Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Samsung NX500

Below is a in-depth analysis of the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS versus Samsung NX500, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Samsung. There is a considerable difference between the resolutions of the SZ-31MR iHS (16MP) and NX500 (28MP) and the SZ-31MR iHS (1/2.3") and NX500 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor sizes.

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The SZ-31MR iHS was manufactured 4 years prior to the NX500 and that is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS being a Compact camera and the Samsung NX500 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight to a full comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the SZ-31MR iHS matches up against the NX500 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-31MR iHS & Samsung NX500. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Gallery & Samsung NX500 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to lug around your camera, you'll need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-31MR iHS provides physical dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Samsung NX500 has specifications of 120mm x 64mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

See the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS versus Samsung NX500 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you use at that time. Here is a front view measurements comparison of the SZ-31MR iHS against the NX500.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-31MR iHS and NX500 is 89 and 87 respectively.

In many cases, it is very hard to see the contrast between sensor measurements only by reading through technical specs. The visual below should give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-31MR iHS and NX500.

As you can tell, both the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SZ-31MR iHS featuring a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field harder and the Samsung NX500 will give you more detail due to its extra 12 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos more aggressively. The older SZ-31MR iHS is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.