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Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic GX1

Portability
89
Imaging
39
Features
36
Overall
37
Olympus SZ-16 iHS front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 front
Portability
87
Imaging
51
Features
54
Overall
52

Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic GX1 Key Specs

Olympus SZ-16 iHS
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-600mm (F3.0-6.9) lens
  • 226g - 108 x 70 x 40mm
  • Announced January 2013
Panasonic GX1
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 160 - 12800
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 318g - 116 x 68 x 39mm
  • Revealed February 2012
  • Renewed by Panasonic GX7
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Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic GX1 Overview

On this page, we will be contrasting the Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic GX1, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and the GX1 (16MP) is pretty well matched but the SZ-16 iHS (1/2.3") and GX1 (Four Thirds) posses different sensor size.

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The SZ-16 iHS was released 11 months after the GX1 so they are of a similar generation. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-16 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GX1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight to a detailed comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the SZ-16 iHS grades versus the GX1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-16 iHS over the Panasonic GX1

 SZ-16 iHS GX1 
RevealedJanuary 2013February 2012Newer by 11 months

Reasons to pick Panasonic GX1 over the Olympus SZ-16 iHS

 GX1 SZ-16 iHS 
Focus manually Dial accurate focusing
Touch friendly screen Quickly navigate

Common features in the Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Panasonic GX1

 SZ-16 iHS GX1 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen dimensions3"3"Equal screen size
Screen resolution460k460kEqual screen resolution
Selfie screen Neither features selfie screen

Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic GX1 Physical Comparison

For those who are aiming to travel with your camera often, you'll have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS enjoys exterior dimensions 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 GX1 has sizing of 116mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") along with a weight of 318 grams (0.70 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic GX1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are working with at that moment. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the SZ-16 iHS against the GX1.

Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic GX1 size comparison

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-16 iHS and GX1 is 89 and 87 respectively.

Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic GX1 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic GX1 Sensor Comparison

Quite often, its difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor dimensions purely by looking at a spec sheet. The pic below will help provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-16 iHS and GX1.

As you can see, the two cameras have the same megapixel count albeit different sensor dimensions. The SZ-16 iHS features the tinier sensor which is going to make getting bokeh tougher. The fresher SZ-16 iHS should have an edge in sensor innovation.

Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic GX1 sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic GX1 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic GX1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SZ-16 iHS Portrait photography advice
Panasonic GX1 Portrait photography advice
34
decent megapixels (16MP)
provides face detection focusing
manual focus not available
manual mode not available
can't use external flash
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files
70
focusing manually
MP count good (16MP)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
has face detection focusing
saves RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus SZ-16 iHS Street photography highlights
Panasonic GX1 Street photography highlights
60
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than competition (226 grams)
no moving screen
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files
69
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
offers touch focus
fixed screen
does not have image stabilization
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Sports Comparison

Olympus SZ-16 iHS Sports photography information
Panasonic GX1 Sports photography information
41
amazing zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
provides tracking autofocus
slow frames per second (2.0 fps)
no shutter priority
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
low battery power (220 CIPA)
does not have phase detect AF
46
MP count good (16MP)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
has tracking autofocus
max frames per second very slow (4.0 fps)
does not have image stabilization
low battery (300 per charge)
doesn't have phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SZ-16 iHS Travel photography info
Panasonic GX1 Travel photography info
65
lighter than competition (226 grams)
decent megapixels (16MP)
flash built-in
really wide (25mm)
long zoom (600mm)
lack of Timelapse function
low battery power (220 shots)
screen isn't selfie friendly
slow max aperture (f3.0)
65
offers touch focus
MP count good (16MP)
built-in flash
doesn't have Timelapse recording
low battery (300 CIPA)
display isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus SZ-16 iHS
Landscape photography with Panasonic GX1
41
really wide (25mm)
decent sized screen (3 inch)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
decent megapixels (16MP)
manual focus not available
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
manual mode not available
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files
low battery power (220 per charge)
lack of Timelapse function
62
focusing manually
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen size is good (3 inches)
MP count good (16 megapixels)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
does not have image stabilization
low battery (300 CIPA)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SZ-16 iHS Vlogging advice
Panasonic GX1 Vlogging advice
31
really wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
provides face detection focusing
lighter than competition (226g)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
screen isn't selfie friendly
low res video (1280 x 720 pixels)
lack of external microphone support
32
screen is touchscreen
has face detection focusing
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
display isn't selfie friendly
does not have image stabilization
doesn't have external microphone support
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Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic GX1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-16 iHS and Panasonic GX1
 Olympus SZ-16 iHSPanasonic Lumix DMC-GX1
General Information
Make Olympus Panasonic
Model Olympus SZ-16 iHS Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Entry-Level Mirrorless
Announced 2013-01-08 2012-02-14
Physical type Compact Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Powered by - Venus Engine FHD
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" Four Thirds
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 17.3 x 13mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 224.9mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixels 16 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio - 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 4608 x 3456 4592 x 3448
Maximum native ISO 6400 12800
Lowest native ISO 80 160
RAW photos
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Number of focus points - 23
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens Micro Four Thirds
Lens focal range 25-600mm (24.0x) -
Largest aperture f/3.0-6.9 -
Number of lenses - 107
Focal length multiplier 5.8 2.1
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Display resolution 460 thousand dots 460 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Display tech TFT Color LCD TFT Color LCD with wide-viewing angle
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Electronic (optional)
Features
Slowest shutter speed 4 secs 60 secs
Maximum shutter speed 1/2000 secs 1/4000 secs
Continuous shooting rate 2.0fps 4.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation - Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range - 7.60 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AEB
WB bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize - 1/160 secs
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 180 (30fps) 1920 x 1080 (60 fps) 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30fps), 320 x 240 (30fps)
Maximum video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 226 grams (0.50 lb) 318 grams (0.70 lb)
Physical dimensions 108 x 70 x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") 116 x 68 x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested 55
DXO Color Depth score not tested 20.8
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 10.6
DXO Low light score not tested 703
Other
Battery life 220 shots 300 shots
Form of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model LI-50B -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, pet auto shutter) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots Single Single
Price at launch $230 $228