Olympus SH-2 vs Panasonic FZ47

Lets look a bit more closely at the Olympus SH-2 vs Panasonic FZ47, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizable gap between the sensor resolutions of the SH-2 (16MP) and FZ47 (12MP) but both cameras have the same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SH-2 was revealed 3 years later than the FZ47 and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-2 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ47 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go right into a thorough comparison, here is a short highlight of how the SH-2 scores against the FZ47 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus SH-2 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47. The full galleries are provided at Olympus SH-2 Gallery & Panasonic FZ47 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera frequently, you have to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus SH-2 enjoys physical dimensions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) and the Panasonic FZ47 has sizing of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") and a weight of 498 grams (1.10 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SH-2 vs Panasonic FZ47 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you use at the time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the SH-2 and the FZ47.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SH-2 and FZ47 is 88 and 68 respectively.

Typically, it is very tough to imagine the contrast between sensor measurements purely by looking at specs. The graphic below may give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-2 and FZ47.

All in all, each of these cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit different MP. You can count on the Olympus SH-2 to give you more detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots more aggressively. The more modern SH-2 provides an edge with regard to sensor innovation.