Olympus SP-100 vs Panasonic L1

Following is a detailed assessment of the Olympus SP-100 versus Panasonic L1, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a large difference among the image resolutions of the SP-100 (16MP) and L1 (7MP) and the SP-100 (1/2.3") and L1 (Four Thirds) come with different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The SP-100 was manufactured 6 years after the L1 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SP-100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic L1 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a short summary of how the SP-100 scores vs the L1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SP-100 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus SP-100 Gallery & Panasonic L1 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus SP-100 offers outside 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) while the Panasonic L1 has measurements of 146mm x 87mm x 77mm (5.7" x 3.4" x 3.0") and a weight of 606 grams (1.34 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SP-100 versus Panasonic L1 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have at that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the SP-100 compared to the L1.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the SP-100 and L1 is 63 and 65 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very hard to imagine the gap in sensor sizes purely by looking through technical specs. The pic below may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the SP-100 and L1.

As you can tell, the two cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The SP-100 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF more challenging and the Olympus SP-100 will result in greater detail due to its extra 9MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images much more aggressively. The newer SP-100 provides an advantage in sensor innovation.