Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A9

In this article, we are evaluating the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Sony A9, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a significant difference among the resolutions of the SZ-31MR iHS (16MP) and A9 (24MP) and the SZ-31MR iHS (1/2.3") and A9 (Full frame) come with totally different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-31MR iHS was unveiled 6 years prior to the A9 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A9 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight into a thorough comparison, below is a brief summation of how the SZ-31MR iHS scores versus the A9 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Sony Alpha A9. The full galleries are available at Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Gallery and Sony A9 Gallery.

When you are aiming to travel with your camera, you'll need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-31MR iHS features outside dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Sony A9 has measurements of 127mm x 96mm x 63mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.5") having a weight of 673 grams (1.48 lbs).

See the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Sony A9 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are working with at that moment. The following is the front view size comparison of the SZ-31MR iHS and the A9.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-31MR iHS and A9 is 89 and 65 respectively.

In many cases, it is difficult to envision the gap in sensor dimensions only by going through technical specs. The pic below will help offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-31MR iHS and A9.

As you can tell, both of these cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The SZ-31MR iHS with its smaller sensor will make shooting bokeh tougher and the Sony A9 will provide greater detail having an extra 8MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images far more aggressively. The more aged SZ-31MR iHS will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.