Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Panasonic LX100

Its time to take a deeper look at the Olympus SP-590 UZ and Panasonic LX100, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the SP-590 UZ (12MP) and the LX100 (13MP) is very well matched but the SP-590 UZ (1/2.3") and LX100 (Four Thirds) feature different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The SP-590 UZ was unveiled 6 years prior to the LX100 which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SP-590 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic LX100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going straight into a thorough comparison, below is a simple view of how the SP-590 UZ matches up versus the LX100 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SP-590 UZ and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100. The full galleries are available at Olympus SP-590 UZ Gallery and Panasonic LX100 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry around your camera regularly, you need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus SP-590 UZ has got outside measurements of 116mm x 84mm x 81mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 3.2") along with a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs) while the Panasonic LX100 has sizing of 115mm x 66mm x 55mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 2.2") along with a weight of 393 grams (0.87 lbs).

See the Olympus SP-590 UZ and Panasonic LX100 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose during that time. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the SP-590 UZ vs the LX100.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SP-590 UZ and LX100 is 72 and 83 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to visualize the gap between sensor sizes just by reading through specs. The pic underneath will offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the SP-590 UZ and LX100.

All in all, both of those cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The SP-590 UZ having a tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Panasonic LX100 will give you extra detail having an extra 1 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more aged SP-590 UZ is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.