Olympus 9000 vs Panasonic FZ100

Here is a extended assessment of the Olympus 9000 vs Panasonic FZ100, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the 9000 (12MP) and the FZ100 (14MP) is pretty similar and both cameras boast the identical sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The 9000 was announced 14 months before the FZ100 which makes them a generation apart from one another. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus 9000 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going straight to a full comparison, here is a simple view of how the 9000 matches up against the FZ100 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus 9000 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100. The whole galleries are available at Olympus 9000 Gallery & Panasonic FZ100 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry your camera frequently, you need to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus 9000 has external measurements of 96mm x 60mm x 31mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.2") and a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Panasonic FZ100 has proportions of 124mm x 82mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.2" x 3.6") and a weight of 540 grams (1.19 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus 9000 vs Panasonic FZ100 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you use at that time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the 9000 against the FZ100.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 9000 and FZ100 is 92 and 67 respectively.

Quite often, it is very hard to envision the gap between sensor sizing simply by reading technical specs. The visual underneath will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the 9000 and FZ100.

As you have seen, the two cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit not the same megapixels. You can expect the Panasonic FZ100 to deliver extra detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs way more aggressively. The older 9000 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.