Olympus SZ-15 vs Panasonic F5

Let's look more closely at the Olympus SZ-15 versus Panasonic F5, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the SZ-15 (16MP) and the F5 (14MP) is very well matched and both cameras provide the same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The SZ-15 was introduced 6 months later than the F5 and they are both of a similar age. Each of these cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before we go into a thorough comparison, here is a short highlight of how the SZ-15 scores against the F5 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-15 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-F5. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SZ-15 Gallery & Panasonic F5 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera, you should take into account its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-15 has external measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") along with a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) and the Panasonic F5 has specifications of 97mm x 58mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") along with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-15 versus Panasonic F5 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you select at that time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the SZ-15 vs the F5.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-15 and F5 is 88 and 96 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to visualise the gap between sensor measurements only by looking at technical specs. The graphic here may provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-15 and F5.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but not the same megapixels. You can expect to see the Olympus SZ-15 to give greater detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop images more aggressively.