Olympus 9000 vs Panasonic ZS40

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus 9000 and Panasonic ZS40, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a big difference between the image resolutions of the 9000 (12MP) and ZS40 (18MP) but they enjoy the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The 9000 was revealed 5 years before the ZS40 which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving through a detailed comparison, below is a concise summation of how the 9000 matches up vs the ZS40 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus 9000 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus 9000 Gallery and Panasonic ZS40 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry around your camera, you are going to need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus 9000 offers exterior measurements of 96mm x 60mm x 31mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.2") and a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS40 has proportions of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Look at the Olympus 9000 and Panasonic ZS40 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have at that moment. Below is the front view scale comparison of the 9000 against the ZS40.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the 9000 and ZS40 is 92 and 90 respectively.

Often, its hard to visualize the gap between sensor sizes only by reviewing specifications. The pic underneath might give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the 9000 and ZS40.

To sum up, both cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but different megapixels. You should expect to see the Panasonic ZS40 to deliver more detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos far more aggressively. The more aged 9000 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.