Olympus SZ-16 iHS vs Panasonic ZS30

Lets look more closely at the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Panasonic ZS30, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the SZ-16 iHS (16MP) and the ZS30 (18MP) is pretty similar and they come with the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SZ-16 iHS was launched at a similar time to the ZS30 so they are of a similar age. Both the cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple overview of how the SZ-16 iHS scores versus the ZS30 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-16 iHS & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30. The complete galleries are available at Olympus SZ-16 iHS Gallery & Panasonic ZS30 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry around your camera often, you need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-16 iHS comes with physical 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 ZS30 has sizing of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SZ-16 iHS versus Panasonic ZS30 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Following is the front view over all size comparison of the SZ-16 iHS vs the ZS30.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-16 iHS and ZS30 is 89 and 92 respectively.

Oftentimes, its tough to visualise the gap between sensor sizes simply by going over specs. The pic here might provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-16 iHS and ZS30.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same megapixels. You can expect the Panasonic ZS30 to offer extra detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop shots a little more aggressively.