Panasonic L1 vs Panasonic SZ10

Below is a extensive overview of the Panasonic L1 versus Panasonic SZ10, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both produced by Panasonic. There is a big difference among the resolutions of the L1 (7MP) and SZ10 (16MP) and the L1 (Four Thirds) and SZ10 (1/2.3") use different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The L1 was manufactured 8 years earlier than the SZ10 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic L1 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic SZ10 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple summation of how the L1 scores against the SZ10 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ10. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic L1 Gallery and Panasonic SZ10 Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic L1 offers exterior measurements of 146mm x 87mm x 77mm (5.7" x 3.4" x 3.0") having a weight of 606 grams (1.34 lbs) and the Panasonic SZ10 has measurements of 99mm x 60mm x 30mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.2") and a weight of 177 grams (0.39 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic L1 versus Panasonic SZ10 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are using during that time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the L1 vs the SZ10.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the L1 and SZ10 is 65 and 93 respectively.

In many cases, it can be hard to imagine the difference in sensor measurements simply by checking out technical specs. The graphic below will help give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the L1 and SZ10.

As you can tell, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The L1 because of its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic SZ10 will show more detail due to its extra 9 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop images far more aggressively. The older L1 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.