Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Sony NEX-3

Below is a detailed overview of the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Sony NEX-3, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is pretty similar but the SZ-16 iHS (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) use different sensor size.

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The SZ-16 iHS was announced 2 years later than the NEX-3 and that is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go through a in depth comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the SZ-16 iHS grades vs the NEX-3 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-16 iHS & Sony Alpha NEX-3. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery & Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS has physical dimensions of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-3 has measurements of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

See the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Sony NEX-3 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have at that moment. Below is the front view dimensions comparison of the SZ-16 iHS against the NEX-3.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-16 iHS and NEX-3 is 89 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it can be tough to imagine the contrast between sensor measurements just by going over specifications. The visual here will provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-16 iHS and NEX-3.

To sum up, both of those cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SZ-16 iHS having a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Olympus SZ-16 iHS will deliver more detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs a little more aggressively. The fresher SZ-16 iHS provides a benefit in sensor innovation.