Canon SL3 vs Olympus Stylus 1s

The Canon EOS Rebel SL3 (called Canon 250D in some regions) and the Olympus Stylus 1s are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in April 2019 and April 2015. The SL3 is a DSLR, while the Stylus 1s is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (SL3) and a 1/1.7-inch (Stylus 1s) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 11.8 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon SL3		Olympus Stylus 1s
Digital single lens reflex		Fixed lens compact camera
Canon EF mount lenses		28-300mm f/2.8
24 MP – APS-C sensor		11.8 MP – 1/1.7" sensor
4K/25p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-12,800
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
1070 shots per battery charge		450 shots per battery charge
122 x 93 x 70 mm, 449 g		116 x 87 x 57 mm, 402 g

Check SL3 price at
amazon.com
Check Stylus 1s offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 and the Olympus Stylus 1s? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon SL3 and the Olympus Stylus 1s. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The SL3 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the Stylus 1s is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus Stylus 1s is notably smaller (11 percent) than the Canon SL3. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SL3 nor the Stylus 1s are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the Stylus 1s has a lens built in, whereas the SL3 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the SL3 and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the SL3 gets 1070 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the Stylus 1s can take 450 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-50 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	116 mm	87 mm	57 mm	402 g	450	n	Apr 2015	699	ebay.com
3.		Canon T8i	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
5.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
6.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
7.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
8.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
9.		Canon T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
10.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
11.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
12.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
13.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
14.		Canon T2i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X30	119 mm	72 mm	60 mm	423 g	470	n	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X20	117 mm	70 mm	57 mm	353 g	270	n	Jan 2013	599	ebay.com
17.		Olympus Stylus 1	116 mm	87 mm	57 mm	402 g	410	n	Oct 2013	699	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon SL3 features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus Stylus 1s a 1/1.7-inch sensor. The sensor area in the Stylus 1s is 87 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 4.5. The sensor in the SL3 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the Stylus 1s offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 24MP, the SL3 offers a higher resolution than the Stylus 1s (11.8MP), but the SL3 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 1.91μm for the Stylus 1s) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the SL3 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 11 months) than the Stylus 1s, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Stylus 1s has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon SL3 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the SL3 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus Stylus 1s are 19.8 x 14.9 inches or 50.4 x 37.8 cm for good quality, 15.9 x 11.9 inches or 40.3 x 30.2 cm for very good quality, and 13.2 x 9.9 inches or 33.6 x 25.2 cm for excellent quality prints.

The SL3 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS Rebel SL3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus Stylus 1s are ISO 100 to ISO 12800 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the SL3 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the Stylus 1s uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.2	11.3	-111	47
3.		Canon T8i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
5.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
6.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
7.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
8.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
9.		Canon T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
10.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
11.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
12.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
13.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
14.		Canon T2i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
15.		Fujifilm X30	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.4	11.2	-312	49
16.		Fujifilm X20	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.1	10.9	-462	46
17.		Olympus Stylus 1	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.7	11.6	179	51
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the SL3 provides a higher video resolution than the Stylus 1s. It can shoot video footage at 4K/25p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the Stylus 1s has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the SL3 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the Stylus 1s offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the SL3 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the Stylus 1s has a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.54x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon SL3 and Olympus Stylus 1s in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon T8i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T2i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
15.		Fujifilm X30	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Fujifilm X20	optical	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Olympus Stylus 1	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Canon SL3 and the Olympus Stylus 1s both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SL3 and the Stylus 1s write their files to SDXC cards. The SL3 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the Stylus 1s cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 and Olympus Stylus 1s and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon T8i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon T2i	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Fujifilm X30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Fujifilm X20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Olympus Stylus 1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the SL3 has a microphone port, which is missing on the Stylus 1s. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

The SL3 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the Stylus 1s has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the Stylus 1s from Olympus. Further information on the features and operation of the SL3 and Stylus 1s can be found, respectively, in the Canon SL3 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus Stylus 1s Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon SL3 and the Olympus Stylus 1s? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS Rebel SL3:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 11.8MP) with a 45% higher linear resolution.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/25p vs 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1070 versus 450) on a single battery charge.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 11 months of technical progress since the Stylus 1s launch.

Advantages of the Olympus Stylus 1s:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.54x).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the SL3 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (116x87mm vs 122x93mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the SL3).
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in April 2015).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the SL3 is the clear winner of the match-up (18 : 10 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon SL3 and the Olympus Stylus 1s place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the SL3 or the Stylus 1s. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2015	699	ebay.com
3.		Canon T8i	4.5/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
5.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
6.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
7.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
8.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
9.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
10.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
11.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
12.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
13.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
14.		Canon T2i	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X30	4/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X20	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2013	599	ebay.com
17.		Olympus Stylus 1	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	699	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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