Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony A380

Lets look closer at the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony A380, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and the A380 (14MP) is pretty well matched but the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and A380 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor sizing.

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The XZ-2 iHS was announced 3 years after the A380 which is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a in depth comparison, here is a simple overview of how the XZ-2 iHS matches up versus the A380 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Sony A380 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera regularly, you will need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS has outer 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) whilst the Sony A380 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Compare the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony A380 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are working with at that time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the XZ-2 iHS vs the A380.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-2 iHS and A380 is 85 and 68 respectively.

Normally, it can be difficult to envision the contrast between sensor sizes merely by reading through specs. The image here should offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the XZ-2 iHS and A380.

All in all, both the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The XZ-2 iHS with its tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field trickier and the Sony A380 will resolve more detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The more modern XZ-2 iHS is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.