Olympus SH-2 vs Sony A380

Lets look much closer at the Olympus SH-2 vs Sony A380, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SH-2 (16MP) and the A380 (14MP) is very well matched but the SH-2 (1/2.3") and A380 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

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The SH-2 was introduced 5 years after the A380 which is quite a serious difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SH-2 being a Compact camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a brief summary of how the SH-2 scores vs the A380 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus SH-2 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SH-2 Gallery & Sony A380 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera often, you have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus SH-2 has got external dimensions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) and the Sony A380 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SH-2 vs Sony A380 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached at that moment. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the SH-2 compared to the A380.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the SH-2 and A380 is 88 and 68 respectively.

Often, it is hard to visualise the gap between sensor dimensions merely by looking at specifications. The picture underneath will help offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-2 and A380.

Plainly, the two cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SH-2 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Olympus SH-2 will give you greater detail using its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images far more aggressively. The fresher SH-2 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.