Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony G3

Lets take a closer look at the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Sony G3, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and the G3 (10MP) is fairly close but the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and G3 (1/2.3") possess different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The XZ-2 iHS was manufactured 4 years after the G3 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before we go straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a brief summation of how the XZ-2 iHS grades versus the G3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3. The entire galleries are available at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Sony G3 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry around your camera, you will need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS has physical measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") with a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) while the Sony G3 has specifications of 97mm x 59mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") and a weight of 185 grams (0.41 lbs).

See the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Sony G3 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are working with at that moment. The following is the front view dimension comparison of the XZ-2 iHS vs the G3.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the XZ-2 iHS and G3 is 85 and 94 respectively.

Oftentimes, its difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor sizes simply by looking through a spec sheet. The image below will help give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-2 iHS and G3.

Clearly, each of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The XZ-2 iHS due to its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS will provide you with greater detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The more modern XZ-2 iHS provides a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.