Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic FH1

Below is a complete review of the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Panasonic FH1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and FH1 (12MP) but both cameras posses the same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The SZ-16 iHS was manufactured 3 years later than the FH1 and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before diving right into a in depth comparison, here is a concise summation of how the SZ-16 iHS scores versus the FH1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery and Panasonic FH1 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS provides exterior measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") having a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FH1 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 163 grams (0.36 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Panasonic FH1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are using at the time. The following is a front view measurement comparison of the SZ-16 iHS against the FH1.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-16 iHS and FH1 is 89 and 95 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to visualize the gap between sensor measurements purely by reading a spec sheet. The visual below will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-16 iHS and FH1.

Clearly, each of the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but different MP. You should expect to see the Olympus SZ-16 iHS to deliver extra detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics more aggressively. The more recent SZ-16 iHS should have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.