Olympus SH-2 vs Panasonic LX100

Below, we are analyzing the Olympus SH-2 and Panasonic LX100, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference between the image resolutions of the SH-2 (16MP) and LX100 (13MP) and the SH-2 (1/2.3") and LX100 (Four Thirds) use totally different sensor size.

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The SH-2 was unveiled 6 months after the LX100 so they are of a similar generation. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SH-2 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic LX100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a complete comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the SH-2 scores vs the LX100 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SH-2 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SH-2 Gallery and Panasonic LX100 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus SH-2 enjoys exterior 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 LX100 has sizing of 115mm x 66mm x 55mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 2.2") accompanied by a weight of 393 grams (0.87 lbs).

See the Olympus SH-2 and Panasonic LX100 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you select at the time. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the SH-2 vs the LX100.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the SH-2 and LX100 is 88 and 83 respectively.

Oftentimes, its difficult to see the contrast between sensor sizes purely by going over technical specs. The image underneath will offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the SH-2 and LX100.

As you can tell, both the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The SH-2 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF harder and the Olympus SH-2 will deliver extra detail having an extra 3 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively.