Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs.
In this section, we are going to illustrate the Olympus SZ-12 and Canon 50D side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Olympus SZ-12 has external dimensions of 106 x 69 x 40 mm (4.17 x 2.72 x 1.57″) and weighs 226 g (0.50 lb / 7.97 oz) (including batteries). Canon 50D has external dimensions of 146 x 108 x 74 mm (5.75 x 4.25 x 2.91″) and weighs 822 g (1.81 lb / 29.00 oz) (including batteries).
Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Olympus SZ-12 and the Canon 50D. Olympus SZ-12 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 40mm narrower, 39mm shorter and 34mm thinner than Canon 50D. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Olympus SZ-12 has a built-in lens but Canon 50D doesn't. Once you put a lens on 50D, its thickness will increase significantly.
Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day.
Olympus SZ-12 is significantly lighter (596g ) than the Canon 50D which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.
Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on 50D, the total kit will weigh much higher.
Weather Sealing
Thanks to the weather-sealed body of the 50D, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to the SZ-12.
LCD Screen Size and Features
Olympus SZ-12 and Canon 50D's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.
Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.