Canon SX600 HS has a
16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features DIGIC 4+ processor. On the other hand, Olympus FE-4000 has a
12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features TruePic III processor.
Below you can see the SX600 HS and FE-4000 sensor size comparison.
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon SX600 HS and Olympus FE-4000 Cameras
Canon SX600 HS and Olympus FE-4000 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Olympus FE-4000 has 35% larger pixel area (2.38µm 2 vs 1.76µm 2 ) compared to Canon SX600 HS, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.
Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each
of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the
Canon SX600 HS
or the
Olympus FE-4000 ,
including hyperfocal distance.