Olympus SZ-10 vs Panasonic G1

Its time to look a bit more closely at the Olympus SZ-10 and Panasonic G1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the SZ-10 (14MP) and the G1 (12MP) is relatively similar but the SZ-10 (1/2.3") and G1 (Four Thirds) posses different sensor sizing.

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The SZ-10 was revealed 2 years later than the G1 and that is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-10 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic G1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight to a thorough comparison, here is a brief summary of how the SZ-10 scores vs the G1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-10 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-10 Gallery and Panasonic G1 Gallery.

If you're planning to carry your camera, you need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-10 features outside dimensions of 106mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.5") with a weight of 215 grams (0.47 lbs) and the Panasonic G1 has sizing of 124mm x 84mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8") accompanied by a weight of 360 grams (0.79 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-10 and Panasonic G1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are working with at the time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the SZ-10 and the G1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-10 and G1 is 90 and 82 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to picture the gap between sensor sizing merely by reading technical specs. The photograph here might give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-10 and G1.

As you have seen, both the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SZ-10 using its tinier sensor is going to make shooting bokeh more challenging and the Olympus SZ-10 will offer extra detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The younger SZ-10 should have an advantage in sensor innovation.