Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony H400

The following is a in depth analysis of the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony H400, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a crucial difference between the sensor resolutions of the SZ-12 (14MP) and H400 (20MP) but they come with the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SZ-12 was revealed 3 years prior to the H400 which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Sony H400 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving straight into a thorough comparison, below is a short summation of how the SZ-12 matches up against the H400 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-12 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Sony H400 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera regularly, you should factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-12 comes with physical 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 H400 has dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 122mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.8") accompanied by a weight of 628 grams (1.38 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony H400 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have attached at that moment. Following is the front view over all size comparison of the SZ-12 against the H400.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-12 and H400 is 89 and 62 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be tough to visualise the difference between sensor dimensions merely by checking technical specs. The picture below might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-12 and H400.

As you can tell, the two cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but not the same resolution. You should expect to see the Sony H400 to resolve extra detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics far more aggressively. The more aged SZ-12 is going to be behind in sensor tech.