Olympus SH-3 vs Panasonic FZ200

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus SH-3 versus Panasonic FZ200, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap among the sensor resolutions of the SH-3 (16MP) and FZ200 (12MP) but both cameras boast the same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SH-3 was announced 3 years later than the FZ200 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-3 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ200 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the SH-3 scores vs the FZ200 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus SH-3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SH-3 Gallery and Panasonic FZ200 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus SH-3 provides outside dimensions 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 FZ200 has measurements of 125mm x 87mm x 110mm (4.9" x 3.4" x 4.3") accompanied by a weight of 588 grams (1.30 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SH-3 versus Panasonic FZ200 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at that moment. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the SH-3 vs the FZ200.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SH-3 and FZ200 is 88 and 65 respectively.

Typically, it is very hard to imagine the difference in sensor measurements merely by seeing technical specs. The photograph below will provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-3 and FZ200.

As you have seen, both cameras have the same sensor dimensions but different resolution. You should expect to see the Olympus SH-3 to show greater detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The fresher SH-3 provides a benefit with regard to sensor tech.