Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Zeiss ZX1

Lets look a bit more in depth at the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Zeiss ZX1, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Zeiss. There exists a crucial gap among the sensor resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and ZX1 (37MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and ZX1 (Full frame) have totally different sensor sizing.

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The XZ-2 iHS was released 6 years before the ZX1 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Zeiss ZX1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving into a more detailed comparison, here is a brief summation of how the XZ-2 iHS matches up vs the ZX1 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Zeiss ZX1. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Zeiss ZX1 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera often, you will want to think about its weight and size. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS provides outer measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") and a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) and the Zeiss ZX1 has specifications of 142mm x 93mm x 46mm (5.6" x 3.7" x 1.8") accompanied by a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Compare the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Zeiss ZX1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you select at that time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the XZ-2 iHS and the ZX1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the XZ-2 iHS and ZX1 is 85 and 67 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to envision the gap in sensor measurements purely by seeing specs. The graphic below should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-2 iHS and ZX1.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The XZ-2 iHS due to its smaller sensor will make getting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Zeiss ZX1 will provide more detail as a result of its extra 25MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures more aggressively. The older XZ-2 iHS will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.