Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sigma DP3 Merrill

Below, we are evaluating the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sigma DP3 Merrill, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Sigma. The resolution of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and the DP3 Merrill (15MP) is fairly close but the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and DP3 Merrill (APS-C) come with totally different sensor dimensions.

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The XZ-2 iHS was released within a month of the DP3 Merrill and they are of a similar generation. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP3 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick view of how the XZ-2 iHS scores versus the DP3 Merrill in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sigma DP3 Merrill. The complete galleries are available at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Sigma DP3 Merrill Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS features exterior measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") accompanied by a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) while the Sigma DP3 Merrill has sizing of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") along with a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sigma DP3 Merrill in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising at the time. Here is the front view measurement comparison of the XZ-2 iHS vs the DP3 Merrill.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the XZ-2 iHS and DP3 Merrill is 85 and 83 respectively.

Usually, its hard to see the contrast in sensor sizes just by looking through technical specs. The image underneath will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the XZ-2 iHS and DP3 Merrill.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The XZ-2 iHS due to its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF trickier and the Sigma DP3 Merrill will result in more detail as a result of its extra 3MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images much more aggressively.