Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic LX100 II

The following is a complete review of the Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Panasonic LX100 II, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and the LX100 II (17MP) is pretty close but the SZ-16 iHS (1/2.3") and LX100 II (Four Thirds) feature different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-16 iHS was introduced 6 years prior to the LX100 II which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic LX100 II being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going through a in depth comparison, below is a concise summary of how the SZ-16 iHS grades against the LX100 II when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery and Panasonic LX100 II Gallery.

For those who are looking to travel with your camera often, you are going to need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS has external dimensions of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") having a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Panasonic LX100 II has specifications of 115mm x 66mm x 64mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 2.5") along with a weight of 392 grams (0.86 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Panasonic LX100 II in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you use at the time. Underneath is the front view dimensions comparison of the SZ-16 iHS versus the LX100 II.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-16 iHS and LX100 II is 89 and 81 respectively.

Generally, it's difficult to imagine the difference in sensor dimensions merely by looking through specs. The pic below might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-16 iHS and LX100 II.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SZ-16 iHS having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Panasonic LX100 II will provide you with extra detail using its extra 1MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs much more aggressively. The more aged SZ-16 iHS will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.