Canon PowerShot
S95
 vs
Olympus
XZ-1

Updated (September, 2011): Compare the Canon Powershot S100 vs Olympus XZ-1

Canon PowerShot S95

70
"Image quality is still excellent, with a usable ISO range of 80-800 and fast f/2.0 maximum aperture, albeit only at the wide-angle lens setting, making the S95 very well-suited to low-light, hand-held photography."
photographyblog.com | talking about the S95's iso-noise
"Something that was glaringly missing from the S90 - HD video capture - has been rectified on the S95, with 720p movies at 1280x720 pixels resolution available at 24fps complete with stereo sound."
photographyblog.com | talking about the S95's video-quality

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot S95

Sensor size
 Large sensor
1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm
Supports RAW
 Shoots RAW
Better editing
Supports 24p
 24p movies
For that film look
HDR
 In-camera HDR
Combines multiple exposures
Light sensitivity (boost)
 High ISO (boost)
12,800 ISO
Olympus XZ-1

60
Runner-up

Olympus XZ-1
"It doesn't bristle with dials or buttons and only the most basic shooting settings have direct access."
dpreview.com | talking about the XZ-1's button-layout
"The XZ-1 combines simple direct controls with an excellent lens to create probably the best photographers' compact currently available."
dpreview.com | talking about the XZ-1's overall-performance

Reasons to buy the Olympus XZ-1

Sensor size
 Large sensor
1/1.7" 8.3x6.2mm
Supports RAW
 Shoots RAW
Better editing
Aperture
 Wide aperture
f/1.8
Light sensitivity
 High ISO
6,400 ISO
Screen type
 OLED Screen
Bright and vivid
External flash
 External flash
Better lighting

differences

Advantages of the Canon S95
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality 47.0 vs 34.0
Help
 Around 40% better image quality
Supports 24p Supports 24p Yes vs No
Help
 Get that real film feel
Color depth Better color depth 20.4 bits vs 18.8 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 1.6 more bits of color
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11.3 EV vs 10.4 EV
Help
 0.9 f-stops more dynamic range
Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO 153 ISO vs 117 ISO
Help
 The S95 has a slight edge (0.4 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
HDR Has in-camera HDR Yes vs No
Help
 Combines multiple exposures to capture high dynamic range
Light sensitivity (boost) Has boost ISO 12,800 ISO vs None
Help
 Allows taking photos in darker situations, often at the cost of additional noise in the image
Image stabilization Better image stabilization Lens vs Sensor shift
Help
 Less risk of blur
Size Smaller 99x58x29 mm vs 110x64x42 mm
Help
 More than 40% smaller
Weight Lighter 193 g vs 275 g
Help
 Around 30% lighter
Lowest price Significantly cheaper $340.00 vs $499.00
Help
 The best price we've seen is $159 cheaper (more than 30% less)
Thickness Thinner 1.2" vs 1.7"
Help
 More than 30% thinner
Canon PowerShot S95 Learn more about
the Canon S95

Advantages of the Olympus XZ-1
Sensor size Much larger sensor 1/1.7" 8.3x6.2mm vs 1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm
Help
 Around 20% larger sensor
Screen type Has an OLED screen OLED vs LCD
Help
 OLED screens are often brighter and more vibrant than typical LCD screens
Aperture Wider aperture f/1.8 vs f/2.0
Help
 At its widest zoom, the XZ-1's lens captures marginally more light (0.3 f-stops)
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 6,400 ISO vs 3,200 ISO
Help
 The XZ-1's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Battery life Significantly longer battery life 320 shots vs 200 shots
Help
 60% more shots per battery charge
Macro focus Significantly better macro capability 1 cm vs 5 cm
Help
 Focus on subjects 5x closer to the lens
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 614k dots vs 461k dots
Help
 More than 30% higher resolution screen
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 7 fps vs 1.9 fps
Help
 More than 3.5x faster continuous shooting
External flash Supports an external flash Yes vs No
Help
 An external flash often produces better looking flash images
Longest exposure Much longer exposures 60s vs 15s
Help
 4x longer exposures
Fastest shutter speed Faster max shutter speed 1/2000s vs 1/1600s
Help
 20% faster max shutter speed
Olympus XZ-1 Learn more about
the Olympus XZ-1
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent pro digicams, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot S95 Canon PowerShot S95
70 vs 60
Explain scores
Olympus XZ-1 Olympus XZ-1
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon PowerShot S95.

advice

Need help deciding?

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I am considering either the Canon S95 or the Olympus XZ-1,
For example: Taking photos in low light or great family photos or ability to take great photos underwater

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similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Aperture Very wide aperture Help
S95:f/2.0
XZ-1:f/1.8
Sensor size Very large sensors Help
S95:1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm
XZ-1:1/1.7" 8.3x6.2mm
Supports RAW RAW support Help
Better editing
Lowest price Very expensive Help
S95:$340.00
XZ-1:$499.00
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Sensor type Lower-end sensor types Help
CCD
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
Wide angle Poor wide angle Help
28 mm
Movie format HD (720p) video Help
S95:720p @ 24fps
XZ-1:720p @ 30fps
Zoom Poor zoom Help
S95:3.8x
XZ-1:4x

Compared to recent pro digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Size Fairly small Help
S95:99x58x29 mm
XZ-1:110x64x42 mm
Viewfinder No viewfinders Help
Can only preview photos on the screen
External mic jack Neither has an external mic jack Help
Limited to the in-camera mic
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
True resolution Capture low resolution images Help
10 MP

