Olympus SZ-11 vs Panasonic LX100

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus SZ-11 vs Panasonic LX100, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the SZ-11 (14MP) and the LX100 (13MP) is relatively close but the SZ-11 (1/2.3") and LX100 (Four Thirds) provide totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-11 was introduced 4 years earlier than the LX100 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-11 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic LX100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a thorough comparison, here is a brief overview of how the SZ-11 scores vs the LX100 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SZ-11 Gallery and Panasonic LX100 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry your camera frequently, you'll have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-11 enjoys exterior dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Panasonic LX100 has sizing of 115mm x 66mm x 55mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 2.2") accompanied by a weight of 393 grams (0.87 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SZ-11 vs Panasonic LX100 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen at that time. The following is a front view measurement comparison of the SZ-11 vs the LX100.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-11 and LX100 is 89 and 83 respectively.

Generally, it's difficult to see the gap in sensor sizing just by looking through specs. The graphic below might offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-11 and LX100.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The SZ-11 having a smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult and the Olympus SZ-11 will provide you with greater detail using its extra 1 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures way more aggressively. The older SZ-11 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.