Olympus SH-3 vs Panasonic FX78

In this write-up, we are looking at the Olympus SH-3 and Panasonic FX78, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a big gap between the image resolutions of the SH-3 (16MP) and FX78 (12MP) but they feature the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SH-3 was manufactured 5 years later than the FX78 and that is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before going in to a full comparison, below is a short summary of how the SH-3 matches up against the FX78 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus SH-3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SH-3 Gallery and Panasonic FX78 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you have to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus SH-3 enjoys physical measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FX78 has proportions of 100mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") with a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SH-3 and Panasonic FX78 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have chosen at that time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the SH-3 versus the FX78.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SH-3 and FX78 is 88 and 95 respectively.

More often than not, its hard to envision the contrast between sensor measurements just by checking a spec sheet. The photograph underneath might provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the SH-3 and FX78.

Clearly, both of the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same megapixels. You should expect to see the Olympus SH-3 to resolve more detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics a little more aggressively. The newer SH-3 will have a benefit in sensor technology.