Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony NEX-7

On this page, we are reviewing the Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony NEX-7, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There is a significant difference among the image resolutions of the SZ-12 (14MP) and NEX-7 (24MP) and the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and NEX-7 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-12 was introduced at a similar time to the NEX-7 and they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a detailed comparison, here is a brief view of how the SZ-12 matches up versus the NEX-7 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-12 and Sony Alpha NEX-7. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Sony NEX-7 Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera often, you will need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-12 has outer measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-7 has dimensions of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 400 grams (0.88 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony NEX-7 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilising at that time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the SZ-12 compared to the NEX-7.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-12 and NEX-7 is 89 and 84 respectively.

Generally, it's hard to envision the gap in sensor measurements merely by checking out a spec sheet. The graphic here may offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-12 and NEX-7.

Clearly, both the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SZ-12 having a smaller sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field trickier and the Sony NEX-7 will produce more detail using its extra 10MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics a bit more aggressively.