Olympus SZ-11 vs Panasonic G5

Lets look more closely at the Olympus SZ-11 versus Panasonic G5, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the SZ-11 (14MP) and the G5 (16MP) is very close but the SZ-11 (1/2.3") and G5 (Four Thirds) boast totally different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-11 was revealed 11 months prior to the G5 and they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-11 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic G5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go right into a more detailed comparison, here is a short summary of how the SZ-11 matches up vs the G5 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-11 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5. The full galleries are available at Olympus SZ-11 Gallery & Panasonic G5 Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera, you are going to need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-11 features exterior measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Panasonic G5 has specifications of 120mm x 83mm x 71mm (4.7" x 3.3" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 396 grams (0.87 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SZ-11 versus Panasonic G5 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you select during that time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the SZ-11 and the G5.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-11 and G5 is 89 and 74 respectively.

Usually, it's hard to visualise the difference in sensor measurements simply by looking through specs. The visual here might provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-11 and G5.

All in all, each of these cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The SZ-11 with its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Panasonic G5 will result in more detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos more aggressively. The older SZ-11 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.