Olympus XZ-10 vs Sony NEX-C3

Let's look more in depth at the Olympus XZ-10 versus Sony NEX-C3, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a sizable difference among the sensor resolutions of the XZ-10 (12MP) and NEX-C3 (16MP) and the XZ-10 (1/2.3") and NEX-C3 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The XZ-10 was introduced 18 months later than the NEX-C3 making them a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-10 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-C3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting right into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the XZ-10 scores versus the NEX-C3 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus XZ-10 & Sony Alpha NEX-C3. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus XZ-10 Gallery & Sony NEX-C3 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera, you have to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus XZ-10 enjoys outer dimensions of 102mm x 61mm x 34mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs) while the Sony NEX-C3 has sizing of 110mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs).

Compare the Olympus XZ-10 versus Sony NEX-C3 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the XZ-10 vs the NEX-C3.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the XZ-10 and NEX-C3 is 91 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to visualise the gap in sensor sizing simply by going through specifications. The graphic here will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the XZ-10 and NEX-C3.

Plainly, both of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The XZ-10 with its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field trickier and the Sony NEX-C3 will produce extra detail using its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The younger XZ-10 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.