Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony A390

Below, we are comparing the Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony A390, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SZ-15 (16MP) and the A390 (14MP) is very comparable but the SZ-15 (1/2.3") and A390 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor sizing.

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The SZ-15 was unveiled 2 years after the A390 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-15 being a Compact camera and the Sony A390 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a full comparison, below is a quick overview of how the SZ-15 matches up versus the A390 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-15 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A390. The full galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-15 Gallery and Sony A390 Gallery.

If you're aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you will have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-15 enjoys exterior measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") with a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) and the Sony A390 has sizing of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") and a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony A390 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen at the time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the SZ-15 against the A390.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-15 and A390 is 88 and 66 respectively.

Normally, it is very hard to visualise the contrast in sensor dimensions simply by seeing specs. The pic here might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-15 and A390.

All in all, each of these cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SZ-15 having a smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF trickier and the Olympus SZ-15 will produce more detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The fresher SZ-15 is going to have an advantage in sensor innovation.