Olympus SH-3 vs Panasonic LX5

Let's look a little more closely at the Olympus SH-3 vs Panasonic LX5, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a noticeable difference between the image resolutions of the SH-3 (16MP) and LX5 (10MP) and the SH-3 (1/2.3") and LX5 (1/1.63") provide totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The SH-3 was introduced 4 years after the LX5 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before getting right into a in depth comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the SH-3 matches up against the LX5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SH-3 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SH-3 Gallery & Panasonic LX5 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus SH-3 comes with physical measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) whilst the Panasonic LX5 has proportions of 110mm x 65mm x 43mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs).

See the Olympus SH-3 vs Panasonic LX5 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are working with during that time. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the SH-3 vs the LX5.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the SH-3 and LX5 is 88 and 88 respectively.

In many cases, it is very difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes simply by reviewing a spec sheet. The image here will provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the SH-3 and LX5.

As you can see, both of these cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The SH-3 with its tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field trickier and the Olympus SH-3 will offer extra detail using its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop images way more aggressively. The fresher SH-3 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.