Olympus FE-45 vs Olympus SZ-12

Following is a thorough review of the Olympus FE-45 versus Olympus SZ-12, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are designed by Olympus. There is a sizable difference between the sensor resolutions of the FE-45 (10MP) and SZ-12 (14MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The FE-45 was announced 4 years before the SZ-12 which is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before delving into a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple summary of how the FE-45 scores against the SZ-12 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus FE-45 & Olympus SZ-12. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus FE-45 Gallery & Olympus SZ-12 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry around your camera regularly, you are going to need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus FE-45 has got external measurements of 94mm x 62mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") having a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs) while the Olympus SZ-12 has sizing of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

Compare the Olympus FE-45 versus Olympus SZ-12 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you choose at the time. Following is a front view measurement comparison of the FE-45 vs the SZ-12.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the FE-45 and SZ-12 is 95 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's tough to envision the contrast between sensor sizes simply by looking at specs. The picture underneath should offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the FE-45 and SZ-12.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same MP. You can expect the Olympus SZ-12 to give extra detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged FE-45 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.