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Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony WX300

Portability
89
Imaging
38
Features
36
Overall
37
Olympus SZ-12 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300 front
Portability
94
Imaging
42
Features
38
Overall
40

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony WX300 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
  • Announced January 2012
Sony WX300
(Full Review)
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-500mm (F3.5-6.5) lens
  • 166g - 96 x 55 x 25mm
  • Launched February 2013
  • Updated by Sony WX350
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Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony WX300 Overview

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony WX300, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap among the resolutions of the SZ-12 (14MP) and WX300 (18MP) but they feature the same exact sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The SZ-12 was introduced 13 months earlier than the WX300 making the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving in to a detailed comparison, below is a concise summation of how the SZ-12 matches up versus the WX300 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-12 over the Sony WX300

 SZ-12 WX300 

Reasons to pick Sony WX300 over the Olympus SZ-12

 WX300 SZ-12 
LaunchedFebruary 2013January 2012More modern by 13 months

Common features in the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony WX300

 SZ-12 WX300 
Focus manually Lack of manual focus
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Display sizing3"3"Equivalent display sizing
Display resolution460k460kExact same display resolution
Selfie screen Neither offers selfie screen
Touch friendly display Neither offers Touch friendly display

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony WX300 Physical Comparison

In case you're intending to carry around your camera often, you need to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-12 offers outside measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Sony WX300 has sizing of 96mm x 55mm x 25mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 1.0") along with a weight of 166 grams (0.37 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SZ-12 and Sony WX300 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are working with at the time. Following is the front view measurements comparison of the SZ-12 versus the WX300.

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony WX300 size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-12 and WX300 is 89 and 94 respectively.

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony WX300 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony WX300 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it can be difficult to visualize the gap in sensor sizes only by going through specs. The picture underneath should provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-12 and WX300.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but different MP. You should expect to see the Sony WX300 to provide extra detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics far more aggressively. The more aged SZ-12 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony WX300 sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony WX300 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony WX300 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Portrait photography advice
Sony WX300 Portrait photography advice
34
resolution is good (14MP)
features face detect focus
focusing manually not possible
no manual control
can't use external flash
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
36
good megapixels (18MP)
includes face detect autofocus
manual focus not available
manual mode not possible
can't use external flash
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support
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Street Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Street photography advice
Sony WX300 Street photography advice
60
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than average (226 grams)
no articulating screen
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
63
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competition in class (166 grams)
fixed screen
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support
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Sports Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Sports photography factors
Sony WX300 Sports photography factors
41
long zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
resolution is good (14MP)
features tracking focus
painfully slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames per second)
no shutter priority mode
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
low battery (220 CIPA)
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
49
great zoom range (25-500mm 20.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
good megapixels (18MP)
includes tracking focus
no shutter priority
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 as a Travel photography camera
Sony WX300 as a Travel photography camera
65
lighter than average (226g)
resolution is good (14 megapixels)
built-in flash
fairly wide (25mm)
great reach (600mm)
doesn't have Timelapse function
low battery (220 shots)
display is not selfie friendly
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)
71
lighter than competition in class (166 grams)
good megapixels (18MP)
flash built-in
decently wide (25mm)
very long zoom (500mm)
does not have Time Lapse recording
display isn't selfie friendly
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.5)
Photography Glossary

Landscape Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 as a Landscape photography camera
Sony WX300 as a Landscape photography camera
40
fairly wide (25mm)
screen size is good (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
resolution is good (14 megapixels)
focusing manually not possible
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)
no manual control
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
low battery (220 per charge)
doesn't have Timelapse function
44
decently wide (25mm)
good sized screen (3 inch)
image stabilization (Optical)
good megapixels (18 megapixels)
manual focus not available
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.5)
manual mode not possible
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support
does not have Time Lapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Vlogging information
Sony WX300 Vlogging information
31
fairly wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
features face detect focus
lighter than average (226g)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)
display is not selfie friendly
low quality video (1280 x 720 resolution)
doesn't have microphone socket
35
decently wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detect autofocus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than competition in class (166 grams)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.5)
display isn't selfie friendly
does not have mic jack
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Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony WX300 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-12 and Sony WX300
 Olympus SZ-12Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300
General Information
Manufacturer Olympus Sony
Model Olympus SZ-12 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300
Type Small Sensor Superzoom Small Sensor Superzoom
Announced 2012-01-10 2013-02-20
Body design Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type CCD BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 14MP 18MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio - 4:3 and 16:9
Peak resolution 4288 x 3216 4896 x 3672
Highest native ISO 1600 3200
Minimum native ISO 80 80
RAW data
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch to focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 25-600mm (24.0x) 25-500mm (20.0x)
Maximal aperture f/3.0-6.9 f/3.5-6.5
Crop factor 5.8 5.8
Screen
Range of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3" 3"
Display resolution 460k dot 460k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Display technology TFT Color LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None None
Features
Min shutter speed 4 seconds 4 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/1700 seconds 1/1600 seconds
Continuous shutter speed 1.0 frames/s 10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range - 4.30 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in -
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 180 (30fps) 1920 x 1080 (60, 50 fps)
Highest video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format MPEG-4, H.264 AVCHD
Mic input
Headphone input
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
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 226 gr (0.50 lbs) 166 gr (0.37 lbs)
Dimensions 106 x 69 x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") 96 x 55 x 25mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 1.0")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 220 shots -
Battery format Battery Pack -
Battery model LI-50B NP-BX1
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, pet auto shutter) -
Time lapse recording
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots One One
Retail pricing $350 $330