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Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony HX7V

Portability
85
Imaging
37
Features
67
Overall
49
Olympus XZ-2 iHS front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V front
Portability
92
Imaging
39
Features
37
Overall
38

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony HX7V Key Specs

Olympus XZ-2 iHS
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-112mm (F1.8-2.5) lens
  • 346g - 113 x 65 x 48mm
  • Launched December 2012
Sony HX7V
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 125 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-250mm (F3.5-5.5) lens
  • 208g - 102 x 58 x 29mm
  • Announced July 2011
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Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony HX7V Overview

Let's take a more detailed look at the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony HX7V, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a noticeable gap among the image resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and HX7V (16MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and HX7V (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizing.

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The XZ-2 iHS was released 18 months later than the HX7V making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Each of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting in to a complete comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the XZ-2 iHS matches up vs the HX7V in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus XZ-2 iHS over the Sony HX7V

 XZ-2 iHS HX7V 
AnnouncedDecember 2012July 2011More recent by 18 months
Manual focus More precise focusing
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display
Touch friendly display Easily navigate

Reasons to pick Sony HX7V over the Olympus XZ-2 iHS

 HX7V XZ-2 iHS 
Display resolution921k920kCrisper display (+1k dot)

Common features in the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony HX7V

 XZ-2 iHS HX7V 
Display sizing3"3"Equivalent display measurement
Selfie screen Neither includes selfie screen

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony HX7V Physical Comparison

For those who are going to lug around your camera regularly, you will want to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS features exterior measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") with a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) and the Sony HX7V has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 208 grams (0.46 lbs).

See the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony HX7V in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have chosen during that time. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the XZ-2 iHS versus the HX7V.

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony HX7V size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-2 iHS and HX7V is 85 and 92 respectively.

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony HX7V top view buttons comparison

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony HX7V Sensor Comparison

Sometimes, it is hard to visualize the contrast in sensor measurements only by going through specs. The photograph here might provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-2 iHS and HX7V.

As you can plainly see, both cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The XZ-2 iHS featuring a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF simpler and the Sony HX7V will provide more detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics a little more aggressively. The younger XZ-2 iHS provides an edge with regard to sensor tech.

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony HX7V sensor size comparison

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony HX7V Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony HX7V Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus XZ-2 iHS Portrait photography advice
Sony HX7V Portrait photography advice
46
has manual focus
comes with face detection focus
exports RAW files
low megapixels (12MP)
sensor size is tiny (1/1.7")
30
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
focusing manually not possible
manual mode not possible
no external flash support
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
Photography Glossary

Street Comparison

Olympus XZ-2 iHS Street photography details
Sony HX7V Street photography details
66
screen tilts
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
exports RAW files
sensor size is tiny (1/1.7")
heavier than others in class (346g)
56
has image stabilization (Optical)
no moving screen
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
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Sports Comparison

Olympus XZ-2 iHS Sports photography information
Sony HX7V Sports photography information
43
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
comes with tracking autofocus
good battery power (340 per charge)
low megapixels (12MP)
sensor size is tiny (1/1.7")
lacks phase detect auto focus
39
has image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
no shutter priority
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Olympus XZ-2 iHS
Travel photography with Sony HX7V
61
good battery power (340 per charge)
flash built-in
relatively wide (28mm)
good max aperture (f1.8)
missing Time Lapse function
heavier than others in class (346 grams)
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
display isn't selfie friendly
67
resolution is good (16MP)
has built in flash
fairly wide (25mm)
long zoom (250mm)
does not have Timelapse recording
display isn't selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus XZ-2 iHS Landscape photography advice
Sony HX7V Landscape photography advice
55
has manual focus
relatively wide (28mm)
good max aperture (f1.8)
screen is a good size (3")
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
exports RAW files
good battery power (340 per charge)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
sensor size is tiny (1/1.7")
missing Time Lapse function
42
fairly wide (25mm)
nice screen size (3")
has image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (16MP)
focusing manually not possible
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
manual mode not possible
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
does not have Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus XZ-2 iHS Vlogging information
Sony HX7V Vlogging information
36
relatively wide (28mm)
good max aperture (f1.8)
has touchscreen
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
comes with face detection focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
comes with external mic jack
display isn't selfie friendly
heavier than others in class (346g)
32
fairly wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
display isn't selfie friendly
does not have microphone support
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Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony HX7V Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony HX7V
 Olympus XZ-2 iHSSony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Sony
Model Olympus XZ-2 iHS Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V
Class Small Sensor Compact Small Sensor Compact
Launched 2012-12-18 2011-07-19
Physical type Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Chip - BIONZ
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/1.7" 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 7.44 x 5.58mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 41.5mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 16 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution 3968 x 2976 4608 x 3456
Maximum native ISO 12800 3200
Minimum native ISO 100 125
RAW images
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
AF tracking
Selective AF
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points 35 9
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 28-112mm (4.0x) 25-250mm (10.0x)
Maximum aperture f/1.8-2.5 f/3.5-5.5
Macro focus range 1cm -
Focal length multiplier 4.8 5.8
Screen
Display type Tilting Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3" 3"
Resolution of display 920k dots 921k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Display tech - XtraFine LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic (optional) None
Features
Min shutter speed 60 seconds 30 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/1600 seconds
Continuous shutter rate - 10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation Yes -
Change WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 8.60 m (ISO 800) 4.80 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Wireless Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video format MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 346 grams (0.76 pounds) 208 grams (0.46 pounds)
Dimensions 113 x 65 x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") 102 x 58 x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score 49 not tested
DXO Color Depth score 20.4 not tested
DXO Dynamic range score 11.3 not tested
DXO Low light score 216 not tested
Other
Battery life 340 images -
Type of battery Battery Pack -
Battery model Li-90B NP-BG1
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Card slots Single Single
Retail price $450 $499