Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony HX400V

Lets take a closer look at the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony HX400V, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Sony. There exists a significant gap among the image resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and HX400V (20MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and HX400V (1/2.3") posses different sensor measurements.

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The XZ-2 iHS was announced 14 months before the HX400V which makes them a generation apart from one another. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony HX400V being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the XZ-2 iHS scores vs the HX400V in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Sony HX400V Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS features outside measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") and a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) while the Sony HX400V has sizing of 130mm x 93mm x 103mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.1") along with a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs).

See the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony HX400V in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are employing at the time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the XZ-2 iHS and the HX400V.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-2 iHS and HX400V is 85 and 62 respectively.

More often than not, it is very tough to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing merely by looking through specs. The graphic underneath might give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-2 iHS and HX400V.

As you can plainly see, both cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The XZ-2 iHS with its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF easier and the Sony HX400V will result in greater detail with its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older XZ-2 iHS will be behind with regard to sensor tech.