Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony ZV-1

Let's look a little more closely at the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony ZV-1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SZ-31MR iHS (16MP) and the ZV-1 (20MP) is very well matched but the SZ-31MR iHS (1/2.3") and ZV-1 (1") posses different sensor sizes.

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The SZ-31MR iHS was revealed 9 years earlier than the ZV-1 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony ZV-1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going right into a thorough comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the SZ-31MR iHS scores against the ZV-1 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Sony ZV-1. The full galleries are available at Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Gallery and Sony ZV-1 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera frequently, you will have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus SZ-31MR iHS enjoys 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) while the Sony ZV-1 has proportions of 105mm x 60mm x 44mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 294 grams (0.65 lbs).

See the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Sony ZV-1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are working with at that time. Following is a front view measurements comparison of the SZ-31MR iHS vs the ZV-1.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-31MR iHS and ZV-1 is 89 and 88 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to imagine the gap between sensor sizing only by looking at a spec sheet. The photograph underneath might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-31MR iHS and ZV-1.

Clearly, each of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SZ-31MR iHS using its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Sony ZV-1 will give you more detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images a bit more aggressively. The older SZ-31MR iHS is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.