Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Sony A330

Below, we are contrasting the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Sony A330, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a huge difference between the resolutions of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and A330 (10MP) and the SZ-16 iHS (1/2.3") and A330 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor dimensions.

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The SZ-16 iHS was introduced 3 years later than the A330 and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A330 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick view of how the SZ-16 iHS scores vs the A330 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Sony Alpha DSLR-A330. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery and Sony A330 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry your camera, you will need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS has outside measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Sony A330 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 529 grams (1.17 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Sony A330 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you use at that moment. Here is the front view measurement comparison of the SZ-16 iHS versus the A330.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-16 iHS and A330 is 89 and 67 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be tough to visualise the difference between sensor sizing only by checking a spec sheet. The graphic below may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-16 iHS and A330.

As you can see, both of the cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SZ-16 iHS with its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field tougher and the Olympus SZ-16 iHS will give you more detail using its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The younger SZ-16 iHS is going to have an advantage in sensor technology.