Olympus SZ-12 vs Panasonic ZS40

Lets take a deeper look at the Olympus SZ-12 and Panasonic ZS40, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a big gap among the resolutions of the SZ-12 (14MP) and ZS40 (18MP) but they feature the same exact sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SZ-12 was manufactured 24 months earlier than the ZS40 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before going in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick summation of how the SZ-12 grades against the ZS40 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-12 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Panasonic ZS40 Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-12 comes with external measurements 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 ZS40 has sizing of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SZ-12 and Panasonic ZS40 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the SZ-12 and the ZS40.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-12 and ZS40 is 89 and 90 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to visualize the difference in sensor measurements just by going through a spec sheet. The photograph underneath might provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-12 and ZS40.

Clearly, both the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing albeit different resolution. You should expect the Panasonic ZS40 to produce greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop pictures far more aggressively. The older SZ-12 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.