Olympus SZ-12 vs Panasonic GH3

Below, we will be comparing the Olympus SZ-12 vs Panasonic GH3, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the GH3 (16MP) is pretty well matched but the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and GH3 (Four Thirds) use different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-12 was unveiled 8 months prior to the GH3 which means that they are of a similar age. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GH3 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the SZ-12 scores vs the GH3 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-12 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery & Panasonic GH3 Gallery.

If you're planning to travel with your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-12 has outside measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Panasonic GH3 has specifications of 133mm x 93mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 3.2") having a weight of 550 grams (1.21 lbs).

Check the Olympus SZ-12 vs Panasonic GH3 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the SZ-12 against the GH3.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-12 and GH3 is 89 and 66 respectively.

Usually, it's tough to visualize the contrast between sensor dimensions only by looking at specifications. The picture below will give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-12 and GH3.

To sum up, each of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The SZ-12 having a tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Panasonic GH3 will give extra detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop pictures much more aggressively. The more aged SZ-12 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.