Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Panasonic G100

Lets take a closer look at the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Panasonic G100, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the SZ-31MR iHS (16MP) and the G100 (20MP) is pretty comparable but the SZ-31MR iHS (1/2.3") and G100 (Four Thirds) have different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-31MR iHS was released 9 years prior to the G100 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic G100 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go into a full comparison, here is a short introduction of how the SZ-31MR iHS scores versus the G100 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Panasonic Lumix DC-G100. The complete galleries are available at Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Gallery and Panasonic G100 Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera often, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-31MR iHS offers outside dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Panasonic G100 has measurements of 116mm x 83mm x 54mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 2.1") having a weight of 352 grams (0.78 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Panasonic G100 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are working with at that time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the SZ-31MR iHS compared to the G100.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-31MR iHS and G100 is 89 and 81 respectively.

Sometimes, it's tough to visualize the difference in sensor measurements merely by going through specs. The graphic here may provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-31MR iHS and G100.

All in all, both of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SZ-31MR iHS featuring a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult and the Panasonic G100 will provide more detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The older SZ-31MR iHS will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.