Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Sony A99

Below, we are contrasting the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony A99, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There is a large difference between the resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and A99 (24MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and A99 (Full frame) feature totally different sensor dimensions.

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The XZ-2 iHS was unveiled about the same time to the A99 so they are of a similar age. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Sony A99 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going in to a more detailed comparison, below is a simple overview of how the XZ-2 iHS grades versus the A99 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus XZ-2 iHS & Sony SLT-A99. The full galleries are provided at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery & Sony A99 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera, you will want to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS has got physical dimensions of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") having a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) and the Sony A99 has sizing of 147mm x 111mm x 78mm (5.8" x 4.4" x 3.1") having a weight of 812 grams (1.79 lbs).

Compare the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Sony A99 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. The following is the front view proportions comparison of the XZ-2 iHS vs the A99.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-2 iHS and A99 is 85 and 57 respectively.

Often, it's tough to see the difference between sensor sizes just by looking at a spec sheet. The image below may provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the XZ-2 iHS and A99.

Clearly, the two cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The XZ-2 iHS using its tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony A99 will give more detail having an extra 12MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos much more aggressively.