Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Pentax W90

Below is a extensive review of the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Pentax W90, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Waterproof by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There is a huge difference between the resolutions of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and W90 (12MP) but they use the exact same sensor size (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SZ-16 iHS was released 2 years later than the W90 and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting through a comprehensive comparison, below is a short summary of how the SZ-16 iHS scores versus the W90 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Pentax Optio W90. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery and Pentax W90 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS comes with outer measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Pentax W90 has sizing of 108mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") along with a weight of 164 grams (0.36 lbs).

See the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Pentax W90 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. Here is the front view overall size comparison of the SZ-16 iHS and the W90.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-16 iHS and W90 is 89 and 94 respectively.

Generally, it can be tough to visualize the difference between sensor measurements merely by reading through a spec sheet. The visual underneath will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-16 iHS and W90.

Clearly, both the cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but different resolution. You should expect to see the Olympus SZ-16 iHS to give you more detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more modern SZ-16 iHS should have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.