Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Panasonic FZ1000

Let's take a deeper look at the Olympus SP-590 UZ and Panasonic FZ1000, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap between the resolutions of the SP-590 UZ (12MP) and FZ1000 (20MP) and the SP-590 UZ (1/2.3") and FZ1000 (1") feature different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The SP-590 UZ was announced 6 years earlier than the FZ1000 and that is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras come with the identical body type (SLR-like (bridge)).

Before going in to a detailed comparison, below is a quick summary of how the SP-590 UZ grades versus the FZ1000 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SP-590 UZ & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-590 UZ Gallery & Panasonic FZ1000 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry your camera, you're going to have to think about its weight and size. The Olympus SP-590 UZ enjoys external dimensions of 116mm x 84mm x 81mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 3.2") having a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ1000 has specifications of 137mm x 99mm x 131mm (5.4" x 3.9" x 5.2") having a weight of 831 grams (1.83 lbs).

See the Olympus SP-590 UZ and Panasonic FZ1000 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are employing at the time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the SP-590 UZ and the FZ1000.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SP-590 UZ and FZ1000 is 72 and 55 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing simply by reading specifications. The visual underneath will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the SP-590 UZ and FZ1000.

Plainly, the 2 cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The SP-590 UZ having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more challenging and the Panasonic FZ1000 will deliver greater detail with its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images much more aggressively. The older SP-590 UZ is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.