Olympus SH-3 vs Sony A380

Below is a extensive review of the Olympus SH-3 versus Sony A380, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the SH-3 (16MP) and the A380 (14MP) is relatively similar but the SH-3 (1/2.3") and A380 (APS-C) offer different sensor dimensions.

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The SH-3 was introduced 6 years later than the A380 and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a short summary of how the SH-3 grades versus the A380 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus SH-3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SH-3 Gallery and Sony A380 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera regularly, you'll have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus SH-3 features outer 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 A380 has sizing of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") with a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SH-3 versus Sony A380 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose at that time. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the SH-3 and the A380.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the SH-3 and A380 is 88 and 68 respectively.

Often, it is difficult to visualize the gap between sensor measurements merely by going over a spec sheet. The photograph underneath might provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the SH-3 and A380.

As you can see, both the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The SH-3 having a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Olympus SH-3 will offer you more detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The newer SH-3 should have an edge in sensor tech.