Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony NEX-6

The following is a in depth review of the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony NEX-6, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the NEX-6 (16MP) is very comparable but the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and NEX-6 (APS-C) use totally different sensor sizing.

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The SZ-12 was brought out 14 months before the NEX-6 making the cameras a generation away from one another. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight into a thorough comparison, below is a short highlight of how the SZ-12 scores versus the NEX-6 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-12 & Sony Alpha NEX-6. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery & Sony NEX-6 Gallery.

When you are intending to travel with your camera often, you should factor in its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-12 offers exterior measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-6 has specifications of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 345 grams (0.76 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony NEX-6 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have attached during that time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the SZ-12 and the NEX-6.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and NEX-6 is 89 and 85 respectively.

Normally, it is difficult to envision the gap in sensor dimensions only by going through specifications. The picture underneath will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-12 and NEX-6.

To sum up, the two cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SZ-12 because of its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Sony NEX-6 will produce greater detail having its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop images somewhat more aggressively. The more aged SZ-12 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.