Olympus SP-100 vs Panasonic GX9

Its time to take a deeper look at the Olympus SP-100 and Panasonic GX9, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the SP-100 (16MP) and the GX9 (20MP) is relatively similar but the SP-100 (1/2.3") and GX9 (Four Thirds) use different sensor measurements.

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The SP-100 was released 5 years earlier than the GX9 which is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SP-100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic GX9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight into a complete comparison, below is a quick overview of how the SP-100 grades versus the GX9 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus SP-100 & Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9. The complete galleries are available at Olympus SP-100 Gallery & Panasonic GX9 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to travel with your camera regularly, you have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SP-100 provides external dimensions of 122mm x 91mm x 133mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 5.2") accompanied by a weight of 594 grams (1.31 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GX9 has dimensions of 124mm x 72mm x 47mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.9") along with a weight of 407 grams (0.90 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SP-100 and Panasonic GX9 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Below is the front view scale comparison of the SP-100 compared to the GX9.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the SP-100 and GX9 is 63 and 82 respectively.

Generally, it is very hard to imagine the difference between sensor dimensions just by reading technical specs. The image here should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the SP-100 and GX9.

As you have seen, both of these cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The SP-100 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field harder and the Panasonic GX9 will offer you more detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures a little more aggressively. The more aged SP-100 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.