Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic S1

In this article, we are evaluating the Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Panasonic S1, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap among the sensor resolutions of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and S1 (24MP) and the SZ-16 iHS (1/2.3") and S1 (Full frame) come with different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-16 iHS was unveiled 7 years before the S1 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic S1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving through a in depth comparison, below is a short view of how the SZ-16 iHS matches up vs the S1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Panasonic Lumix DC-S1. The full galleries are available at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery and Panasonic S1 Gallery.

For those who are going to travel with your camera often, you will need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS provides physical measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Panasonic S1 has dimensions of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") along with a weight of 1021 grams (2.25 lbs).

Check the Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Panasonic S1 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are working with during that time. Below is the front view size comparison of the SZ-16 iHS against the S1.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-16 iHS and S1 is 89 and 54 respectively.

Typically, its hard to picture the gap in sensor dimensions just by checking out a spec sheet. The image here will help provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-16 iHS and S1.

As you can see, each of these cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SZ-16 iHS using its smaller sensor is going to make achieving bokeh more challenging and the Panasonic S1 will show more detail having an extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics far more aggressively. The more aged SZ-16 iHS will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.