Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic FS42

Below is a in depth review of the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Panasonic FS42, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Ultracompact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap between the image resolutions of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and FS42 (10MP) and the SZ-16 iHS (1/2.3") and FS42 (1/2.5") enjoy totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-16 iHS was unveiled 3 years later than the FS42 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going through a more detailed comparison, below is a brief summary of how the SZ-16 iHS scores vs the FS42 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42. The full galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery and Panasonic FS42 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to lug around your camera often, you are going to need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS features physical measurements 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 FS42 has dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs).

See the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Panasonic FS42 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are using at that moment. Underneath is the front view measurement comparison of the SZ-16 iHS vs the FS42.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-16 iHS and FS42 is 89 and 95 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to visualise the gap between sensor measurements only by reading specifications. The visual underneath may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-16 iHS and FS42.

Plainly, both of these cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The SZ-16 iHS having a larger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF simpler and the Olympus SZ-16 iHS will offer you greater detail having an extra 6MP. Greater resolution will let you crop pics much more aggressively. The fresher SZ-16 iHS will have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.