Olympus SZ-30MR vs Panasonic ZS200

Following is a in depth assessment of the Olympus SZ-30MR and Panasonic ZS200, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the SZ-30MR (16MP) and the ZS200 (20MP) is pretty well matched but the SZ-30MR (1/2.3") and ZS200 (1") use totally different sensor sizes.

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The SZ-30MR was announced 8 years prior to the ZS200 which is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-30MR being a Compact camera and the Panasonic ZS200 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before delving through a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief summary of how the SZ-30MR scores vs the ZS200 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-30MR & Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-30MR Gallery & Panasonic ZS200 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry around your camera frequently, you need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-30MR offers exterior measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") having a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS200 has sizing of 111mm x 66mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.8") along with a weight of 340 grams (0.75 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-30MR and Panasonic ZS200 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the SZ-30MR compared to the ZS200.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-30MR and ZS200 is 89 and 86 respectively.

Often, it is difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes just by checking specifications. The image below might give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-30MR and ZS200.

To sum up, each of the cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The SZ-30MR having a tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field tougher and the Panasonic ZS200 will resolve greater detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The more aged SZ-30MR is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.