Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Sony RX100 IV

On this page, we are matching up the Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Sony RX100 IV, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and the RX100 IV (20MP) is fairly comparable but the SZ-16 iHS (1/2.3") and RX100 IV (1") posses totally different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-16 iHS was unveiled 3 years prior to the RX100 IV which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony RX100 IV being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief summation of how the SZ-16 iHS scores versus the RX100 IV in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-16 iHS & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV. The full galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery & Sony RX100 IV Gallery.

If you are aiming to travel with your camera often, you will need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS offers external measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Sony RX100 IV has measurements of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") along with a weight of 298 grams (0.66 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Sony RX100 IV in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have at that time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the SZ-16 iHS vs the RX100 IV.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-16 iHS and RX100 IV is 89 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, its tough to visualise the difference in sensor dimensions purely by going through specs. The pic here may give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-16 iHS and RX100 IV.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The SZ-16 iHS having a smaller sensor will make getting bokeh more challenging and the Sony RX100 IV will provide extra detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos more aggressively. The more aged SZ-16 iHS will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.