Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony QX1

Below is a extensive assessment of the Olympus SZ-12 versus Sony QX1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Lens-style by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a big gap among the image resolutions of the SZ-12 (14MP) and QX1 (20MP) and the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and QX1 (APS-C) posses different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-12 was revealed 3 years earlier than the QX1 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Sony QX1 being a Lens-style camera.

Before diving into a in depth comparison, here is a quick summary of how the SZ-12 grades versus the QX1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-12 and Sony Alpha QX1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Sony QX1 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera often, you should take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-12 enjoys physical dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Sony QX1 has measurements of 74mm x 70mm x 53mm (2.9" x 2.8" x 2.1") having a weight of 216 grams (0.48 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SZ-12 versus Sony QX1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are using during that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the SZ-12 versus the QX1.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-12 and QX1 is 89 and 90 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to visualize the difference in sensor measurements simply by looking through specs. The graphic here should offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-12 and QX1.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The SZ-12 with its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF trickier and the Sony QX1 will result in more detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images more aggressively. The older SZ-12 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.