Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony A580

In this article, we will be matching up the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Sony A580, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a big difference among the sensor resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and A580 (16MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and A580 (APS-C) use totally different sensor dimensions.

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The XZ-2 iHS was unveiled 20 months after the A580 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go through a comprehensive comparison, below is a short introduction of how the XZ-2 iHS matches up vs the A580 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Sony A580 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry around your camera frequently, you will want to think about its weight and size. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS has external measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") along with a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) while the Sony A580 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Sony A580 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Underneath is the front view over all size comparison of the XZ-2 iHS against the A580.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-2 iHS and A580 is 85 and 64 respectively.

Often, it's hard to envision the gap in sensor sizes purely by going through technical specs. The image here might give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the XZ-2 iHS and A580.

As you can tell, both of those cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The XZ-2 iHS using its smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF trickier and the Sony A580 will produce greater detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop pictures a little more aggressively. The more recent XZ-2 iHS is going to have an advantage in sensor tech.