Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony H55

Following is a extensive review of the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Sony H55, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and the H55 (14MP) is fairly similar but the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and H55 (1/2.3") come with different sensor sizes.

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The XZ-2 iHS was revealed 2 years after the H55 which is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting in to a full comparison, below is a concise overview of how the XZ-2 iHS scores vs the H55 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55. The full galleries are provided at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Sony H55 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS provides physical dimensions of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") accompanied by a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) while the Sony H55 has dimensions of 103mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Compare the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Sony H55 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you use at that moment. Underneath is the front view dimensions comparison of the XZ-2 iHS and the H55.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the XZ-2 iHS and H55 is 85 and 92 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to picture the gap between sensor sizes purely by reviewing a spec sheet. The picture below will give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the XZ-2 iHS and H55.

Clearly, both of the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The XZ-2 iHS with its larger sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Sony H55 will offer greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images a little more aggressively. The newer XZ-2 iHS should have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.