Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Panasonic S1

Lets look much closer at the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Panasonic S1, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference between the image resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and S1 (24MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and S1 (Full frame) provide different sensor sizes.

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The XZ-2 iHS was revealed 7 years before the S1 which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic S1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a thorough comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the XZ-2 iHS grades versus the S1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Panasonic Lumix DC-S1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Panasonic S1 Gallery.

If you are intending to travel with your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS comes with outside measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") accompanied by a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) whilst the Panasonic S1 has measurements of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") having a weight of 1021 grams (2.25 lbs).

Check the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Panasonic S1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are working with during that time. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the XZ-2 iHS vs the S1.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the XZ-2 iHS and S1 is 85 and 54 respectively.

Often, its difficult to imagine the gap between sensor dimensions just by looking at specs. The picture below might offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the XZ-2 iHS and S1.

All in all, both of these cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The XZ-2 iHS having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field harder and the Panasonic S1 will give you greater detail because of its extra 12MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged XZ-2 iHS is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.