Olympus 1s vs Panasonic LZ20

Here, we are looking at the Olympus 1s vs Panasonic LZ20, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference among the resolutions of the 1s (12MP) and LZ20 (16MP) and the 1s (1/1.7") and LZ20 (1/2.3") offer different sensor measurements.

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The 1s was released 2 years later than the LZ20 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature the same body design (SLR-like (bridge)).

Before diving right into a thorough comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the 1s scores vs the LZ20 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus 1s and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ20. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus 1s Gallery and Panasonic LZ20 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera often, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus 1s has exterior dimensions of 116mm x 87mm x 57mm (4.6" x 3.4" x 2.2") having a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs) and the Panasonic LZ20 has proportions of 120mm x 76mm x 80mm (4.7" x 3.0" x 3.1") accompanied by a weight of 499 grams (1.10 lbs).

Examine the Olympus 1s vs Panasonic LZ20 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you use at that time. The following is a front view dimension comparison of the 1s vs the LZ20.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the 1s and LZ20 is 79 and 71 respectively.

In many cases, it is very difficult to imagine the gap in sensor measurements just by researching specifications. The photograph here may give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the 1s and LZ20.

To sum up, both of these cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The 1s because of its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic LZ20 will render extra detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images way more aggressively. The more modern 1s provides an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.