Olympus 9000 vs Panasonic LZ20

Below, we will be matching up the Olympus 9000 versus Panasonic LZ20, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap between the image resolutions of the 9000 (12MP) and LZ20 (16MP) but they feature the exact same sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The 9000 was introduced 4 years prior to the LZ20 which is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus 9000 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic LZ20 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving through a in depth comparison, below is a brief summary of how the 9000 matches up versus the LZ20 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus 9000 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ20. The whole galleries are available at Olympus 9000 Gallery and Panasonic LZ20 Gallery.

If you are looking to travel with your camera, you will need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus 9000 comes with external measurements of 96mm x 60mm x 31mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.2") with a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Panasonic LZ20 has measurements of 120mm x 76mm x 80mm (4.7" x 3.0" x 3.1") accompanied by a weight of 499 grams (1.10 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus 9000 versus Panasonic LZ20 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Following is the front view dimension comparison of the 9000 versus the LZ20.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the 9000 and LZ20 is 92 and 71 respectively.

Normally, it's difficult to see the gap between sensor dimensions simply by reading technical specs. The picture underneath should give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the 9000 and LZ20.

As you can tell, both of those cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same megapixels. You should expect the Panasonic LZ20 to offer more detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The more aged 9000 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.