Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Sony HX1

Following is a in-depth assessment of the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Sony HX1, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a considerable difference between the sensor resolutions of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and HX1 (9MP) and the SZ-16 iHS (1/2.3") and HX1 (1/2.4") provide totally different sensor sizing.

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The SZ-16 iHS was released 3 years after the HX1 which is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony HX1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving straight to a thorough comparison, here is a short overview of how the SZ-16 iHS grades vs the HX1 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-16 iHS & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery & Sony HX1 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry around your camera, you're going to have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS features outer measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") having a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Sony HX1 has sizing of 115mm x 83mm x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6") with a weight of 544 grams (1.20 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Sony HX1 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen at that time. The following is a front view dimension comparison of the SZ-16 iHS versus the HX1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-16 iHS and HX1 is 89 and 67 respectively.

Oftentimes, its difficult to see the contrast between sensor sizes purely by reading specifications. The picture here will give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-16 iHS and HX1.

To sum up, both the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The SZ-16 iHS featuring a bigger sensor will make getting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus SZ-16 iHS will deliver greater detail as a result of its extra 7 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The newer SZ-16 iHS is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.