Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic FS12

The following is a comprehensive overview of the Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic FS12, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Ultracompact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap among the resolutions of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and FS12 (12MP) but both cameras posses the same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SZ-16 iHS was unveiled 3 years after the FS12 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FS12 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before we go into a in depth comparison, here is a concise overview of how the SZ-16 iHS grades against the FS12 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery and Panasonic FS12 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to travel with your camera often, you will want to think about its weight and size. 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 FS12 has specifications of 97mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 129 grams (0.28 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic FS12 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have at the time. Here is a front view dimension comparison of the SZ-16 iHS compared to the FS12.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-16 iHS and FS12 is 89 and 95 respectively.

Typically, it is very difficult to visualize the difference in sensor dimensions only by checking out specs. The image underneath will provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-16 iHS and FS12.

All in all, the 2 cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but different megapixels. You should expect to see the Olympus SZ-16 iHS to provide greater detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos more aggressively. The fresher SZ-16 iHS provides an edge with regard to sensor tech.