Olympus SZ-15 vs Panasonic GH5S

Let's take a closer look at the Olympus SZ-15 and Panasonic GH5S, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the SZ-15 (16MP) and GH5S (10MP) and the SZ-15 (1/2.3") and GH5S (Four Thirds) boast different sensor sizing.

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The SZ-15 was unveiled 5 years earlier than the GH5S which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-15 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GH5S being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving into a complete comparison, here is a quick view of how the SZ-15 matches up against the GH5S with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-15 and Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S. The full galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-15 Gallery and Panasonic GH5S Gallery.

In case you're aiming to travel with your camera, you should think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-15 has external dimensions of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") with a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) while the Panasonic GH5S has dimensions of 139mm x 98mm x 87mm (5.5" x 3.9" x 3.4") along with a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs).

See the Olympus SZ-15 and Panasonic GH5S in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you select at the time. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the SZ-15 compared to the GH5S.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-15 and GH5S is 88 and 62 respectively.

Usually, it can be difficult to picture the gap in sensor dimensions simply by seeing a spec sheet. The image underneath will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-15 and GH5S.

As you can see, both the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The SZ-15 having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving bokeh more difficult and the Olympus SZ-15 will provide extra detail having an extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots more aggressively. The more aged SZ-15 will be behind in sensor technology.