Olympus SP-100 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS

In this article, we will be looking at the Olympus SP-100 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both built by Olympus. There exists a sizeable gap among the resolutions of the SP-100 (16MP) and XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and the SP-100 (1/2.3") and XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") use totally different sensor dimensions.

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The SP-100 was introduced 14 months later than the XZ-2 iHS which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SP-100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before delving in to a complete comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the SP-100 scores versus the XZ-2 iHS with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus SP-100 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-100 Gallery and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you'll need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus SP-100 features outside measurements of 122mm x 91mm x 133mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 5.2") and a weight of 594 grams (1.31 lbs) whilst the Olympus XZ-2 iHS has measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") along with a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SP-100 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have at that time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the SP-100 versus the XZ-2 iHS.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SP-100 and XZ-2 iHS is 63 and 85 respectively.

More often than not, it is hard to envision the difference in sensor measurements simply by viewing a spec sheet. The visual underneath will help provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the SP-100 and XZ-2 iHS.

Clearly, the 2 cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SP-100 having a smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Olympus SP-100 will result in more detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots far more aggressively. The more recent SP-100 is going to have a benefit in sensor innovation.