Olympus Stylus 1s vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30: An Expert Comparison for Small Sensor Superzoom Cameras

When it comes to versatile bridge cameras with superzoom capabilities, two models emerge from the mid-2010s era: Olympus’s Stylus 1s and Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-LZ30. Both claim to be multi-purpose workhorses for enthusiasts seeking a flexible focal length, decent image quality, and portability without the hassle of interchangeable lenses. But how do they truly stack up in the field? Which one deserves a spot in your bag - if you want a small-sensor zoom camera that punches above its weight?

Having spent over 15 years testing thousands of cameras across genres, I’ve put these two models through rigorous evaluation - focusing on real-world use rather than just specs. What follows is a comprehensive, down-to-earth comparison of the Olympus 1s and Panasonic LZ30. By the end, you’ll have a clear sense of their strengths, practical limitations, and who they best serve.

First Impressions: Size, Build, and Handling

From the start, the Olympus Stylus 1s immediately feels like a premium compact designed for serious users. Its dimensions (116x87x57 mm) and weight (402g) give it a solid but manageable presence in the hand. The build quality is reassuring with a purposeful SLR-like bridge camera body, featuring a robust magnesium alloy exterior (despite no official weather sealing). The ergonomics favor one-handed grip comfort with a well-shaped front grip and a modest heft that promotes steadiness.

Comparatively, the Panasonic LZ30 (124x84x92 mm, 552g) is bulkier and noticeably heavier. That extra weight mostly comes from the plastic body and four AA batteries - a factor that influences balance and long shooting sessions. Its larger depth and heft can make it less comfortable for street or travel photography where quick handling and discretion matter.

While both cameras share the “bridge” style facade, the Olympus 1s is clearly designed with a more refined user in mind: the control layout is thoughtfully positioned for fast access, and the tilting 3-inch touchscreen adds versatility. The Panasonic, by contrast, is more utilitarian, with a fixed 3-inch screen and no electronic viewfinder, which impacts framing in bright outdoor conditions.

Control Design and User Interface

Shooters looking to control settings intuitively will appreciate the Olympus’s top control dial, dedicated function buttons, and touch-enabled rear display. I found the live view autofocus and customizable dials to speed up workflows significantly, especially for fast-changing scenes like sports or wildlife.

The Panasonic LZ30 simplifies the interface, targeting novices or casual users who prioritize zoom reach over manual control. It lacks manual focus rings or aperture priority modes; exposure control is limited, making it less appealing for users desiring creative flexibility. Zoom and shutter buttons dominate without well-placed customizable triggers or electronic dials.

The lack of any electronic viewfinder on the Panasonic is a missed opportunity - an EVF can drastically improve usability in bright lighting, which the Olympus supplies with its 1,440-dot resolution OLED finder offering 100% frame coverage.

Sensor Technology: The Heart of Image Quality

Now, to the most critical aspect of any camera - the sensor. Both the Olympus 1s and Panasonic LZ30 employ relatively small sensors typical of superzoom compacts but differ in type and size, which strongly affect image quality and performance.

• Olympus Stylus 1s: 1/1.7" BSI-CMOS sensor, 12 MP resolution (3968x2976 pixels), sensor area ~41.52 mm²
• Panasonic LZ30: 1/2.3" CCD sensor, 16 MP resolution (4608x3456 pixels), sensor area ~28.07 mm²

At first glance, the Panasonic’s higher megapixel figure might sound impressive. However, sensor size matters more than raw pixel count: a larger sensor collects more light, typically offering better dynamic range, less noise, and improved color depth. The Olympus capitalizes by using a back-illuminated CMOS sensor - a technology that maximizes the effective gathering of photons, thus delivering cleaner images, especially at higher ISOs.

Conversely, the Panasonic’s CCD sensor, although capable of producing detailed images at low ISO due to their inherent color accuracy, suffers from more noise at higher ISOs and limited dynamic range.

Practically, this means the Olympus will retain more highlight and shadow detail, especially in challenging lighting (landscapes, astrophotography). The Panasonic, while respectable in good lighting, will show visible degradation and noise once you pass ISO 800.

Displays and Viewfinders: Shooting Experience

Both cameras include 3-inch screens but differ notably in resolution and usability.

• Olympus 1s: Tilting 3" touchscreen with 1,040k dots - offering high clarity and the ability to compose from low/high angles. Touchscreen autofocus and menu navigation speed up shooting in the field.

• Panasonic LZ30: Fixed 3" TFT LCD with 460k dots - adequate for general framing but lacks clarity and flexibility. No touchscreen support; menu navigation relies on button input.

The Olympus’s inclusion of a high-resolution OLED electronic viewfinder is a major advantage. It delivers a bright, lag-free image with full exposure preview and coverage, making it handy in daylight and when you want to stabilize the camera against your face. The Panasonic lacks any viewfinder, forcing reliance on the LCD - a challenge outdoors due to glare.

For on-the-go photographers who value compositional adaptability, the Olympus wins hands down here.

Lens and Zoom: Range, Aperture, and Versatility

Both cameras feature fixed superzoom lenses - but with differing focal length ranges and optics quality.

• Olympus Stylus 1s: 28-300mm equivalent (10.7x zoom), constant f/2.8 aperture throughout zoom range.
• Panasonic LZ30: 25-875mm equivalent (35x zoom), variable aperture f/3.0–5.9.

The Olympus's constant bright f/2.8 aperture is a remarkable feat in a superzoom bridge camera. In practice, it offers significantly better low-light performance and shallower depth of field control, enabling pleasing background separation in portraits or creative bokeh effects - an unusual capability at this size.

The Panasonic’s vast 35x zoom extending to 875mm equivalent is impressive for distant wildlife or surveillance-like reach, but the narrow aperture at telephoto (f/5.9) means you need good light or higher ISO levels (with resultant noise) to maintain sharpness. Depth of field control is limited, and handholding at full zoom can be tricky despite optical stabilization.

Speaking of stabilization, both cameras incorporate optical image stabilization - critical for keeping images sharp at long focal lengths or dim conditions. Olympus uses a highly effective lens-shift stabilization, and in my tests, it noticeably improved handheld usability at 300mm. Panasonic’s system is solid but less sophisticated and less effective in stabilizing extreme telephoto shots.

For macro photography, Panasonic edges slightly with a closer minimum focus distance (1cm vs. Olympus’s 5cm), which translates into stronger magnification potential for capturing detail shots of flowers or insects.

Olympus 1s front Olympus 1s screen back Panasonic LZ30 front Panasonic LZ30 screen back

Real-World Image Quality Assessment Across Genres

I captured extensive image samples from both cameras across multiple shooting scenarios, which underscore their distinct strengths and compromises.

Portrait Photography

Olympus’s larger sensor combined with the bright f/2.8 lens yields superior skin tone rendition and pleasing subject isolation. Its 35 autofocus points with face detection enhance eye tracking and accurate focus placement. The Panasonic’s narrower aperture and lower sensor performance result in flatter portraits with limited background blur, although its default JPEG processing produces decent skin tones.

Landscape Photography

High-resolution raw files from the Panasonic show higher pixel counts but more noise and lower dynamic range compared to Olympus’s crisp, cleaner JPEG and raw captures. Olympus’s tilting screen and EVF aid composing complex landscapes. Neither camera is weather sealed, so caution is advised outdoors.

Wildlife and Telephoto Use

Panasonic’s extreme 875mm zoom delivers detail shots of distant subjects unmatched by Olympus’s 300mm max. However, autofocus on the Panasonic is slower and less accurate with moving wildlife, and burst rates (1fps) limit capturing action sequences. Olympus offers a 7 fps burst rate with reasonably quick contrast autofocus, favoring more dynamic wildlife or sports shooting.

Sports Photography

Here, Olympus’s faster continuous shooting and reliable AF tracking produce more keepers. Panasonic’s lagging autofocus and 1fps shooter rate leave decently exposed but often missed moments.

Street Photography

The Olympus 1s’s discreet EVF and compact body (for a bridge) allow for less conspicuous shooting and better reaction times. Panasonic’s bulkier build and lack of viewfinder make candid shooting awkward and slower.

Macro Photography

Panasonic’s ability to focus as close as 1cm permits closer, detailed shots of tiny subjects. Olympus’s 5cm limit still opens creative macro angles but less extreme.

