Olympus SZ-12 vs Panasonic XS1

Lets look a bit more in depth at the Olympus SZ-12 and Panasonic XS1, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the XS1 (16MP) is pretty comparable and both cameras offer the identical sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The SZ-12 was announced 12 months prior to the XS1 so they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before getting right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a short summation of how the SZ-12 scores versus the XS1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-12 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery & Panasonic XS1 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry around your camera, you are going to need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-12 enjoys 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) whilst the Panasonic XS1 has measurements of 94mm x 54mm x 14mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.6") with a weight of 103 grams (0.23 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SZ-12 and Panasonic XS1 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you choose at the time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the SZ-12 and the XS1.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-12 and XS1 is 89 and 97 respectively.

Normally, its hard to see the gap in sensor sizes purely by going through specifications. The image below might offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-12 and XS1.

To sum up, both cameras come with the identical sensor size albeit not the same MP. You can expect the Panasonic XS1 to show extra detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more aged SZ-12 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.