Olympus 1s vs Sony A230

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus 1s versus Sony A230, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the 1s (12MP) and the A230 (10MP) is pretty close but the 1s (1/1.7") and A230 (APS-C) have totally different sensor sizes.

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The 1s was launched 5 years later than the A230 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus 1s being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony A230 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick summary of how the 1s matches up against the A230 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus 1s & Sony Alpha DSLR-A230. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus 1s Gallery & Sony A230 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry your camera, you have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus 1s provides exterior measurements of 116mm x 87mm x 57mm (4.6" x 3.4" x 2.2") accompanied by a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs) whilst the Sony A230 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 68mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.7") along with a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs).

Check out the Olympus 1s versus Sony A230 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are employing during that time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the 1s compared to the A230.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the 1s and A230 is 79 and 69 respectively.

Generally, it is hard to visualise the gap in sensor sizing only by researching a spec sheet. The graphic underneath may give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the 1s and A230.

As you can see, both cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The 1s featuring a smaller sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field trickier and the Olympus 1s will render greater detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The younger 1s will have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.