Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A380

The following is a in-depth assessment of the Olympus XZ-1 versus Sony A380, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. There exists a big gap among the sensor resolutions of the XZ-1 (10MP) and A380 (14MP) and the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and A380 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor size.

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The XZ-1 was announced 18 months after the A380 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving straight into a thorough comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the XZ-1 grades against the A380 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus XZ-1 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery and Sony A380 Gallery.

If you are planning to travel with your camera often, you should think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus XZ-1 provides exterior 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) whilst the Sony A380 has dimensions of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") having a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Check out the Olympus XZ-1 versus Sony A380 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have attached during that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the XZ-1 and the A380.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the XZ-1 and A380 is 88 and 68 respectively.

Sometimes, it is difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor dimensions simply by researching specs. The pic here might give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-1 and A380.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The XZ-1 using its smaller sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Sony A380 will provide you with greater detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots much more aggressively. The younger XZ-1 is going to have a benefit in sensor innovation.