Olympus SZ-11 vs Panasonic FZ40

Let's look more in depth at the Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic FZ40, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the SZ-11 (14MP) and the FZ40 (14MP) is relatively comparable and both cameras posses the identical sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SZ-11 was unveiled 13 months later than the FZ40 which makes them a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-11 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting straight to a complete comparison, here is a brief summary of how the SZ-11 grades vs the FZ40 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-11 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40. The full galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-11 Gallery & Panasonic FZ40 Gallery.

In case you're planning to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-11 enjoys outside dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ40 has specifications of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic FZ40 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have at the time. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the SZ-11 and the FZ40.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-11 and FZ40 is 89 and 68 respectively.

Generally, it's tough to envision the gap in sensor measurements simply by going through specifications. The graphic below should offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-11 and FZ40.

To sum up, both of these cameras feature the identical sensor size and the exact same resolution therefore you can expect comparable quality of pictures although you should consider the launch date of the cameras into account. The newer SZ-11 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.