Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony RX100 IV

On this page, we will be evaluating the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony RX100 IV, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a big difference among the image resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and RX100 IV (20MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and RX100 IV (1") offer different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The XZ-2 iHS was released 3 years earlier than the RX100 IV which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony RX100 IV being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before delving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a short summation of how the XZ-2 iHS scores versus the RX100 IV in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV. The complete galleries are available at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Sony RX100 IV Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS comes with exterior measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") having a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) whilst the Sony RX100 IV has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") having a weight of 298 grams (0.66 lbs).

Check out the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony RX100 IV in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you use during that time. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the XZ-2 iHS versus the RX100 IV.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-2 iHS and RX100 IV is 85 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to picture the contrast in sensor sizes simply by researching specs. The pic underneath may give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-2 iHS and RX100 IV.

As you can plainly see, both cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The XZ-2 iHS featuring a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF harder and the Sony RX100 IV will provide you with more detail as a result of its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more aged XZ-2 iHS will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.