Olympus SP-100 vs Panasonic S1

Here, we will be looking at the Olympus SP-100 and Panasonic S1, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference between the sensor resolutions of the SP-100 (16MP) and S1 (12MP) but both cameras boast the identical sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SP-100 was manufactured 3 years after the S1 which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SP-100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic S1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a in depth comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the SP-100 scores vs the S1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus SP-100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-S1. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-100 Gallery and Panasonic S1 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera often, you're going to have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus SP-100 enjoys external measurements of 122mm x 91mm x 133mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 5.2") accompanied by a weight of 594 grams (1.31 lbs) while the Panasonic S1 has proportions of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") and a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SP-100 and Panasonic S1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are using at the time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the SP-100 vs the S1.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the SP-100 and S1 is 63 and 96 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is hard to imagine the contrast between sensor dimensions merely by going over specs. The image underneath will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the SP-100 and S1.

All in all, each of these cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit different resolution. You should count on the Olympus SP-100 to offer greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop photographs way more aggressively. The newer SP-100 should have an edge in sensor tech.