Olympus SH-50 vs Panasonic ZS200

Following is a in depth review of the Olympus SH-50 vs Panasonic ZS200, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the SH-50 (16MP) and the ZS200 (20MP) is pretty well matched but the SH-50 (1/2.3") and ZS200 (1") posses totally different sensor dimensions.

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The SH-50 was revealed 6 years prior to the ZS200 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-50 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic ZS200 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving into a full comparison, here is a brief summary of how the SH-50 scores versus the ZS200 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SH-50 and Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SH-50 Gallery and Panasonic ZS200 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus SH-50 has got outer dimensions of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS200 has proportions of 111mm x 66mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.8") having a weight of 340 grams (0.75 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SH-50 vs Panasonic ZS200 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have attached at that time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the SH-50 and the ZS200.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SH-50 and ZS200 is 88 and 86 respectively.

Typically, its tough to envision the difference between sensor sizes simply by looking at specifications. The pic here will help provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SH-50 and ZS200.

To sum up, the two cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The SH-50 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF trickier and the Panasonic ZS200 will resolve more detail because of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged SH-50 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.