Olympus 1s vs Panasonic SZ5

Let's look a little more in depth at the Olympus 1s vs Panasonic SZ5, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the 1s (12MP) and the SZ5 (14MP) is fairly comparable but the 1s (1/1.7") and SZ5 (1/2.3") have different sensor size.

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The 1s was announced 2 years after the SZ5 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus 1s being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic SZ5 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a in depth comparison, here is a quick summation of how the 1s grades versus the SZ5 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus 1s and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus 1s Gallery and Panasonic SZ5 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry around your camera regularly, you'll need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus 1s enjoys physical measurements of 116mm x 87mm x 57mm (4.6" x 3.4" x 2.2") along with a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs) whilst the Panasonic SZ5 has measurements of 104mm x 58mm x 21mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus 1s vs Panasonic SZ5 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have chosen at that time. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the 1s vs the SZ5.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the 1s and SZ5 is 79 and 95 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to imagine the contrast in sensor sizes purely by checking out technical specs. The picture below will help offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the 1s and SZ5.

As you have seen, each of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The 1s having a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF simpler and the Panasonic SZ5 will show more detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos more aggressively. The fresher 1s should have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.