Olympus SH-3 vs Sony A300

On this page, we are contrasting the Olympus SH-3 versus Sony A300, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. There exists a crucial gap between the sensor resolutions of the SH-3 (16MP) and A300 (10MP) and the SH-3 (1/2.3") and A300 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The SH-3 was announced 8 years later than the A300 and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A300 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the SH-3 matches up against the A300 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus SH-3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A300. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SH-3 Gallery and Sony A300 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SH-3 has got physical measurements 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 A300 has dimensions of 131mm x 99mm x 75mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") having a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SH-3 versus Sony A300 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have at the time. Here is a front view dimensions comparison of the SH-3 and the A300.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SH-3 and A300 is 88 and 64 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to visualise the gap between sensor sizing only by reading specs. The visual underneath should give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the SH-3 and A300.

All in all, both cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SH-3 with its tinier sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field harder and the Olympus SH-3 will deliver more detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop images a bit more aggressively. The younger SH-3 will have an advantage in sensor tech.