Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony RX100 II

In this article, we will be evaluating the Olympus XZ-1 versus Sony RX100 II, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There exists a significant gap among the image resolutions of the XZ-1 (10MP) and RX100 II (20MP) and the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and RX100 II (1") enjoy totally different sensor sizing.

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The XZ-1 was manufactured 3 years earlier than the RX100 II and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX100 II being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the XZ-1 grades against the RX100 II with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus XZ-1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery and Sony RX100 II Gallery.

If you are intending to carry your camera frequently, you should factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus XZ-1 provides exterior dimensions of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) while the Sony RX100 II has proportions of 102mm x 58mm x 38mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 281 grams (0.62 lbs).

Check out the Olympus XZ-1 versus Sony RX100 II in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are using at the time. Here is the front view size comparison of the XZ-1 versus the RX100 II.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the XZ-1 and RX100 II is 88 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it is hard to envision the gap in sensor sizing simply by researching specs. The photograph underneath might provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the XZ-1 and RX100 II.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The XZ-1 because of its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF more challenging and the Sony RX100 II will render more detail due to its extra 10MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures a little more aggressively. The older XZ-1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.