Olympus SZ-15 vs Panasonic L1

Lets look a little more closely at the Olympus SZ-15 versus Panasonic L1, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizable difference between the resolutions of the SZ-15 (16MP) and L1 (7MP) and the SZ-15 (1/2.3") and L1 (Four Thirds) come with different sensor dimensions.

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The SZ-15 was manufactured 6 years later than the L1 and that is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SZ-15 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic L1 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving in to a detailed comparison, below is a quick summation of how the SZ-15 scores versus the L1 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-15 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-15 Gallery & Panasonic L1 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry your camera often, you're going to have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-15 has external dimensions of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") having a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) and the Panasonic L1 has sizing of 146mm x 87mm x 77mm (5.7" x 3.4" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 606 grams (1.34 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SZ-15 versus Panasonic L1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are employing at that time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the SZ-15 against the L1.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-15 and L1 is 88 and 65 respectively.

Usually, it is very hard to picture the gap between sensor sizing purely by going over technical specs. The graphic below may provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-15 and L1.

As you can tell, both cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The SZ-15 due to its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Olympus SZ-15 will offer more detail due to its extra 9 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos far more aggressively. The younger SZ-15 provides an advantage with regard to sensor tech.