Olympus SZ-12 vs Panasonic L1

Below, we are reviewing the Olympus SZ-12 versus Panasonic L1, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a noticeable difference among the image resolutions of the SZ-12 (14MP) and L1 (7MP) and the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and L1 (Four Thirds) enjoy different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-12 was brought out 4 years later than the L1 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic L1 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going through a thorough comparison, below is a brief view of how the SZ-12 grades versus the L1 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-12 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery & Panasonic L1 Gallery.

When you are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-12 features exterior dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Panasonic L1 has specifications of 146mm x 87mm x 77mm (5.7" x 3.4" x 3.0") along with a weight of 606 grams (1.34 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SZ-12 versus Panasonic L1 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have attached during that time. Following is the front view size comparison of the SZ-12 vs the L1.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and L1 is 89 and 65 respectively.

Generally, it is very tough to picture the difference in sensor measurements purely by going through a spec sheet. The photograph here might give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-12 and L1.

Clearly, the two cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The SZ-12 due to its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field tougher and the Olympus SZ-12 will produce more detail having its extra 7 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics much more aggressively. The newer SZ-12 provides an advantage in sensor technology.