Olympus SP-100 vs Panasonic LS5

Following is a detailed comparison of the Olympus SP-100 and Panasonic LS5, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the SP-100 (16MP) and the LS5 (14MP) is very well matched and both cameras posses the same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The SP-100 was unveiled 2 years after the LS5 which is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic LS5 being a Compact camera.

Before getting right into a complete comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the SP-100 matches up versus the LS5 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus SP-100 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS5. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-100 Gallery & Panasonic LS5 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus SP-100 enjoys outer 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) whilst the Panasonic LS5 has sizing of 97mm x 62mm x 27mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SP-100 and Panasonic LS5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are employing at that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the SP-100 vs the LS5.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the SP-100 and LS5 is 63 and 94 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is tough to visualize the gap between sensor sizes purely by checking a spec sheet. The pic here should give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the SP-100 and LS5.

Clearly, both of the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but different MP. You can expect to see the Olympus SP-100 to give more detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos more aggressively. The younger SP-100 provides an advantage with regard to sensor tech.