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Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A37

Portability
88
Imaging
35
Features
51
Overall
41
Olympus XZ-1 front
 
Sony SLT-A37 front
Portability
67
Imaging
57
Features
65
Overall
60

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A37 Key Specs

Olympus XZ-1
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/1.63" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-112mm (F1.8-2.5) lens
  • 275g - 111 x 65 x 42mm
  • Launched January 2011
Sony A37
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 2.6" Tilting Display
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 506g - 124 x 92 x 85mm
  • Introduced May 2012
  • Earlier Model is Sony A35
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Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A37 Overview

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Olympus XZ-1 and Sony A37, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a considerable difference between the resolutions of the XZ-1 (10MP) and A37 (16MP) and the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and A37 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor measurements.

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The XZ-1 was introduced 15 months prior to the A37 making them a generation apart from each other. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A37 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go right into a complete comparison, here is a concise summary of how the XZ-1 scores versus the A37 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus XZ-1 over the Sony A37

 XZ-1 A37 
Display dimensions3"2.6"Larger display (+0.4")
Display resolution614k230kCrisper display (+384k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony A37 over the Olympus XZ-1

 A37 XZ-1 
IntroducedMay 2012January 2011More recent by 15 months
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display

Common features in the Olympus XZ-1 and Sony A37

 XZ-1 A37 
Manually focus More precise focus
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch display Absent Touch display

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A37 Physical Comparison

If you are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you are going to need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus XZ-1 has 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 A37 has proportions of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") along with a weight of 506 grams (1.12 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus XZ-1 and Sony A37 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are working with at that time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the XZ-1 versus the A37.

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A37 size comparison

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-1 and A37 is 88 and 67 respectively.

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A37 top view buttons comparison

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A37 Sensor Comparison

Generally, it can be hard to envision the gap between sensor measurements only by checking specifications. The photograph underneath may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the XZ-1 and A37.

Plainly, both of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The XZ-1 having a tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field trickier and the Sony A37 will give you greater detail using its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics more aggressively. The older XZ-1 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A37 sensor size comparison

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A37 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A37 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Olympus XZ-1
Portrait photography with Sony A37
45
manual focus
includes face detect focusing
saves RAW formats
low megapixels (10 megapixels)
small sensor size (1/1.63")
74
focusing manually
decent MP (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
offers face detect autofocus
exports RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus XZ-1 Street photography factors
Sony A37 Street photography factors
59
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
saves RAW formats
screen is fixed
small sensor size (1/1.63")
heavier than average in class (275 grams)
77
tilting screen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
exports RAW files
good high ISO (25,600)
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus XZ-1
Sports photography with Sony A37
38
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
includes tracking focus
great battery (320 per charge)
continuous shooting slow (2.0 fps)
low megapixels (10MP)
small sensor size (1/1.63")
doesn't have phase detect AF
61
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent MP (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
has phase detect autofocus
very slow continuous shooting (6.0 frames per second)
not so great battery power (500 per charge)
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Olympus XZ-1
Travel photography with Sony A37
62
great battery (320 per charge)
built-in flash
quite wide (28mm)
very good maximum aperture (f1.8)
missing Time Lapse mode
heavier than average in class (275g)
low megapixels (10MP)
display is not selfie friendly
54
decent MP (16 megapixels)
flash built-in
does not have Time Lapse mode
not so great battery power (500 CIPA)
screen isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus XZ-1 Landscape photography info
Sony A37 Landscape photography info
54
manual focus
quite wide (28mm)
very good maximum aperture (f1.8)
good sized screen (3")
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
saves RAW formats
great battery (320 shots)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
low megapixels (10 megapixels)
small sensor size (1/1.63")
missing Time Lapse mode
64
focusing manually
change lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent MP (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
good high ISO (25,600)
exports RAW files
small screen (2.6")
not so great battery power (500 CIPA)
does not have Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus XZ-1 Vlogging highlights
Sony A37 Vlogging highlights
31
quite wide (28mm)
very good maximum aperture (f1.8)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
includes face detect focusing
display is not selfie friendly
video quality not great (1280 x 720 pixels)
missing mic port
heavier than average in class (275g)
35
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
offers face detect autofocus
video res high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
has mic jack
screen isn't selfie friendly
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Olympus XZ-1 vs Sony A37 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus XZ-1 and Sony A37
 Olympus XZ-1Sony SLT-A37
General Information
Make Olympus Sony
Model Olympus XZ-1 Sony SLT-A37
Type Small Sensor Compact Entry-Level DSLR
Launched 2011-01-26 2012-05-16
Body design Compact Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Processor TruePic V -
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/1.63" APS-C
Sensor dimensions 8.07 x 5.56mm 23.5 x 15.6mm
Sensor surface area 44.9mm² 366.6mm²
Sensor resolution 10MP 16MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 3664 x 2752 4912 x 3264
Max native ISO 6400 25600
Lowest native ISO 100 100
RAW support
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Number of focus points 11 15
Cross focus points - 3
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens Sony/Minolta Alpha
Lens focal range 28-112mm (4.0x) -
Largest aperture f/1.8-2.5 -
Macro focus range 1cm -
Available lenses - 143
Focal length multiplier 4.5 1.5
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Tilting
Screen sizing 3" 2.6"
Resolution of screen 614k dot 230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Screen technology OLED -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic (optional) Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 1,440k dot
Viewfinder coverage - 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.73x
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60 secs 30 secs
Highest shutter speed 1/2000 secs 1/4000 secs
Continuous shooting speed 2.0 frames/s 6.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 8.60 m (ISO 800) 12.00 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Highest flash sync - 1/160 secs
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60, 29.97 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30fps), 640 x 424 (29.97 fps)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video file format Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 275 grams (0.61 lbs) 506 grams (1.12 lbs)
Physical dimensions 111 x 65 x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") 124 x 92 x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3")
DXO scores
DXO All around score 34 75
DXO Color Depth score 18.8 23.3
DXO Dynamic range score 10.4 12.9
DXO Low light score 117 799
Other
Battery life 320 shots 500 shots
Battery format Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model Li-50B NP-FW50
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10 sec 3 or 5 images)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots 1 1
Launch pricing $567 $522