Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony A230

Below, we will be looking at the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Sony A230, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and the A230 (10MP) is pretty close but the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and A230 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The XZ-2 iHS was announced 3 years after the A230 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A230 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving through a in depth comparison, below is a concise overview of how the XZ-2 iHS matches up vs the A230 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony Alpha DSLR-A230. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Sony A230 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to travel with your camera regularly, you need to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS comes with outside dimensions of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") having a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) while the Sony A230 has proportions of 128mm x 97mm x 68mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.7") having a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs).

Examine the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Sony A230 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing at the time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the XZ-2 iHS versus the A230.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the XZ-2 iHS and A230 is 85 and 69 respectively.

Usually, it's hard to visualise the contrast in sensor dimensions only by researching specs. The picture underneath might give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the XZ-2 iHS and A230.

All in all, both cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The XZ-2 iHS having a smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS will render more detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures much more aggressively. The more recent XZ-2 iHS will have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.