Largest aperture f/3.0-6.9 -
Number of lenses - 143
Focal length multiplier 5.8 1.5
Screen
Range of screen Fixed Type Tilting
Screen diagonal 3" 3"
Resolution of screen 460 thousand dot 922 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Screen technology TFT Color LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder coverage - 95%
Viewfinder magnification - 0.53x
Features
Minimum shutter speed 4 secs 30 secs
Fastest shutter speed 1/1700 secs 1/4000 secs
Continuous shutter speed 1.0 frames/s 5.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance - 12.00 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Fastest flash sync - 1/160 secs
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 180 (30fps) 1920 x 1080 (60, 29.97 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30fps), 640 x 424 (29.97 fps)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 226 gr (0.50 pounds) 599 gr (1.32 pounds)
Dimensions 106 x 69 x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") 137 x 104 x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating not tested 70
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 22.5
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 12.3
DXO Low light rating not tested 817
Other
Battery life 220 photographs 1050 photographs
Form of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID LI-50B NP-FM500H
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, pet auto shutter) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots One Dual
Launch cost $350 $650