Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Sony A55

Here, we are comparing the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Sony A55, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and the A55 (16MP) is fairly well matched but the SZ-16 iHS (1/2.3") and A55 (APS-C) have different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-16 iHS was manufactured 2 years later than the A55 and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going into a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief summation of how the SZ-16 iHS matches up vs the A55 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-16 iHS & Sony SLT-A55. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery & Sony A55 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS has outer 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) and the Sony A55 has measurements of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Sony A55 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are using during that time. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the SZ-16 iHS versus the A55.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-16 iHS and A55 is 89 and 67 respectively.

Normally, it is difficult to picture the gap between sensor measurements simply by checking a spec sheet. The graphic here should give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-16 iHS and A55.

Clearly, the 2 cameras feature the identical megapixel count but different sensor measurements. The SZ-16 iHS includes the tinier sensor which is going to make achieving shallow DOF trickier. The more modern SZ-16 iHS provides an edge when it comes to sensor tech.