Olympus SZ-12 vs Panasonic S1

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus SZ-12 versus Panasonic S1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a big gap between the sensor resolutions of the SZ-12 (14MP) and S1 (24MP) and the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and S1 (Full frame) boast different sensor size.

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The SZ-12 was introduced 8 years prior to the S1 and that is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic S1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving into a complete comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the SZ-12 scores against the S1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-12 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S1. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Panasonic S1 Gallery.

If you're intending to lug around your camera often, you should factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-12 features physical measurements 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 S1 has sizing of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") accompanied by a weight of 1021 grams (2.25 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SZ-12 versus Panasonic S1 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have attached at the time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the SZ-12 versus the S1.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-12 and S1 is 89 and 54 respectively.

More often than not, its difficult to visualize the gap between sensor measurements merely by reading through a spec sheet. The graphic here will offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-12 and S1.

Clearly, both of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The SZ-12 with its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult and the Panasonic S1 will give you more detail using its extra 10MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The older SZ-12 is going to be behind in sensor tech.