Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A390

The following is a complete analysis of the Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A390, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a considerable gap between the resolutions of the XZ-1 (10MP) and A390 (14MP) and the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and A390 (APS-C) provide different sensor size.

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The XZ-1 was unveiled 7 months after the A390 so they are of a similar age. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A390 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go into a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise view of how the XZ-1 grades versus the A390 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus XZ-1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A390. The full galleries are available at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery & Sony A390 Gallery.

When you are aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you will have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus XZ-1 features physical dimensions of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") with a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) and the Sony A390 has proportions of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") having a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Check out the Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A390 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you use during that time. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the XZ-1 vs the A390.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the XZ-1 and A390 is 88 and 66 respectively.

Sometimes, it is difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor dimensions just by reading through a spec sheet. The pic underneath should give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the XZ-1 and A390.

As you can see, the 2 cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The XZ-1 having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF more challenging and the Sony A390 will give you more detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more modern XZ-1 should have an edge with regard to sensor tech.