Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A37

Below is a extended assessment of the Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A37, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the A37 (16MP) is fairly close but the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and A37 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-12 was revealed 4 months earlier than the A37 and they are both of a similar generation. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Sony A37 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving into a in depth comparison, here is a concise view of how the SZ-12 scores vs the A37 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-12 and Sony SLT-A37. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Sony A37 Gallery.

If you're looking to lug around your camera regularly, you have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-12 has exterior measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") having a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Sony A37 has measurements of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") having a weight of 506 grams (1.12 lbs).

Check the Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony A37 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are employing at that time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the SZ-12 against the A37.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and A37 is 89 and 67 respectively.

More often than not, its difficult to envision the gap in sensor measurements simply by viewing a spec sheet. The graphic here will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-12 and A37.

As you can see, both cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The SZ-12 with its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult and the Sony A37 will render greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos a good deal more aggressively.