Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony W800

Following is a extended review of the Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony W800, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a sizeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the SZ-12 (14MP) and W800 (20MP) but they use the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

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The SZ-12 was released 3 years earlier than the W800 which is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before we go straight into a detailed comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the SZ-12 matches up versus the W800 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-12 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W800. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Sony W800 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus SZ-12 enjoys external 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 W800 has proportions of 97mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

See the Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony W800 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you select during that time. Underneath is the front view size comparison of the SZ-12 compared to the W800.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and W800 is 89 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to see the difference between sensor sizes only by reading through technical specs. The picture underneath will provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-12 and W800.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but not the same resolution. You should expect to see the Sony W800 to give greater detail as a result of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop photos far more aggressively. The more aged SZ-12 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.