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Macro focus Slightly worse macro focusing
Sensor size Has a marginally smaller sensor
Compare the Powershot S100 vs the PowerShot S95
Compare the Powershot S100 vs the XZ-1
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Pro digicam

$350
Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Battery life Has a slightly longer battery life
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the Lumix DMC-LX5 vs the PowerShot S95
Compare the Lumix DMC-LX5 vs the XZ-1
Fujifilm Finepix X10

Fujifilm Finepix X10

Pro digicam

$599
Sensor size Has a significantly larger sensor
Low light performance Is significantly less noisy at high ISO
Lowest price Is much more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Finepix X10 vs the PowerShot S95
Compare the Finepix X10 vs the XZ-1
Canon PowerShot G12

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$390 - $496
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Battery life Has a slightly longer battery life
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is significantly heavier
Compare the PowerShot G12 vs the PowerShot S95
Compare the PowerShot G12 vs the XZ-1
Nikon Coolpix P300

Nikon Coolpix P300

Pro digicam

$299
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Macro focus Slightly worse macro focusing
Sensor size Has a much smaller sensor
Compare the Coolpix P300 vs the PowerShot S95
Compare the Coolpix P300 vs the XZ-1
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Travel zoom

$319 - $330
Zoom Has slightly more zoom
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Macro focus Significantly worse macro focusing
Compare the Cybershot DSC-HX9v vs the PowerShot S95
Compare the Cybershot DSC-HX9v vs the XZ-1
Nikon Coolpix P310

Nikon Coolpix P310

Pro digicam

$300 - $315
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Longest exposure Slightly shorter exposures
Sensor size Has a much smaller sensor
Compare the Coolpix P310 vs the PowerShot S95
Compare the Coolpix P310 vs the XZ-1

Canon PowerShot S95 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon ELPH 300 HS

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Compact

$148 - $179
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Sensor size Much smaller sensor
Supports RAW No RAW support
Compare the ELPH 300 HS vs the PowerShot S95

Olympus XZ-1 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Olympus XZ-1.

appearance

Canon PowerShot S95 Olympus XZ-1
Canon PowerShot S95 Olympus XZ-1
Canon PowerShot S95 Olympus XZ-1

discussion

Showing 9 comments

Mike (6:51 PM, March 06, 2012)
I own and use both cameras. This is very odd advice. To address the low light issue first: The Olympus has a lens which is much faster, so the fact that the Canon has a sensor/processing engine about 1/3 stop less noisy is in no way going to lead to it having better low light ability (although the Olympus has a badly-designed exposure meter and requires between 1 and 2 stops of exposure compensation to be dialled in in low light). The Olympus lens is also optically slightly better than the Canon's in terms of corner sharpness, so if you know how to use it, is capable of slightly better image quality than the Canon. 
 
felipe (1:39 AM, February 14, 2012)
The canon feels like a toy camera, I had it for 2 weeks and took hundreds of pic. the image quality is very good but the olympus pic are great! I willl keep the olympus because is a lot more camera in any subject, the lens are incredible fast, 1.8f and 2.5f at max zoom, as far a low light situations the olympus is the king the canon shows more noise. 
 
Niunalias (9:00 AM, January 11, 2012)
I will pot to you whatewer you want that I will take better photos in low light with my xz-1 than you with your S95. (I have both cameras) and I can say to you that now I can shoot at 100-200 iso in practically all situations, raising to 400 in a candel situations, with the S95 I must raise till 800 to 1600. Iso 400 is fairy better than canon iso 800 not to mention iso 200 at xz-1.
This page is Canon powered ?
 
Guest (6:25 PM, December 04, 2011)
The Test is not fair at all.
For example: "At its widest zoom, the XZ-1's lens captures marginally more light (0,3 f-stops)"... noone is bothering about the wide end... as soon as u zoom in a bit, u got far smaller aperture at s95. You could write, that XZ-1 is only 0.5 f-stops slower at tele then Canon at the wide end. Sounds different, doesn't it?
And by the way: If snapsort cites dpreview.com, so please don't forget to mention, that S95 reached a score of 72% there (really good result, Silver Award) but the XZ-1 was even better with 74% (Gold Award)
The only real advantage of the canon is its smaller size.
 
Dexterus (7:16 PM, August 29, 2011)
yeah.. "should" Especially with it's dark F4.9 at longer end.
 
Charlie (2:10 PM, August 17, 2011)
I have had both and I sold the S95 because I like the colors that come out of the XZ-1 better. There's not much difference when it comes to handling the two - it's just a matter of getting used to your tool. I hate Photoshop so therefor the XZ-1 was the perfect choice for me. I just open the RAW file in Olympus Viewer 2 and save them as jpg's. Sometimes - if I've made a blunder - I change the white balance before I convert the file - thats all :) With the S95 there was always something I did not like and had to adjust :( You should try them both to see for yourself....
 
Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (1:42 PM, May 06, 2011)
Snapsort recommends the Canon S95 because it has better image quality, it should take better photos in low light situations, it's smaller, lighter and cheaper.
Good luck in your search.
 
Nishith (1:22 PM, May 06, 2011)
i am considering Cannon S95 or Olympus xz-1. Can anyone advise which is better?
 
Eliedata (0:12 PM, February 05, 2011)
The XZ-1 sensor is 1/1.63" (not 1/1.7").