Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony RX10

Here, we will be analyzing the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony RX10, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap between the image resolutions of the SZ-12 (14MP) and RX10 (20MP) and the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and RX10 (1") posses different sensor dimensions.

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The SZ-12 was announced 3 years earlier than the RX10 which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX10 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going into a full comparison, here is a concise summation of how the SZ-12 scores against the RX10 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-12 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Sony RX10 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera often, you have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-12 offers external 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) and the Sony RX10 has measurements of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") and a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

See the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony RX10 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have attached at the time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the SZ-12 versus the RX10.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-12 and RX10 is 89 and 58 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor sizes just by checking specifications. The picture below might offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-12 and RX10.

Plainly, both of those cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The SZ-12 with its tinier sensor is going to make shooting bokeh tougher and the Sony RX10 will give you extra detail with its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The more aged SZ-12 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.