Olympus SH-50 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-F5: A Hands-On Superzoom Showdown

In the vast landscape of compact cameras, 2013 gifted us two intriguing contenders battling for the attention of enthusiasts craving portability and zoom versatility: Olympus’s SH-50 superzoom and Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-F5 compact. Though both hail from the same era, they target subtly different audiences with their distinct specs and design philosophies. I’ve spent extensive hands-on time with each, scrutinizing their capabilities beyond the marketing buzz, putting them through the paces in a variety of photographic disciplines - from portraiture to landscapes, wildlife, street, and even a little video on the side.

Let’s roll up our sleeves and dissect what these cameras bring to the table, where they shine, and where you might want to think twice before plunking down your cash.

Getting a Feel: Size, Handling, and Ergonomics

First impressions matter, right? Handling a camera is part tactile, part intuitive - if it feels awkward in your hands, all the pixels in the world won’t save the experience.

The Olympus SH-50, measuring in at 112 x 63 x 42 mm and tipping the scales at about 269 grams, is noticeably chunkier than the Panasonic F5, which is a slender 97 x 58 x 22 mm and weighs only 121 grams. For a superzoom, the SH-50's heft offers a more substantial grip that feels reassuring in hand, especially during longer shoots. The Panasonic feels more like a pocket companion - sleek but a bit on the delicate side.

Olympus’s decision to house a 25-600 mm equivalent zoom (that’s a whopping 24x) necessitates some girth, and that extra grip pays dividends in stability, particularly with extended telephoto shots. The SH-50’s body exudes robustness - nothing fancy in terms of weather sealing or ruggedized design, but it feels reliable for everyday carry.

On the flip side, the Panasonic F5’s ultra-compact form factor excels for stealthy street photographers or travelers who loathe lugging around bulk. However, that slimness also limits control ergonomics; the buttons are smaller, less spaced out, and it demands more fiddling - less ideal for complicated shooting.

Onto the top plates for a moment. The Olympus SH-50 reveals a well-thought-out control layout with dedicated zoom rocker, mode dial, and an intuitive on/off button. Panasonic’s Lumix F5 keeps things minimal, favoring simplicity but sacrificing some speed-of-access controls.

In short, I found Olympus more comfortable for extended shooting sessions, more inviting for enthusiasts who like manual control without fumbling. Panasonic, by contrast, is a grab-and-go compact best suited for casual use or as a secondary street/travel shooter.

Under the Hood: Sensor and Image Quality Face-Off

Both cameras feature 1/2.3-inch sensors - a common size for compacts - but with a twist: Olympus employs a 16MP BSI-CMOS sensor, whereas Panasonic opts for a 14MP CCD sensor. This sensor technology split is pivotal and influences everything from low light performance to dynamic range.

I subjected both cameras to a suite of standardized tests - shooting color charts, resolution charts, and a range of real-world scenes in varying light. The Olympus SH-50 edged out the Panasonic F5 comfortably in terms of image sharpness and noise control. The BSI-CMOS sensor’s backside illumination design allows for improved light gathering, which is advantageous in dim conditions. This translated into better high ISO shots with less chroma noise - an essential feature in cityscapes after dusk or indoor portraits without flash.

Panasonic’s CCD sensor, while delivering decent colors and pleasing contrast in bright light, is a bit more limited once you dial up ISO above 400. The CCD classic trade-off results in slightly warmer tones but amplifies noise and reduces shadow detail at higher sensitivities.

In terms of resolution, Olympus’s 16MP provides a bit more tooth for cropping or large prints, with maximum image sizes of 4608 x 3456 pixels, compared to Panasonic’s 14MP at 4320 x 3240. Both support aspect ratios including 4:3 and 16:9, but Olympus adds a 1:1 square mode, a bonus for creative framing.

Antialiasing filters are present on both and help minimize moiré but at a minor cost to ultimate crispness - typical for this sensor class.

Bottom line: Olympus SH-50 offers enhanced image quality and usable high ISO performance that gives it a leg up in most shooting conditions, notably low light.

LCD Screens and User Interface

Since neither offers a viewfinder (electronic or optical), the rear LCD becomes your window to the world.

The SH-50 sports a 3-inch touchscreen LCD with a respectable 460k-dot resolution, while the Panasonic F5 settles for a smaller 2.7-inch non-touch TFT LCD at 230k dots. In practice, the Olympus screen delivers crisper previews and better color fidelity, which helps with accurate framing and exposure assessment - a real boon under bright sunlight.

I appreciated Olympus’s touchscreen for quick focus point selection and menu navigation, especially when juggling complex zoom settings during wildlife or sports shooting. Panasonic’s lack of touchscreen requires more menu button presses, which slowed my workflow.

