Olympus SH-2 vs Sony RX100

On this page, we will be evaluating the Olympus SH-2 and Sony RX100, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SH-2 (16MP) and the RX100 (20MP) is pretty well matched but the SH-2 (1/2.3") and RX100 (1") offer totally different sensor size.

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The SH-2 was revealed 2 years later than the RX100 and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-2 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going into a thorough comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the SH-2 matches up against the RX100 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus SH-2 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SH-2 Gallery and Sony RX100 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus SH-2 has outer measurements 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 RX100 has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SH-2 and Sony RX100 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you select during that time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the SH-2 against the RX100.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SH-2 and RX100 is 88 and 91 respectively.

More often than not, it's tough to envision the gap between sensor sizing simply by reading through technical specs. The visual here may provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the SH-2 and RX100.

As you have seen, both of those cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SH-2 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Sony RX100 will give you more detail because of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more recent SH-2 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.