Panasonic LX5 vs Panasonic SZ5

Lets look more closely at the Panasonic LX5 and Panasonic SZ5, both Small Sensor Compact cameras and both are built by Panasonic. There is a large difference among the image resolutions of the LX5 (10MP) and SZ5 (14MP) and the LX5 (1/1.63") and SZ5 (1/2.3") boast different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The LX5 was manufactured 7 months prior to the SZ5 which means that they are of a similar age. Both cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before going into a thorough comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the LX5 grades vs the SZ5 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic LX5 Gallery & Panasonic SZ5 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry around your camera, you should think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic LX5 offers external dimensions of 110mm x 65mm x 43mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) while the Panasonic SZ5 has proportions of 104mm x 58mm x 21mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic LX5 and Panasonic SZ5 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have during that time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the LX5 versus the SZ5.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the LX5 and SZ5 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Generally, it is very difficult to picture the gap in sensor sizes simply by looking through specifications. The pic below may offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the LX5 and SZ5.

To sum up, each of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The LX5 because of its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic SZ5 will result in more detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will help you crop photographs more aggressively. The more aged LX5 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.