Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Panasonic LX7

Let's look more closely at the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Panasonic LX7, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap between the image resolutions of the SZ-31MR iHS (16MP) and LX7 (10MP) and the SZ-31MR iHS (1/2.3") and LX7 (1/1.7") boast totally different sensor size.

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The SZ-31MR iHS was brought out 8 months prior to the LX7 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before getting into a in depth comparison, here is a quick view of how the SZ-31MR iHS matches up vs the LX7 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-31MR iHS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Gallery and Panasonic LX7 Gallery.

For those who are going to lug around your camera frequently, you should think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-31MR iHS offers outside dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") having a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Panasonic LX7 has dimensions of 111mm x 68mm x 46mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.8") and a weight of 298 grams (0.66 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS vs Panasonic LX7 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have chosen at the time. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the SZ-31MR iHS and the LX7.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-31MR iHS and LX7 is 89 and 86 respectively.

More often than not, its tough to envision the gap between sensor measurements purely by reviewing a spec sheet. The graphic below should give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-31MR iHS and LX7.

As you can see, both the cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SZ-31MR iHS due to its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow DOF tougher and the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS will deliver extra detail having its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The older SZ-31MR iHS is going to be behind in sensor tech.