Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A350

Here, we are evaluating the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A350, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SZ-31MR iHS (16MP) and the A350 (14MP) is fairly close but the SZ-31MR iHS (1/2.3") and A350 (APS-C) posses different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-31MR iHS was brought out 3 years after the A350 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A350 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief summary of how the SZ-31MR iHS grades against the A350 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Sony Alpha DSLR-A350. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Gallery and Sony A350 Gallery.

If you're intending to travel with your camera frequently, you need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-31MR iHS has got outer 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 A350 has specifications of 131mm x 99mm x 75mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") along with a weight of 674 grams (1.49 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A350 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use at that time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the SZ-31MR iHS and the A350.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-31MR iHS and A350 is 89 and 62 respectively.

More often than not, it is very hard to picture the gap in sensor dimensions simply by viewing a spec sheet. The picture here will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-31MR iHS and A350.

Clearly, both of these cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The SZ-31MR iHS featuring a smaller sensor is going to make getting bokeh more difficult and the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS will provide you with greater detail having its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos way more aggressively. The younger SZ-31MR iHS provides a benefit with regard to sensor tech.