Olympus SH-1 vs Sony HX99

Its time to take a closer look at the Olympus SH-1 vs Sony HX99, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by competitors Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SH-1 (16MP) and the HX99 (18MP) is relatively comparable but the SH-1 (1/2.3") and HX99 (1/2.3-inch) provide different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The SH-1 was announced 5 years earlier than the HX99 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before we go into a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the SH-1 matches up vs the HX99 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus SH-1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus SH-1 Gallery and Sony HX99 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to travel with your camera, you will want to think about its weight and size. The Olympus SH-1 comes with external measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) whilst the Sony HX99 has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") and a weight of 242 grams (0.53 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SH-1 vs Sony HX99 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. The following is a front view overall size comparison of the SH-1 against the HX99.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SH-1 and HX99 is 88 and 91 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to picture the difference in sensor dimensions merely by going through a spec sheet. The picture here should provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the SH-1 and HX99.

Clearly, both of those cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The SH-1 having a bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Sony HX99 will show extra detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots way more aggressively. The more aged SH-1 will be behind in sensor technology.