Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic FP5

Following is a in depth overview of the Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Panasonic FP5, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Ultracompact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and the FP5 (14MP) is fairly similar and they come with the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The SZ-16 iHS was announced 2 years after the FP5 which is quite a serious difference as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FP5 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going in to a full comparison, below is a concise summary of how the SZ-16 iHS scores against the FP5 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-16 iHS & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery & Panasonic FP5 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS features outside measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Panasonic FP5 has proportions of 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Panasonic FP5 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are using at that moment. Following is the front view size comparison of the SZ-16 iHS versus the FP5.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-16 iHS and FP5 is 89 and 95 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very tough to envision the gap between sensor sizes purely by reading a spec sheet. The image here may offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-16 iHS and FP5.

As you can see, both of these cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but not the same megapixels. You can anticipate the Olympus SZ-16 iHS to deliver more detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images somewhat more aggressively. The fresher SZ-16 iHS will have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.