Both interfaces are user-friendly: Olympus’s menus are logically organized with intuitive icons and grouped settings, while Panasonic keeps things simple - perhaps a tad too barebones, given the camera’s capabilities.

Neither camera features articulating or tilting screens, which is a bit of a letdown for videographers or macro shooters who often work at unconventional angles.

Zoom Range and Optics: Versatility Wins

When it comes to zoom, the Olympus SH-50 dazzles with a 25-600 mm equivalent lens, a 24x optical zoom beast. Panasonic F5’s lens covers 28-140 mm - a modest 5x zoom. This gulf massively influences what each camera can do.

Olympus’s versatile lens lets you shoot everything from wide landscapes to distant wildlife or sports action without attaching teleconverters or hauling around cumbersome gear - ideal for travel photographers craving one lens to rule them all.

The maximum apertures are roughly equivalent: F3.0 at wide and F6.9 at maximum zoom for Olympus; F3.2 to F6.5 for Panasonic. Fairly slow in telephoto, but typical for superzoom compacts conserving size.

While Olympus compensates for zoom-induced shake with built-in Optical Image Stabilization, Panasonic lacks any form of image stabilization in-body or lens-based. This omission is especially painful when shooting at telephoto lengths handheld with slower shutter speeds.

For macro buffs, both cameras allow focusing as close as 5 cm, but Olympus’s image stabilization aids in capturing sharper close-ups without a tripod.

In sum, Olympus offers greater optical versatility, with superior ergonomics and stabilization to back it up.

Autofocus Speed and Accuracy: Tracking Moving Targets

Autofocus (AF) systems in compact cameras can be hit or miss - speed and accuracy often depend on both hardware and processing speed.

The Olympus SH-50 uses contrast-detection AF with face detection and even animal eye detection absent but offers autofocus touch-point selection on the screen. It boasts single AF and tracking AF modes. However, continuous AF tracking lacks in live view mode.

Panasonic F5 also uses contrast-detection AF but includes continuous autofocus and tracking, which surprisingly performs well despite lacking advanced face detection.

I tested both in wildlife and sports scenarios - subjects included darting squirrels and a local soccer match.

Olympus showed snappier AF lock times and was more reliable in maintaining focus on moving subjects, thanks in part to its faster processor and responsive touchscreen AF point selection. Panasonic’s AF struggled somewhat with erratic subject movement and was prone to occasional hunting, especially in lower contrast scenes.

When shooting at full telephoto, Olympus SH-50’s AF system felt markedly more confident.

Burst Shooting and Shutter Performance

Workflow speed is crucial in fast-paced photography. Olympus offers 12fps continuous shooting, although buffering limitations reduce actual burst length. Panasonic limits burst shooting to just 1 frame per second - downright glacial.

Shutter responsiveness is tight on Olympus; no noticeable lag between half-press and capture, essential for decisive moments in street or sports. Panasonic exhibits a slight shutter lag which can throw off timing.

Shutter speed ranges are similar: 15 seconds to 1/2000s on Olympus, 8 seconds to 1/2000s on Panasonic. No electronic shutter options.

Video Recording Capabilities

For videographers, Olympus SH-50 records Full HD 1080p video at 60fps using H.264 compression, a modern and efficient codec. Panasonic F5 maxes out at 720p at 30fps, encoded in Motion JPEG - a less efficient format producing larger files and requiring more editing overhead.

Neither camera sports microphone or headphone ports, limiting serious audio capture options. Olympus includes slow-motion capture modes at reduced resolutions, a fun albeit niche feature.

Image stabilization again gives Olympus a leg up in handheld video, helping smooth out shakes. Panasonic’s lack thereof means jittery footage is likely without a stabilizing rig.

Battery Life and Storage Considerations

Neither model offers powerhouse battery life by modern standards. Olympus SH-50 uses a proprietary rechargeable battery (model SLB-10A) with no official CIPA rating provided; real-world usage suggests around 200 shots per charge - modest but manageable. Panasonic F5 provides about 250 shots per charge, which is respectable given its simpler internals.

Storage for both cameras relies on standard SD/SDHC/SDXC cards with a single slot each. Panasonic also supports internal storage, albeit limited.

Build Quality and Durability: Everyday Reliability

Neither camera offers environmental sealing, waterproofing, dustproofing, or freezeproofing. Neither is shockproof or crushproof.

Given their price and class, this is no surprise, but worth noting if you shoot in challenging conditions. Olympus’s more solid feel and weight lend it a slight psychological edge in perceived durability.

Connectivity and Modern Conveniences

Olympus SH-50 includes built-in wireless connectivity for easy photo sharing, whereas Panasonic F5 offers no wireless options. Both cameras have USB 2.0 ports for transfer, but Olympus adds HDMI output, handy for immediate image playback on a TV.

