Olympus XZ-1 vs Panasonic FP2

Following is a comprehensive overview of the Olympus XZ-1 and Panasonic FP2, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizable gap between the image resolutions of the XZ-1 (10MP) and FP2 (14MP) and the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and FP2 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor measurements.

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The XZ-1 was revealed 13 months after the FP2 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FP2 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the XZ-1 scores vs the FP2 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus XZ-1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP2. The full galleries are provided at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery & Panasonic FP2 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus XZ-1 has got outer measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) while the Panasonic FP2 has sizing of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") having a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs).

Check the Olympus XZ-1 and Panasonic FP2 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you select during that time. The following is the front view size comparison of the XZ-1 vs the FP2.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the XZ-1 and FP2 is 88 and 95 respectively.

More often than not, it's difficult to visualize the difference between sensor sizes just by reading technical specs. The image below will offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the XZ-1 and FP2.

As you have seen, both cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The XZ-1 with its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic FP2 will offer greater detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The newer XZ-1 provides an edge in sensor tech.