Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Panasonic LZ30

On this page, we are matching up the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Panasonic LZ30, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a considerable difference among the sensor resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and LZ30 (16MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and LZ30 (1/2.3") boast different sensor dimensions.

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The XZ-2 iHS was revealed at a similar time to the LZ30 and they are both of a similar age. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic LZ30 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving into a detailed comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the XZ-2 iHS matches up against the LZ30 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus XZ-2 iHS & Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery & Panasonic LZ30 Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera often, you will want to factor its weight and size. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS offers outside dimensions of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") accompanied by a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) while the Panasonic LZ30 has specifications of 124mm x 84mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 3.6") and a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs).

Check out the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Panasonic LZ30 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are working with at that time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the XZ-2 iHS and the LZ30.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the XZ-2 iHS and LZ30 is 85 and 66 respectively.

In many cases, it is tough to imagine the gap in sensor measurements just by going through specs. The graphic below should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the XZ-2 iHS and LZ30.

All in all, both of those cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The XZ-2 iHS using its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic LZ30 will provide greater detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images more aggressively.