Olympus SH-3 vs Sony W830

Lets take a deeper look at the Olympus SH-3 and Sony W830, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Ultracompact by competitors Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the SH-3 (16MP) and the W830 (20MP) is relatively similar and both cameras provide the same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The SH-3 was brought out 2 years later than the W830 and that is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-3 being a Compact camera and the Sony W830 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving right into a thorough comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the SH-3 grades against the W830 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus SH-3 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W830. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SH-3 Gallery & Sony W830 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry your camera regularly, you need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus SH-3 features outer 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 W830 has specifications of 93mm x 52mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.0" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 122 grams (0.27 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SH-3 and Sony W830 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are using at that time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the SH-3 versus the W830.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the SH-3 and W830 is 88 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, it can be difficult to visualise the difference between sensor sizing merely by going over technical specs. The photograph below may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the SH-3 and W830.

As you can tell, both of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same resolution. You can count on the Sony W830 to offer you more detail having its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The fresher SH-3 will have a benefit in sensor tech.