Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Panasonic G10

In this article, we will be reviewing the Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Panasonic G10, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the SP-590 UZ (12MP) and the G10 (12MP) is pretty comparable but the SP-590 UZ (1/2.3") and G10 (Four Thirds) come with different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The SP-590 UZ was announced 19 months earlier than the G10 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SP-590 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic G10 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting in to a in depth comparison, below is a simple view of how the SP-590 UZ matches up against the G10 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SP-590 UZ and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SP-590 UZ Gallery and Panasonic G10 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus SP-590 UZ has physical dimensions 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 G10 has measurements of 124mm x 90mm x 74mm (4.9" x 3.5" x 2.9") and a weight of 388 grams (0.86 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Panasonic G10 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you select at that time. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the SP-590 UZ vs the G10.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SP-590 UZ and G10 is 72 and 72 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to imagine the gap in sensor sizes just by seeing technical specs. The image below might give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the SP-590 UZ and G10.

As you have seen, each of the cameras offer the same exact megapixels albeit different sensor sizes. The SP-590 UZ features the smaller sensor which will make obtaining shallow DOF more challenging. The more aged SP-590 UZ will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.