Olympus SZ-15 vs Panasonic ZS50

Its time to look a bit more closely at the Olympus SZ-15 versus Panasonic ZS50, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a substantial gap between the resolutions of the SZ-15 (16MP) and ZS50 (12MP) but both cameras offer the identical sensor sizes (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SZ-15 was brought out 18 months before the ZS50 which makes them a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before diving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a short overview of how the SZ-15 grades versus the ZS50 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-15 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-15 Gallery & Panasonic ZS50 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera, you have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-15 offers exterior measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") and a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS50 has sizing of 111mm x 65mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 243 grams (0.54 lbs).

Check the Olympus SZ-15 versus Panasonic ZS50 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you choose at the time. The following is a front view dimension comparison of the SZ-15 and the ZS50.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-15 and ZS50 is 88 and 90 respectively.

More often than not, it is very tough to visualise the contrast between sensor dimensions simply by reviewing specs. The picture below will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-15 and ZS50.

All in all, both of the cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit not the same megapixels. You can expect the Olympus SZ-15 to deliver more detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots way more aggressively. The more aged SZ-15 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.