Olympus SZ-12 vs Panasonic FZ300

Below, we are evaluating the Olympus SZ-12 vs Panasonic FZ300, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the FZ300 (12MP) is very well matched and they enjoy the exact same sensor size (1/2.3").

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The SZ-12 was unveiled 4 years before the FZ300 which is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving in to a detailed comparison, below is a quick summary of how the SZ-12 matches up against the FZ300 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-12 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery & Panasonic FZ300 Gallery.

For those who are planning to travel with your camera, you'll need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-12 has physical measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FZ300 has specifications of 132mm x 92mm x 117mm (5.2" x 3.6" x 4.6") with a weight of 691 grams (1.52 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SZ-12 vs Panasonic FZ300 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. The following is the front view scale comparison of the SZ-12 against the FZ300.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-12 and FZ300 is 89 and 59 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to picture the contrast between sensor dimensions only by reading through technical specs. The picture underneath will help provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-12 and FZ300.

As you can tell, both the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but different resolution. You can expect to see the Olympus SZ-12 to resolve greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics much more aggressively. The more aged SZ-12 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.