Olympus SH-3 vs Panasonic FZ1000 II

The following is a in-depth comparison of the Olympus SH-3 versus Panasonic FZ1000 II, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the SH-3 (16MP) and the FZ1000 II (20MP) is fairly close but the SH-3 (1/2.3") and FZ1000 II (1") enjoy totally different sensor measurements.

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The SH-3 was launched 4 years before the FZ1000 II which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SH-3 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ1000 II being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving through a in depth comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the SH-3 scores vs the FZ1000 II in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SH-3 and Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus SH-3 Gallery and Panasonic FZ1000 II Gallery.

If you are intending to travel with your camera often, you should consider its weight and volume. The Olympus SH-3 enjoys outside 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) whilst the Panasonic FZ1000 II has sizing of 136mm x 97mm x 132mm (5.4" x 3.8" x 5.2") along with a weight of 808 grams (1.78 lbs).

Check the Olympus SH-3 versus Panasonic FZ1000 II in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Underneath is the front view measurements comparison of the SH-3 vs the FZ1000 II.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SH-3 and FZ1000 II is 88 and 55 respectively.

Normally, its difficult to visualise the difference in sensor dimensions only by looking through specifications. The image underneath will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-3 and FZ1000 II.

To sum up, both the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SH-3 due to its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field tougher and the Panasonic FZ1000 II will result in more detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images much more aggressively. The more aged SH-3 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.