Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony A57

Lets look more in depth at the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Sony A57, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a sizable difference among the sensor resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and A57 (16MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and A57 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The XZ-2 iHS was unveiled 4 months later than the A57 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go right into a in depth comparison, here is a short highlight of how the XZ-2 iHS scores against the A57 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus XZ-2 iHS & Sony SLT-A57. The full galleries are available at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery & Sony A57 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry your camera frequently, you have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS features physical measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") accompanied by a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) and the Sony A57 has proportions of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") having a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

See the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Sony A57 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the XZ-2 iHS compared to the A57.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-2 iHS and A57 is 85 and 64 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's difficult to visualise the gap in sensor sizing just by researching specifications. The photograph underneath should provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the XZ-2 iHS and A57.

Plainly, both of these cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The XZ-2 iHS with its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow DOF harder and the Sony A57 will render extra detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images more aggressively.