Olympus XZ-2 iHS
- 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
- Announced December 2012
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
85 Imaging
37 Features
67 Overall
49
Olympus XZ-2 iHS overview
Olympus XZ-2 iHS is Olympus's Small Sensor Compact camera first revealed on December of 2012. It comes with a 12 MegaPixel, CMOS 1/1.7" size sensor with a maximum resolution of 3968 x 2976.
The XZ-2 iHS is positioned #4 out of 261 in Small Sensor Compact cameras and all round #443 out of 1465 for cameras in our collection. Remember to test our Advanced camera search to find camera results based on your personalized requirements.
Below is a chart of various criteria used in the scoring system.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery
You can view the XZ-2 iHS from different angles in the gallery underneath.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Pros and Cons
Here is a shortlist of pluses and minuses of the Olympus XZ-2 iHS based on things that are often viewed as crucial in a camera.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Sensor information
The spec of the sensor on the Olympus XZ-2 iHS is 7.44mm x 5.58mm (1/1.7"). The 42 mm² sensor is able to resolve 3968 x 2976 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3. The camera includes Image Stabilization (Sensor-shift). Sensor stabilization is preferable than digital stabilization since the latter can easily produce cropping.
Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD CardsThe CMOS sensor boasts 12 megapixels and gives a native ISO range of 100 to 12800. RAW photos are supported so the user has more margin for error.
The graphic below illustrates the XZ-2 iHS's sensor size in comparison to other common sizes. The XZ-2 iHS sensor comes with a crop factor of 4.8 and is showcased in green.
President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or banTo get an idea of different aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS dimensions
Olympus XZ-2 iHS weighs about 0.76 lbs (346g / 12.20 oz) and the size of the camera is 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9"). The weight of normal Small Sensor Compact camera is 174g and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS is heavier compared to its rivals.
Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created ImagesBelow is a pic of the Olympus XZ-2 iHS beside a soft drink so you can have a sense of its size.
The top view directly below will show the button arrangement on the XZ-2 iHS.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Lens information
The XZ-2 iHS houses a built-in lens giving a focal range of 28-112mm making it a 4.0 x zoom which may not be very good but it would certainly be useful in certain circumstances.
At it's widest 28mm, it offers an aperture of f1.8 and that is beneficial in low light situations and capturing good bokeh. It would also enable you to use a much lower ISO to produce more clean pictures. On the long end, 112mm comes at f2.5 which is very good and means that you can have higher shutter speeds.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Connectivity
The XZ-2 iHS has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
- Wireless Yes
- HDMI Yes
Cameras that include NFC and / or Bluetooth connectivity can easily be used wirelessly through smartphones. You will be able to send pictures and sometimes alter settings without connecting directly with the camera.
Several apps also enable a Liveview and click the shutter if you aren't near the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI out, it could be attached to an external monitor. A lot of cameras will allow you to recharge the battery through the USB socket.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Video information
The maximum video resolution on the Olympus XZ-2 iHS is 1920 x 1080 and it can save in MPEG-4 and H.264 format. 1080p resolution is an excellent balance for quality and file size but FULL HD isn't going to leave you with much room to downsample. While the body includes a microphone socket, it is sadly lacking a headphone socket so you will not have the option to check your sound levels.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Weather Sealing
Olympus XZ-2 iHS doesn't have weather sealing so rainy conditions may damage the camera.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Display and Viewfinder
The Olympus XZ-2 iHS comes with a 3 inch tilting display with a resolution of 920 thousand dots.
Moreover the display is touch friendly so you can easily set focus point and adjust settings using your fingers.
Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next monthThe View Finder specifications regarding Olympus XZ-2 iHS are below:
- ViewFinder Electronic (optional)
Viewfinders are very handy for bright outdoor situations which may make the camera display washed out and very difficult to view.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Shutter information
The highest shutter speed is 1/2000 seconds.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Flash and Hot shoe information
Olympus XZ-2 iHS includes both inbuilt flash and external flash ability.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Autofocusing information
Olympus XZ-2 iHS includes only Contrast Based Auto Focus and doesn't have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot more quicker & exact compared to Contrast Based focusing. The camera comes with Face detect which is handy for portrait photography.
The Sensor comes with 35 focus points to choose from. It also includes Tracking Auto Focus for moving subjects. Olympus XZ-2 iHS has the ability to use manual focusing in case it is required for low light situations or you require more exact focusing control.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Battery life
The battery (Li-90B) for the Olympus XZ-2 iHS is made to last for 340 pictures as per the CIPA benchmarks making it above average when compared to its category. The general Small Sensor Compact camera battery life is 241. Fujifilm X30 features the highest possible (470) battery life for this category of cameras.
Underneath is a collection of Small Sensor Compact cameras which have the strongest battery life:
Olympus XZ-2 iHS for various types of photography
The following illustration indicates a summation of the Olympus XZ-2 iHS for various types of photography. To find out more, go to the specific paragraph below.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Portrait photography factors
The Olympus XZ-2 iHS has a score of 46 which is moderate, and means the camera is relatively suited to use for portrait photography. Photographing portraits leans greatly towards sensor resolution, support for RAW photos plus the ability to utilize external lighting.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS as a Street photography camera
Getting a above average rating of 66, the Olympus XZ-2 iHS is a good choice to buy for street photography. A good street photography camera provides a good balance of picture quality and portability.
Sports photography with Olympus XZ-2 iHS
A really bad sports photography score of 43 suggests the Olympus XZ-2 iHS is not really appropriate for photographing sports. A camera needs very good tracking and fast shutter speeds for sports photography.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Travel photography advice
Portability is really critical when picking a camera for travel. In general, the Olympus XZ-2 iHS gets a above average 61 as a travel camera which is a fine fit for your trips.
Landscape photography with Olympus XZ-2 iHS
If you are looking to choose a camera for landscape photographs, the most critical aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS and it's decent grade of 55 as a landscape camera is somewhat suitable amongst it's competitors.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Vlogging advice
A camera for vlogging preferably should come with a moving screen, microphone port and preferably image stabilization. Taking everything into account, the Olympus XZ-2 iHS is not really appropriate as a vlog camera as it comes to a really bad rating of 36.
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Alternatives
If you are searching for replacements to the XZ-2 iHS, here is a collection of the highest placed cameras that fall under the category of Small Sensor Compact.
The graph followed below offers you a summary of the XZ-2 iHS versus it's top scoring competitors shown earlier.
Here are a few more cameras you may consider as alternatives. To see a full comparison, just click on the "compare" link.