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Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A850

Portability
89
Imaging
39
Features
47
Overall
42
Olympus SZ-31MR iHS front
 
Sony Alpha DSLR-A850 front
Portability
54
Imaging
68
Features
60
Overall
64

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A850 Key Specs

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-600mm (F3.0-6.9) lens
  • 226g - 106 x 69 x 40mm
  • Released February 2012
Sony A850
(Full Review)
  • 25MP - Full frame Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 200 - 3200 (Expand to 6400)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • No Video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 895g - 156 x 117 x 82mm
  • Released April 2010
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Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A850 Overview

Let's look much closer at the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A850, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There exists a sizable gap between the sensor resolutions of the SZ-31MR iHS (16MP) and A850 (25MP) and the SZ-31MR iHS (1/2.3") and A850 (Full frame) have totally different sensor sizing.

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The SZ-31MR iHS was manufactured 23 months later than the A850 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the SZ-31MR iHS grades vs the A850 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-31MR iHS over the Sony A850

 SZ-31MR iHS A850 
ReleasedFebruary 2012April 2010More recent by 23 months
Touch friendly screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Sony A850 over the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS

 A850 SZ-31MR iHS 
Manual focus More accurate focusing
Screen resolution922k920kSharper screen (+2k dot)

Common features in the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Sony A850

 SZ-31MR iHS A850 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen dimensions3"3"Equal screen measurement
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A850 Physical Comparison

If you're planning to lug around your camera frequently, you need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-31MR iHS offers outside dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Sony A850 has measurements of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") and a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A850 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are employing at that time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the SZ-31MR iHS against the A850.

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A850 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-31MR iHS and A850 is 89 and 54 respectively.

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A850 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A850 Sensor Comparison

Normally, it's hard to see the gap between sensor measurements purely by reading a spec sheet. The graphic below may give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-31MR iHS and A850.

Clearly, both of those cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The SZ-31MR iHS featuring a tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field tougher and the Sony A850 will offer greater detail due to its extra 9 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more recent SZ-31MR iHS will have an advantage in sensor innovation.

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A850 sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A850 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A850 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Portrait photography highlights
Sony A850 Portrait photography highlights
34
good megapixels (16MP)
features face detection focus
manual focus not available
manual exposure not possible
cannot use external flash
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
72
focusing manually
megapixel count high (25MP)
big sensor size (Full frame)
exports RAW files
doesn't have liveview
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus SZ-31MR iHS
Street photography with Sony A850
64
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
has touch to focus
lighter than competition in class (226 grams)
no articulating screen
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
66
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
big sensor size (Full frame)
exports RAW files
environment proofing
no articulating screen
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Sports Comparison

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Sports photography info
Sony A850 Sports photography info
44
amazing zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
features tracking autofocus
no shutter priority mode
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
low battery power (200 per charge)
has no phase detect auto focus
71
maximum shutter speed is high (1/8,000s)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count high (25 megapixels)
big sensor size (Full frame)
environment proofing
comes with phase detect autofocus
doesn't have liveview
max fps low (3.0 fps)
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Travel photography factors
Sony A850 Travel photography factors
67
lighter than competition in class (226g)
has touch to focus
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
has built in flash
quite wide (25mm)
long reach (600mm)
missing Time Lapse mode
low battery power (200 shots)
doesn't have selfie friendly display
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
55
environment proofing
megapixel count high (25MP)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
Photography Glossary

Landscape Comparison

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS as a Landscape photography camera
Sony A850 as a Landscape photography camera
41
quite wide (25mm)
screen is a good size (3 inch)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
manual focus not available
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
manual exposure not possible
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
low battery power (200 per charge)
missing Time Lapse mode
73
focusing manually
swap lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count high (25 megapixels)
big sensor size (Full frame)
exports RAW files
environment proofing
two card slots
doesn't have liveview
doesn't have Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS as a Vlogging camera
Sony A850 as a Vlogging camera
35
quite wide (25mm)
screen is touchscreen
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
features face detection focus
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than competition in class (226g)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
doesn't have selfie friendly display
missing external mic port
9
can't record video
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Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony A850 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Sony A850
 Olympus SZ-31MR iHSSony Alpha DSLR-A850
General Information
Company Olympus Sony
Model Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Sony Alpha DSLR-A850
Type Small Sensor Superzoom Advanced DSLR
Released 2012-02-08 2010-04-15
Physical type Compact Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Powered by Dual TruePic V Bionz
Sensor type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" Full frame
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 35.9 x 24mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 861.6mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 25MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 4608 x 3456 6048 x 4032
Max native ISO 6400 3200
Max boosted ISO - 6400
Min native ISO 80 200
RAW support
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
AF center weighted
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points - 9
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens Sony/Minolta Alpha
Lens focal range 25-600mm (24.0x) -
Highest aperture f/3.0-6.9 -
Macro focus distance 1cm -
Number of lenses - 143
Focal length multiplier 5.8 1
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Resolution of screen 920k dots 922k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Screen tech Hypercrystal III TFT Color LCD TFT Xtra Fine color LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage - 98 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.74x
Features
Lowest shutter speed 4 seconds 30 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/1700 seconds 1/8000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 7.0 frames/s 3.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 9.30 m no built-in flash
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash synchronize - 1/250 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 180 (30fps) -
Max video resolution 1920x1080 None
Video format MPEG-4, H.264 -
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 226 gr (0.50 lb) 895 gr (1.97 lb)
Physical dimensions 106 x 69 x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") 156 x 117 x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested 79
DXO Color Depth score not tested 23.8
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 12.2
DXO Low light score not tested 1415
Other
Battery life 200 photographs 880 photographs
Type of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model LI-50B NP-FM500H
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, pet auto shutter) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC Compact Flash (Type I or II), UDMA, Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo
Card slots Single 2
Launch price $0 $0