Kodak Z990 vs Olympus SZ-12

Following is a comprehensive assessment of the Kodak Z990 vs Olympus SZ-12, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by manufacturers Kodak and Olympus. The sensor resolution of the Z990 (12MP) and the SZ-12 (14MP) is pretty well matched and both cameras offer the same sensor size (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The Z990 was unveiled 12 months earlier than the SZ-12 so they are of a similar generation. The two cameras have different body design with the Kodak Z990 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a thorough comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the Z990 scores vs the SZ-12 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Kodak EasyShare Z990 and Olympus SZ-12. The full galleries are provided at Kodak Z990 Gallery and Olympus SZ-12 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry around your camera, you are going to need to think about its weight and volume. The Kodak Z990 features exterior measurements of 124mm x 91mm x 105mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 4.1") and a weight of 445 grams (0.98 lbs) and the Olympus SZ-12 has sizing of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") having a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

Check out the Kodak Z990 vs Olympus SZ-12 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you use at that moment. Underneath is a front view measurements comparison of the Z990 and the SZ-12.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the Z990 and SZ-12 is 68 and 89 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor sizes simply by checking technical specs. The picture here will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the Z990 and SZ-12.

As you can tell, both of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit different megapixels. You should expect the Olympus SZ-12 to give more detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more aged Z990 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.