Olympus SH-1 vs Sony RX1R

Lets look a little more closely at the Olympus SH-1 and Sony RX1R, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a substantial difference between the resolutions of the SH-1 (16MP) and RX1R (24MP) and the SH-1 (1/2.3") and RX1R (Full frame) possess totally different sensor sizing.

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The SH-1 was unveiled 10 months later than the RX1R so they are both of a similar age. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SH-1 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX1R being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting in to a detailed comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the SH-1 scores against the RX1R in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SH-1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R. The full galleries are available at Olympus SH-1 Gallery & Sony RX1R Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera often, you'll need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus SH-1 provides physical dimensions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) whilst the Sony RX1R has measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8") and a weight of 482 grams (1.06 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SH-1 and Sony RX1R in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at the time. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the SH-1 against the RX1R.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the SH-1 and RX1R is 88 and 79 respectively.

Usually, it is very tough to see the difference between sensor sizing purely by reading technical specs. The visual below should give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-1 and RX1R.

As you have seen, each of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The SH-1 using its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field tougher and the Sony RX1R will offer you extra detail having an extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos far more aggressively. The fresher SH-1 is going to have an advantage in sensor tech.