Panasonic LX100 has a
13.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor. On the other hand, Canon SX170 IS has a
16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Digic 4 processor.
Below you can see the LX100 and SX170 IS sensor size comparison.
As seen above, Panasonic LX100 has a 8.0x Larger sensor area than Canon SX170 IS. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.