Bluetooth and NFC, common today for seamless connections, are absent in both, predictably given the 2013 release date.

Putting It All Together: Scores and Ratings

After methodical testing across scenarios, including lab charts, real-world shooting, and usability evaluation, I compiled a balanced scorecard for these cameras.

Olympus SH-50 consistently outperforms Panasonic F5 in image quality, zoom versatility, autofocus reliability, video performance, and ergonomics. Panasonic’s main edge lies in its incredibly compact form and affordability.

Breaking it down by genre paints a clearer picture:

Portrait Photography: Skin Tones, Bokeh, and Eye Detection

Portraits rely heavily on skin tone reproduction, effective background blur, and precise eyes-focused AF.

Neither camera has advanced eye detection, but Olympus’s touchscreen AF and face detection help nail focus on subjects more reliably than Panasonic.

The SH-50’s longer zoom and larger aperture at wide angles (F3.0) enable moderately pleasing background separation, though neither delivers DSLR-like bokeh due to small sensor size and lens limitations.

Skin tones rendered by Olympus appear warmer and more natural, with Panasonic’s CCD sensor sometimes producing a slight magenta cast, requiring post-processing correction.

Landscape Photography: Dynamic Range and Resolution

Landscape photographers prize resolution, dynamic range, and weather sealing.

Neither camera is sealed, so caution outdoors. Olympus offers slightly higher effective resolution and better dynamic range, thanks to sensor tech.

Both struggle with blown highlights and muddy shadows in scenes with high contrast, a limitation of small sensors. Using exposure compensation helps mitigate this.

Wildlife and Sports Photography: Autofocus, Telephoto and Burst Rates

With its 600mm equivalent reach, Olympus naturally dominates telephoto territory.

Faster and more accurate autofocus plus 12fps burst shooting makes it suitable for casual wildlife and sports pix, provided lighting is adequate.

Panasonic F5’s limited zoom and slower burst rate make it less suitable for action, better reserved for static subjects.

Street Photography: Discreteness and Compactness

Here Panasonic shines - ultra-compact, unobtrusive, and light.

Olympus SH-50’s larger size may draw attention - but still manageable.

Low-light AF in both is challenged, but Panasonic’s lack of image stabilization hinders low-shutter speed handheld shots.

Macro Photography: Focusing Precision and Stabilization

Both’s close-focus limit of 5 cm is respectable.

Olympus’s stabilization makes handheld macro Shots easier and crisper.

Panasonic’s lens lacks stabilization; tripod recommended for sharpness.

Night and Astro Photography: High ISO and Exposure Modes

Olympus’s higher ISO usability leads here.

Maximum 6400 ISO is possible on both, but noise performance favors Olympus.

Neither camera offers bulb mode or advanced astro-specific features.

Video: Recording Specs and Stability

Olympus’s 1080p at 60 fps video is suitable for casual HD footage.

Panasonic tops at 720p and Motion JPEG, limiting quality and file size efficiency.

Travel Photography: Versatility and Battery Life

Olympus’s extensive zoom and RAW-like control (manual exposure) make it travel-ready.

Panasonic’s battery longevity and portability appeal to ultra-light travelers with basic needs.

Pro Workflows: Reliability and File Formats

Neither camera supports RAW - a major drawback for pros craving post-processing flexibility.

File format and lack of professional connectivity hinder integration into a pro workflow.

Final Thoughts: Which Camera Fits Your Style?

If you're a photography enthusiast seeking the most versatility in zoom reach, image quality, and controls in the compact superzoom category - and you don’t mind sacrificing pocketability - Olympus SH-50 is your better bet. It feels more refined, delivers stronger results in almost every area and offers features that stretch the boundaries of casual compact cameras.

For casual shooters focused on pure convenience and budget, or street photographers prioritizing stealth and ultralight gear, Panasonic Lumix DMC-F5 makes an appealing choice, though its technical compromises limit creative control.

Olympus SH 50 front Olympus SH 50 screen back Panasonic F5 front Panasonic F5 screen back

Before finalizing your decision, consider your primary genres and shooting habits. If telephoto reach for wildlife or travel beats comfort and size, Olympus wins. If simplicity, light weight, and affordability are paramount, Panasonic suffices.

With nearly a decade between today and their release, these cameras showed their age compared to modern compacts - especially regarding wireless connection, video specs, and sensor size. But understanding their strengths and weaknesses remains useful for buyers who find them at bargain prices or users transitioning from phones to dedicated cameras.

Happy shooting - whichever side you land on!

Summary Table

Feel free to reach out in comments if you want me to compare these cameras against more recent or alternative models! It’s always rewarding to blend optics, image tech, and real user experience into practical recommendations.