Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax P80

In this article, we will be analyzing the Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax P80, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the P80 (12MP) is relatively close and they come with the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The SZ-12 was announced 2 years later than the P80 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before we go through a complete comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the SZ-12 scores against the P80 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-12 & Pentax Optio P80. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery & Pentax P80 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-12 comes with outside dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Pentax P80 has dimensions of 102mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0") and a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax P80 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have chosen at the time. Underneath is the front view over all size comparison of the SZ-12 and the P80.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-12 and P80 is 89 and 95 respectively.

In many cases, it is tough to visualize the gap in sensor measurements simply by looking through a spec sheet. The visual here will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-12 and P80.

As you can see, both of these cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing albeit different megapixels. You can count on the Olympus SZ-12 to render extra detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs far more aggressively. The fresher SZ-12 provides an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.