Olympus SH-1 vs Panasonic FP5

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Olympus SH-1 vs Panasonic FP5, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Ultracompact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the SH-1 (16MP) and the FP5 (14MP) is pretty comparable and both cameras offer the same sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The SH-1 was manufactured 3 years later than the FP5 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-1 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FP5 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a short highlight of how the SH-1 scores vs the FP5 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus SH-1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus SH-1 Gallery & Panasonic FP5 Gallery.

If you're looking to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SH-1 features external measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) and the Panasonic FP5 has dimensions of 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") along with a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SH-1 vs Panasonic FP5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you use at that time. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the SH-1 against the FP5.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the SH-1 and FP5 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Often, its tough to see the contrast in sensor measurements simply by checking out a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the SH-1 and FP5.

Clearly, the two cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same MP. You can expect the Olympus SH-1 to provide greater detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more recent SH-1 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.