Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony RX1

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony RX1, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a huge gap between the image resolutions of the SZ-12 (14MP) and RX1 (24MP) and the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and RX1 (Full frame) provide different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-12 was introduced 13 months before the RX1 which makes them a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going right into a detailed comparison, here is a short overview of how the SZ-12 scores vs the RX1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-12 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Sony RX1 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-12 comes with exterior measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Sony RX1 has sizing of 113mm x 65mm x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8") along with a weight of 482 grams (1.06 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony RX1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have at that time. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the SZ-12 versus the RX1.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and RX1 is 89 and 79 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to visualize the gap between sensor sizes only by going over technical specs. The pic underneath might offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-12 and RX1.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The SZ-12 using its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field tougher and the Sony RX1 will offer you more detail using its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged SZ-12 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.