Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony A500

The following is a detailed assessment of the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony A500, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and the A500 (12MP) is very comparable but the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and A500 (APS-C) come with different sensor sizes.

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The XZ-2 iHS was revealed 3 years after the A500 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight into a full comparison, below is a simple summation of how the XZ-2 iHS scores versus the A500 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The full galleries are available at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Sony A500 Gallery.

For those who are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you will need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS has got physical measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") and a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) and the Sony A500 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

See the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony A500 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you use at the time. The following is the front view dimensions comparison of the XZ-2 iHS versus the A500.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the XZ-2 iHS and A500 is 85 and 63 respectively.

Typically, its difficult to imagine the difference in sensor dimensions merely by seeing specifications. The image here should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-2 iHS and A500.

Plainly, each of these cameras offer the same exact megapixels but different sensor dimensions. The XZ-2 iHS features the smaller sensor which is going to make obtaining shallower DOF harder. The fresher XZ-2 iHS provides a benefit in sensor innovation.