Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Panasonic S1R

The following is a in-depth analysis of the Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Panasonic S1R, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap among the resolutions of the SP-590 UZ (12MP) and S1R (47MP) and the SP-590 UZ (1/2.3") and S1R (Full frame) offer totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The SP-590 UZ was announced 11 years before the S1R which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-590 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic S1R being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going into a thorough comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the SP-590 UZ matches up against the S1R when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SP-590 UZ and Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-590 UZ Gallery and Panasonic S1R Gallery.

When you are going to travel with your camera frequently, you need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus SP-590 UZ provides physical measurements of 116mm x 84mm x 81mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 3.2") having a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs) whilst the Panasonic S1R has measurements of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") having a weight of 1020 grams (2.25 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Panasonic S1R in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the SP-590 UZ compared to the S1R.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SP-590 UZ and S1R is 72 and 54 respectively.

Typically, it is hard to envision the contrast in sensor dimensions purely by going through a spec sheet. The pic underneath should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the SP-590 UZ and S1R.

As you can see, both of those cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SP-590 UZ with its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more challenging and the Panasonic S1R will produce extra detail with its extra 35 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs more aggressively. The more aged SP-590 UZ will be behind in sensor innovation.