Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic FZ35

Following is a detailed review of the Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic FZ35, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap among the image resolutions of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and FZ35 (12MP) but both cameras have the identical sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The SZ-16 iHS was unveiled 2 years after the FZ35 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ35 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going straight to a detailed comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the SZ-16 iHS scores against the FZ35 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-16 iHS & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35. The full galleries are available at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery & Panasonic FZ35 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS features outer dimensions 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 FZ35 has sizing of 118mm x 76mm x 89mm (4.6" x 3.0" x 3.5") with a weight of 397 grams (0.88 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic FZ35 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilising at the time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the SZ-16 iHS versus the FZ35.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-16 iHS and FZ35 is 89 and 72 respectively.

Quite often, it can be difficult to picture the contrast in sensor sizes purely by seeing specs. The pic below should give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-16 iHS and FZ35.

All in all, the two cameras feature the identical sensor size but different MP. You can expect to see the Olympus SZ-16 iHS to produce more detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images way more aggressively. The newer SZ-16 iHS provides an advantage with regard to sensor technology.