Night and Astro Photography

Olympus’s CMOS sensor shines here with cleaner high ISO results up to ISO 3200 and the option of bulb exposures (minimum shutter speed 60 sec). The Olympus tripod mode and longer exposure capabilities outclass the Panasonic’s maximum 15-second shutter. Panasonic’s CCD sensor is noisier at high ISO, limiting its astrophotography potential.

Video Capabilities

Both cameras deliver HD video, but only Olympus offers full 1080p at 30fps with modern codecs (H.264/MPEG-4). Panasonic maxes out at 720p, and recording is limited to Motion JPEG, resulting in larger file sizes and lower compression efficiency.

Neither camera features microphone or headphone jacks, limiting audio quality control. Olympus has built-in wireless for image transfer, improving workflow, whereas Panasonic has none.

Neither supports advanced video features such as 4K recording, slow motion, or focus peaking.

Professional and Advanced Use: Workflow Integration

Olympus supports RAW capture, facilitating extensive post-processing, vital for professionals seeking maximum flexibility. Panasonic does not offer RAW, which is a significant limitation for image quality refinement.

Olympus’s USB 2.0 and HDMI ports cater to tethered shooting or external monitors, valuable in studio environments. Panasonic offers USB but lacks HDMI output.

Battery life favors Olympus with a rated 450 shots per charge via Rechargeable Lithium-ion BLS-50, suitable for full-day shoots without spares. Panasonic relies on 4 AA batteries with 380 shot rating, meaning frequent battery swaps and potentially higher consumable costs.

Summary of Technical Evaluations: Where They Excel and Falter

Suitability For Different Photography Genres

• Portraiture: Olympus 1s wins due to lens aperture and AF refinement.
• Landscape: Olympus offers better dynamic range and framing tools.
• Wildlife: Panasonic's extreme zoom is tempting but Olympus’s speed and AF deliver better keepers.
• Sports: Olympus superior burst speed and AF tracking.
• Street: Olympus for portability and EVF.
• Macro: Panasonic for minimum focus distance, Olympus for overall image quality.
• Night/Astro: Olympus clearly superior.
• Video: Olympus by a wide margin.
• Travel: Olympus’s compactness and battery outweigh Panasonic’s zoom reach.
• Professional Use: Olympus, thanks to RAW and customization.

Which Camera Should You Choose?

At around three times the price, the Olympus Stylus 1s demands a premium, but delivers many benefits that justify the investment for serious enthusiasts. It’s a flexible, fast, and high-quality tool capable of covering nearly all photographic needs except extreme telephoto reach beyond 300mm.

The Panasonic Lumix LZ30, budget-friendly and offering a whopping 35x zoom, may appeal to casual hobbyists or absolute beginners who prioritize reach and simple point-and-shoot operation over image quality or control. However, its outdated sensor technology and limited interface compromise usability for more demanding photography.

Final Thoughts: Hands-On Experience Insights

I spent over a week shooting side-by-side with these cameras, testing everything from dawn landscapes to dim concerts and rapid wildlife moments. The Olympus 1s impressed me repeatedly with its responsiveness, image quality, and balanced feature set - particularly how it blends portability with pro-level controls and optics. It felt like a bridge camera crafted for enthusiasts who want one versatile all-rounder.

On the other hand, the Panasonic LZ30 sometimes felt like a relic of an earlier era: its performance and interface lagged behind current expectations, and image quality reflected sensor limitations. Yet, for those constrained by budget or seeking reach over finesse, it remains a competent superzoom.

Ultimately, if you’re serious about image quality, fast autofocus, and creative flexibility - and willing to invest around $700 - the Olympus Stylus 1s stands out as the smarter choice. For casual zoom-centric shooting under $250, the Panasonic LZ30 still holds some ground.

Whether your priority is crisp portraits, immersive landscapes, distant wildlife, or steady sports action, the decision boils down to what you value most: the Olympus delivers in quality and speed; the Panasonic in zoom range and affordability.

Feel free to revisit the sample images and specs above, then choose the camera that matches your photography aspirations and shooting style best.

Happy shooting!