Olympus SP-100 vs Panasonic GH5S

Its time to examine more in depth at the Olympus SP-100 and Panasonic GH5S, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a big difference among the image resolutions of the SP-100 (16MP) and GH5S (10MP) and the SP-100 (1/2.3") and GH5S (Four Thirds) enjoy different sensor size.

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The SP-100 was unveiled 4 years earlier than the GH5S which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SP-100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic GH5S being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the SP-100 grades vs the GH5S when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SP-100 and Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S. The full galleries are provided at Olympus SP-100 Gallery and Panasonic GH5S Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to carry around your camera often, you will have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SP-100 enjoys exterior dimensions of 122mm x 91mm x 133mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 5.2") along with a weight of 594 grams (1.31 lbs) and the Panasonic GH5S has dimensions of 139mm x 98mm x 87mm (5.5" x 3.9" x 3.4") with a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs).

Check the Olympus SP-100 and Panasonic GH5S in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have at that moment. The following is the front view measurements comparison of the SP-100 versus the GH5S.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the SP-100 and GH5S is 63 and 62 respectively.

Generally, it is very difficult to visualize the gap in sensor sizes merely by going through specs. The picture below will offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the SP-100 and GH5S.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The SP-100 having a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF more challenging and the Olympus SP-100 will show extra detail having an extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The more aged SP-100 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.