Olympus SH-2 vs Sony A65

Below, we are evaluating the Olympus SH-2 versus Sony A65, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a crucial difference among the image resolutions of the SH-2 (16MP) and A65 (24MP) and the SH-2 (1/2.3") and A65 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor dimensions.

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The SH-2 was revealed 3 years later than the A65 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SH-2 being a Compact camera and the Sony A65 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight into a complete comparison, below is a brief view of how the SH-2 matches up versus the A65 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SH-2 and Sony SLT-A65. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SH-2 Gallery and Sony A65 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry your camera often, you are going to need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus SH-2 features external measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) while the Sony A65 has specifications of 132mm x 97mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2") with a weight of 622 grams (1.37 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SH-2 versus Sony A65 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have at the time. Underneath is the front view measurements comparison of the SH-2 versus the A65.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the SH-2 and A65 is 88 and 64 respectively.

Usually, it is difficult to see the gap in sensor sizing simply by checking out a spec sheet. The visual underneath will help give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the SH-2 and A65.

Clearly, the 2 cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SH-2 using its smaller sensor will make shooting bokeh more difficult and the Sony A65 will produce more detail because of its extra 8MP. Greater resolution will help you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The newer SH-2 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor tech.