Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A7R III

Following is a thorough analysis of the Olympus XZ-1 and Sony A7R III, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a significant gap between the sensor resolutions of the XZ-1 (10MP) and A7R III (42MP) and the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and A7R III (Full frame) posses totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The XZ-1 was announced 7 years prior to the A7R III which is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A7R III being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the XZ-1 matches up against the A7R III with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus XZ-1 and Sony Alpha A7R III. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery and Sony A7R III Gallery.

If you're planning to carry around your camera often, you will want to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus XZ-1 enjoys external measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) and the Sony A7R III has measurements of 127mm x 96mm x 74mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.9") and a weight of 657 grams (1.45 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus XZ-1 and Sony A7R III in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the XZ-1 and the A7R III.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-1 and A7R III is 88 and 63 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to visualise the gap between sensor sizes only by checking technical specs. The picture underneath may give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-1 and A7R III.

As you can tell, both the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The XZ-1 having a tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field trickier and the Sony A7R III will resolve extra detail with its extra 32MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop images more aggressively. The more aged XZ-1 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.