Olympus 550WP vs Panasonic ZS100

Here is a in depth review of the Olympus 550WP versus Panasonic ZS100, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a substantial difference among the sensor resolutions of the 550WP (10MP) and ZS100 (20MP) and the 550WP (1/2.3") and ZS100 (1") provide totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The 550WP was launched 8 years before the ZS100 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus 550WP being a Compact camera and the Panasonic ZS100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the 550WP grades versus the ZS100 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus 550WP & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus 550WP Gallery & Panasonic ZS100 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to think about its weight and size. The Olympus 550WP has outside dimensions of 94mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") having a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS100 has specifications of 111mm x 65mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 312 grams (0.69 lbs).

Check out the Olympus 550WP versus Panasonic ZS100 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have at that time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the 550WP compared to the ZS100.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the 550WP and ZS100 is 94 and 87 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to envision the difference in sensor sizing only by looking through a spec sheet. The photograph here should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the 550WP and ZS100.

As you can see, each of the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The 550WP because of its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Panasonic ZS100 will provide you with more detail utilizing its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The older 550WP will be behind with regard to sensor technology.