Olympus 9000 vs Panasonic ZS20

Here is a complete review of the Olympus 9000 and Panasonic ZS20, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the 9000 (12MP) and the ZS20 (14MP) is very well matched and they enjoy the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The 9000 was manufactured 3 years before the ZS20 and that is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting in to a thorough comparison, below is a short view of how the 9000 scores against the ZS20 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus 9000 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. The entire galleries are available at Olympus 9000 Gallery & Panasonic ZS20 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera, you are going to need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus 9000 enjoys physical 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 ZS20 has measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs).

Check out the Olympus 9000 and Panasonic ZS20 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the 9000 compared to the ZS20.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the 9000 and ZS20 is 92 and 92 respectively.

In many cases, it is hard to imagine the gap between sensor sizing simply by checking technical specs. The graphic here might offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the 9000 and ZS20.

As you have seen, both the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but different resolution. You can expect to see the Panasonic ZS20 to give you greater detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images much more aggressively. The older 9000 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.