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Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony QX100

Portability
89
Imaging
38
Features
36
Overall
37
Olympus SZ-12 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX100 front
Portability
92
Imaging
51
Features
44
Overall
48

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony QX100 Key Specs

Olympus SZ-12
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • 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 QX100
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1" Sensor
  • " Fixed Display
  • ISO 160 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-100mm (F1.8-4.9) lens
  • 179g - 63 x 63 x 56mm
  • Announced September 2013
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Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony QX100 Overview

Let's look more closely at the Olympus SZ-12 versus Sony QX100, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Lens-style by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a sizeable difference between the image resolutions of the SZ-12 (14MP) and QX100 (20MP) and the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and QX100 (1") use different sensor sizes.

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The SZ-12 was manufactured 20 months earlier than the QX100 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Sony QX100 being a Lens-style camera.

Before getting straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick summary of how the SZ-12 grades versus the QX100 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-12 over the Sony QX100

 SZ-12 QX100 
Display dimension3""Larger display (+3")
Display resolution460k0kClearer display (+460k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony QX100 over the Olympus SZ-12

 QX100 SZ-12 
AnnouncedSeptember 2013January 2012More recent by 20 months
Manually focus Dial exact focusing
Touch display Easily navigate

Common features in the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony QX100

 SZ-12 QX100 
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Selfie screen Neither contains selfie screen

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony QX100 Physical Comparison

If you're looking to lug around your camera, you'll need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-12 has got 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 QX100 has sizing of 63mm x 63mm x 56mm (2.5" x 2.5" x 2.2") with a weight of 179 grams (0.39 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SZ-12 versus Sony QX100 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilising at that time. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the SZ-12 compared to the QX100.

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony QX100 size comparison

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and QX100 is 89 and 92 respectively.

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony QX100 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony QX100 Sensor Comparison

In many cases, it's hard to imagine the difference between sensor measurements purely by going over technical specs. The photograph here should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-12 and QX100.

As you have seen, both cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SZ-12 due to its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult and the Sony QX100 will deliver more detail due to its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics much more aggressively. The older SZ-12 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony QX100 sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony QX100 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony QX100 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 as a Portrait photography camera
Sony QX100 as a Portrait photography camera
34
MP count decent (14MP)
supports face detection focus
lack of manual focus
manual exposure not possible
no external flash support
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
53
manual focus
resolution is good (20MP)
sensor size is good (1")
comes with face detection focusing
no manual mode
external flash not possible
lack of RAW format
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Street Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Street photography information
Sony QX100 Street photography information
60
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than competition (226 grams)
fixed screen
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
71
image stabilization (Optical)
sensor size is good (1")
includes touch to focus
screen is fixed
lack of RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Sports photography advice
Sony QX100 Sports photography advice
41
amazing zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
MP count decent (14MP)
supports tracking autofocus
max frames per second low (1.0 fps)
no shutter priority mode
small sensor size (1/2.3")
terrible battery pack (220 CIPA)
lack of phase detect auto focus
55
image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (20 megapixels)
sensor size is good (1")
bad battery pack (200 shots)
lack of phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 as a Travel photography camera
Sony QX100 as a Travel photography camera
65
lighter than competition (226g)
MP count decent (14 megapixels)
flash built-in
rather wide (25mm)
very long reach (600mm)
no Time Lapse function
terrible battery pack (220 CIPA)
screen is not selfie friendly
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)
69
includes touch to focus
resolution is good (20 megapixels)
quite wide (28mm)
great maximum aperture (f1.8)
missing Time Lapse function
bad battery pack (200 CIPA)
display is not selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Landscape photography advice
Sony QX100 Landscape photography advice
40
rather wide (25mm)
decent sized screen (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
MP count decent (14MP)
lack of manual focus
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)
manual exposure not possible
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
terrible battery pack (220 CIPA)
no Time Lapse function
54
manual focus
quite wide (28mm)
great maximum aperture (f1.8)
image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (20MP)
sensor size is good (1")
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
screen is small (")
no manual mode
lack of RAW format
bad battery pack (200 shots)
missing Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Vlogging features
Sony QX100 Vlogging features
31
rather wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
supports face detection focus
lighter than competition (226 grams)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)
screen is not selfie friendly
video quality not great (1280 x 720 pxls)
no external mic jack
38
quite wide (28mm)
great maximum aperture (f1.8)
touch screen
image stabilization (Optical)
comes with face detection focusing
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
display is not selfie friendly
missing external mic support
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Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony QX100 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-12 and Sony QX100
 Olympus SZ-12Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX100
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus SZ-12 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX100
Class Small Sensor Superzoom Lens-style
Launched 2012-01-10 2013-09-05
Physical type Compact Lens-style
Sensor Information
Sensor type CCD BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1"
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 13.2 x 8.8mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 116.2mm²
Sensor resolution 14 megapixels 20 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio - 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution 4288 x 3216 5472 x 3648
Max native ISO 1600 6400
Lowest native ISO 80 160
RAW files
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Cross type focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens zoom range 25-600mm (24.0x) 28-100mm (3.6x)
Largest aperture f/3.0-6.9 f/1.8-4.9
Macro focusing range - 5cm
Focal length multiplier 5.8 2.7
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3 inch -
Display resolution 460k dots 0k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Display technology TFT Color LCD Depends on connected smartphone
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Min shutter speed 4 seconds 4 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/1700 seconds 1/2000 seconds
Continuous shutter rate 1.0fps -
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Set WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance - no built-in flash
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in None
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 180 (30fps) 1920 x 1080 (30 fps)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 226g (0.50 lb) 179g (0.39 lb)
Dimensions 106 x 69 x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") 63 x 63 x 56mm (2.5" x 2.5" x 2.2")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 220 photographs 200 photographs
Battery style Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID LI-50B NP-BN,
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, pet auto shutter) Yes (2, 10 secs)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC, Memory Stick Micro
Card slots One One
Retail cost $350 $268