Olympus 7030 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS

On this page, we are analyzing the Olympus 7030 versus Olympus XZ-2 iHS, both Small Sensor Compact cameras and they are both created by Olympus. The resolution of the 7030 (14MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) is fairly comparable but the 7030 (1/2.3") and XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") have totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The 7030 was manufactured 3 years earlier than the XZ-2 iHS and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before getting straight to a thorough comparison, here is a simple summation of how the 7030 grades vs the XZ-2 iHS with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus 7030 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS. The entire galleries are available at Olympus 7030 Gallery and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery.

If you are going to lug around your camera frequently, you need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus 7030 features exterior dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 26mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 140 grams (0.31 lbs) while the Olympus XZ-2 iHS has sizing of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") and a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus 7030 versus Olympus XZ-2 iHS in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the 7030 and the XZ-2 iHS.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the 7030 and XZ-2 iHS is 95 and 85 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is difficult to see the gap in sensor measurements merely by seeing specs. The graphic here might provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the 7030 and XZ-2 iHS.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The 7030 featuring a smaller sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more challenging and the Olympus 7030 will show greater detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop images more aggressively. The older 7030 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.