Olympus XZ-10 vs Panasonic S2

Its time to take a deeper look at the Olympus XZ-10 vs Panasonic S2, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the XZ-10 (12MP) and the S2 (14MP) is fairly well matched and they possess the same exact sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The XZ-10 was unveiled 13 months later than the S2 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick summation of how the XZ-10 matches up vs the S2 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus XZ-10 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-S2. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-10 Gallery & Panasonic S2 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus XZ-10 comes with external measurements of 102mm x 61mm x 34mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs) while the Panasonic S2 has sizing of 98mm x 57mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 112 grams (0.25 lbs).

Check the Olympus XZ-10 vs Panasonic S2 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are working with at the time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the XZ-10 and the S2.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the XZ-10 and S2 is 91 and 96 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to envision the contrast between sensor measurements merely by reading through technical specs. The visual below will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the XZ-10 and S2.

As you have seen, each of the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same resolution. You can anticipate the Panasonic S2 to resolve greater detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images a little more aggressively. The fresher XZ-10 will have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.