Olympus SH-1 vs Panasonic FS15

Below, we are reviewing the Olympus SH-1 and Panasonic FS15, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Ultracompact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap between the resolutions of the SH-1 (16MP) and FS15 (12MP) but they use the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SH-1 was brought out 5 years after the FS15 which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SH-1 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FS15 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving through a in depth comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the SH-1 matches up vs the FS15 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus SH-1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SH-1 Gallery & Panasonic FS15 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you'll have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus SH-1 features external dimensions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") along with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FS15 has measurements of 97mm x 54mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.1" x 0.9") along with a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SH-1 and Panasonic FS15 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you use at the time. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the SH-1 compared to the FS15.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SH-1 and FS15 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Typically, it's difficult to visualise the difference between sensor sizes just by reviewing technical specs. The pic underneath might give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SH-1 and FS15.

As you can tell, both of these cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but not the same megapixels. You can expect to see the Olympus SH-1 to offer extra detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images somewhat more aggressively. The fresher SH-1 is going to have an edge in sensor tech.