Olympus SH-2 vs Panasonic 3D1

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Olympus SH-2 and Panasonic 3D1, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a large gap between the sensor resolutions of the SH-2 (16MP) and 3D1 (12MP) but they come with the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

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The SH-2 was manufactured 3 years after the 3D1 which is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving through a more detailed comparison, below is a short highlight of how the SH-2 grades against the 3D1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus SH-2 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus SH-2 Gallery & Panasonic 3D1 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry around your camera, you have to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus SH-2 offers external measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) while the Panasonic 3D1 has specifications of 108mm x 58mm x 24mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 0.9") with a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs).

See the Olympus SH-2 and Panasonic 3D1 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the SH-2 and the 3D1.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SH-2 and 3D1 is 88 and 93 respectively.

Typically, its difficult to visualise the difference between sensor sizes merely by looking at technical specs. The image below will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the SH-2 and 3D1.

As you have seen, the two cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same resolution. You can expect the Olympus SH-2 to give you extra detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will help you crop pictures a little more aggressively. The more recent SH-2 will have an advantage in sensor innovation.