Canon N100 vs Panasonic SZ1

Following is a in depth review of the Canon N100 and Panasonic SZ1, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by competitors Canon and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference between the sensor resolutions of the N100 (12MP) and SZ1 (16MP) and the N100 (1/1.7") and SZ1 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor dimensions.

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The N100 was released 2 years after the SZ1 which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before going straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the N100 matches up against the SZ1 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot N100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1. The complete galleries are provided at Canon N100 Gallery and Panasonic SZ1 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Canon N100 provides outer dimensions of 105mm x 68mm x 36mm (4.1" x 2.7" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 289 grams (0.64 lbs) and the Panasonic SZ1 has proportions of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") along with a weight of 131 grams (0.29 lbs).

See the Canon N100 and Panasonic SZ1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen during that time. The following is the front view measurements comparison of the N100 and the SZ1.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the N100 and SZ1 is 89 and 95 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is tough to see the contrast between sensor sizes only by reviewing a spec sheet. The pic below may give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the N100 and SZ1.

As you can see, both cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The N100 featuring a larger sensor will make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic SZ1 will offer more detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop images much more aggressively. The newer N100 will have a benefit in sensor innovation.