Olympus SZ-12 vs Panasonic FH3

The following is a comprehensive comparison of the Olympus SZ-12 versus Panasonic FH3, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the FH3 (14MP) is fairly similar and they feature the exact same sensor size (1/2.3").

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The SZ-12 was manufactured 2 years after the FH3 which is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving through a more detailed comparison, below is a simple summation of how the SZ-12 scores versus the FH3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-12 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Panasonic FH3 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to travel with your camera frequently, you will want to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-12 has outside dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") having a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FH3 has dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs).

See the Olympus SZ-12 versus Panasonic FH3 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are employing at that time. Here is the front view dimensions comparison of the SZ-12 and the FH3.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and FH3 is 89 and 94 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to picture the contrast between sensor dimensions only by reviewing specs. The picture here will help give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-12 and FH3.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements and the exact same resolution so you should expect similar quality of photos however you would want to take the production date of the products into consideration. The fresher SZ-12 provides an advantage in sensor innovation.