Olympus SH-50 vs Panasonic FZ47

Lets look more in depth at the Olympus SH-50 and Panasonic FZ47, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap among the image resolutions of the SH-50 (16MP) and FZ47 (12MP) but both cameras have the same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The SH-50 was introduced 18 months after the FZ47 which makes them a generation away from one another. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-50 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ47 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving into a full comparison, here is a simple view of how the SH-50 grades versus the FZ47 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SH-50 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SH-50 Gallery and Panasonic FZ47 Gallery.

When you are intending to carry around your camera often, you will need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SH-50 features outer dimensions of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) and the Panasonic FZ47 has dimensions of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") and a weight of 498 grams (1.10 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SH-50 and Panasonic FZ47 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you select during that time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the SH-50 compared to the FZ47.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SH-50 and FZ47 is 88 and 68 respectively.

Normally, it is very difficult to visualise the difference in sensor sizes only by seeing specs. The pic below may provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the SH-50 and FZ47.

All in all, the two cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same resolution. You should count on the Olympus SH-50 to show more detail using its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs more aggressively. The fresher SH-50 will have an edge with regard to sensor technology.