Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic S5

Let's look a little more closely at the Olympus SP-820UZ and Panasonic S5, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizable difference between the image resolutions of the SP-820UZ (14MP) and S5 (24MP) and the SP-820UZ (1/2.3") and S5 (Full frame) offer totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The SP-820UZ was announced 9 years prior to the S5 which is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SP-820UZ being a Compact camera and the Panasonic S5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the SP-820UZ grades against the S5 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ & Panasonic Lumix DC-S5. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SP-820UZ Gallery & Panasonic S5 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to travel with your camera often, you'll need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus SP-820UZ features outer measurements of 117mm x 78mm x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") and a weight of 485 grams (1.07 lbs) and the Panasonic S5 has measurements of 133mm x 97mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2") along with a weight of 714 grams (1.57 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SP-820UZ and Panasonic S5 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are working with during that time. Underneath is a front view overall size comparison of the SP-820UZ compared to the S5.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the SP-820UZ and S5 is 69 and 60 respectively.

In many cases, it is hard to see the gap between sensor dimensions just by reading specs. The image underneath might offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the SP-820UZ and S5.

All in all, both cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The SP-820UZ using its tinier sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field harder and the Panasonic S5 will deliver greater detail with its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images way more aggressively. The more aged SP-820UZ is going to be behind in sensor technology.