Olympus SH-2 vs Sony A580

Here, we are reviewing the Olympus SH-2 and Sony A580, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SH-2 (16MP) and the A580 (16MP) is fairly comparable but the SH-2 (1/2.3") and A580 (APS-C) have totally different sensor measurements.

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The SH-2 was revealed 3 years after the A580 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SH-2 being a Compact camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go into a in depth comparison, here is a short summary of how the SH-2 grades against the A580 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SH-2 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The full galleries are available at Olympus SH-2 Gallery & Sony A580 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to travel with your camera, you'll need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus SH-2 enjoys outside dimensions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) whilst the Sony A580 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SH-2 and Sony A580 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the SH-2 compared to the A580.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SH-2 and A580 is 88 and 64 respectively.

Quite often, it is hard to visualise the contrast in sensor dimensions just by checking out a spec sheet. The image underneath will offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-2 and A580.

As you can see, the 2 cameras come with the identical megapixel count but not the same sensor dimensions. The SH-2 has the smaller sensor which should make achieving bokeh trickier. The younger SH-2 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.