Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Panasonic ZS70

On this page, we will be analyzing the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Panasonic ZS70, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a noticeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and ZS70 (20MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and ZS70 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor dimensions.

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The XZ-2 iHS was manufactured 5 years before the ZS70 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before we go into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the XZ-2 iHS scores versus the ZS70 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus XZ-2 iHS & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70. The entire galleries are available at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery & Panasonic ZS70 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry your camera frequently, you should factor in its weight and size. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS enjoys outer measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") having a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS70 has specifications of 112mm x 67mm x 41mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.6") along with a weight of 322 grams (0.71 lbs).

Examine the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Panasonic ZS70 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you select at that time. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the XZ-2 iHS against the ZS70.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the XZ-2 iHS and ZS70 is 85 and 87 respectively.

More often than not, it can be tough to visualise the gap in sensor sizing simply by looking through technical specs. The photograph below may give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-2 iHS and ZS70.

As you can tell, both of those cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The XZ-2 iHS featuring a bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF easier and the Panasonic ZS70 will render greater detail due to its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs more aggressively. The older XZ-2 iHS will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.