Olympus SZ-15 vs Panasonic GH1

Following is a in-depth overview of the Olympus SZ-15 and Panasonic GH1, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a huge difference between the image resolutions of the SZ-15 (16MP) and GH1 (12MP) and the SZ-15 (1/2.3") and GH1 (Four Thirds) enjoy totally different sensor sizing.

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The SZ-15 was announced 4 years after the GH1 which is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-15 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GH1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving in to a complete comparison, below is a simple view of how the SZ-15 matches up against the GH1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-15 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-15 Gallery and Panasonic GH1 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry around your camera regularly, you'll need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-15 has got physical 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 GH1 has dimensions of 124mm x 90mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.5" x 1.8") along with a weight of 385 grams (0.85 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SZ-15 and Panasonic GH1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have attached at the time. Underneath is the front view over all size comparison of the SZ-15 and the GH1.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-15 and GH1 is 88 and 81 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to envision the gap between sensor sizes merely by checking technical specs. The picture underneath may provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-15 and GH1.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The SZ-15 using its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Olympus SZ-15 will give more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop images much more aggressively. The fresher SZ-15 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.