Olympus SZ-12 vs Panasonic FZ1000 II

On this page, we are reviewing the Olympus SZ-12 and Panasonic FZ1000 II, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a substantial difference between the image resolutions of the SZ-12 (14MP) and FZ1000 II (20MP) and the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and FZ1000 II (1") have totally different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-12 was unveiled 8 years before the FZ1000 II and that is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ1000 II being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going right into a full comparison, here is a short view of how the SZ-12 matches up vs the FZ1000 II when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-12 & Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery & Panasonic FZ1000 II Gallery.

If you are planning to lug around your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-12 offers exterior dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FZ1000 II has dimensions of 136mm x 97mm x 132mm (5.4" x 3.8" x 5.2") along with a weight of 808 grams (1.78 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-12 and Panasonic FZ1000 II in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are using at that moment. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the SZ-12 and the FZ1000 II.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and FZ1000 II is 89 and 55 respectively.

In many cases, it can be hard to see the contrast between sensor measurements just by reviewing specs. The photograph underneath will help provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-12 and FZ1000 II.

All in all, each of these cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SZ-12 with its tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Panasonic FZ1000 II will offer extra detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics more aggressively. The older SZ-12 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.