Olympus SZ-11 vs Panasonic ZS60 Comparison

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Olympus SZ-11

14 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

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Panasonic ZS60

18 MP | 1/2.3 CMOS Sensor

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Olympus SZ-11 vs Panasonic ZS60 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing SZ-11 and ZS60, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Olympus and Panasonic. Olympus SZ-11 was introduced to market in July 2011 and Panasonic ZS60 was launched in January 2016. As you can see, SZ-11 is 5 years older than ZS60. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Olympus SZ-11 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-07-27

14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 1600

25-500 mm F3.0-6.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

7.0fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

226g. 106 x 69 x 40 mm

Panasonic ZS60 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2016-01-05

18MP - 1/2.3 CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 3200 ( expands to 6400)

24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

1166k dot Electronic viewfinder

10.0fps continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

282g. 112 x 64 x 38 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ80

Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 Compare

Panasonic ZS60 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 (Lumix DMC-TZ80)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70 vs Olympus SZ-11

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Olympus SZ-11 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60

Weight	226 g vs 282 g	56 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide	3.00 vs 3.30	faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage	9.3m vs 5.6m	3.7m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	2.04µm² vs 1.56µm²	30% larger pixel area

CHECK SZ-11 PRICE

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 over Olympus SZ-11

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max Sensor Resolution	18 MP vs 14 MP	28% more pixels
Max ISO	3.200 vs 1.600	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution	1.040k dots vs 460k dots	126% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 7.0fps	3 fps faster
Battery Life	320 shots vs 200 shots	120 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	720mm vs 500mm	220 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	30x vs 20×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	6.40 vs 6.90	faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
4K Photo Mode	Yes vs No	Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Post Focus Mode	Yes vs No	Change focus point after taking a shot
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs No	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

CHECK ZS60 PRICE

Common Strengths of Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Focal Length - Tele	500mm vs 720mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	6.90 vs 6.40	Slow lenses at tele

Olympus SZ-11 vs Panasonic ZS60: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Olympus SZ-11 has external dimensions of 106 x 69 x 40 mm (4.17 x 2.72 x 1.57″) and weighs 226 g (0.50 lb / 7.97 oz) (including batteries). Panasonic ZS60 has external dimensions of 112 x 64 x 38 mm (4.41 x 2.52 x 1.5″) and weighs 282 g (0.62 lb / 9.95 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60. Panasonic ZS60 is 5mm shorter and 2mm thinner than Olympus SZ-11 but it is also 6mm wider.

Comparison image of Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60.

Comparison image of Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60.

Top View Comparison image of Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus SZ-11 is significantly lighter (56g ) than the Panasonic ZS60 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

SZ-11

ZS60

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

SZ-11

ZS60

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Olympus SZ-11 nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 (Lumix DMC-TZ80) provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Olympus SZ-11 vs Panasonic ZS60: Sensor Comparison

Olympus SZ-11 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features TruePic III+ processor. On the other hand, Panasonic ZS60 has a 18.0MP 1/2.3 (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor.

Below you can see the SZ-11 and ZS60 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60 Cameras

Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Olympus SZ-11 has 30% larger pixel area compared to Panasonic ZS60, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Olympus SZ-11 vs Panasonic ZS60 Lens Specs Comparison

Olympus SZ-11 features a 25-500 mm F3.0-6.9 20× zoom lens whereas Panasonic ZS60 features a 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 30x zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS60 has 1mm wider coverage than the Olympus SZ-11. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.00, Olympus SZ-11 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS60 has 220mm longer reach than the Olympus SZ-11. At f6.40, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

SZ-11

ZS60

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

SZ-11

ZS60

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

SZ-11

ZS60

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

SZ-11

ZS60

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Olympus SZ-11 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS60 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Olympus SZ-11 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic ZS60 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Olympus SZ-11 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS60 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
500 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.90
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
720 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40
Read the details

Olympus SZ-11 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS60 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
226g
20.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Body Thickness 40mm
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
282g
30.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Olympus SZ-11 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS60 for Landscape Photography

POOR

25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus SZ-11 vs Panasonic ZS60: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Olympus SZ-11 and Panasonic ZS60 scores compare:

Olympus SZ-11

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #237 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #846 out of 1242 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS60

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #4 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #266 out of 1242 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS60 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Olympus SZ-11 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Olympus SZ-11. Otherwise, Panasonic ZS60 is the better camera overall.

Panasonic ZS60 vs Olympus SZ-11 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Olympus SZ-11	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60
Brand	Olympus	Panasonic
Announced	2011-07-27	2016-01-05
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	14 megapixels	18 megapixels
Max Resolution	4288 x 3216	4896 x 3672
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	6400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	80 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	n/a	49
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-500 mm (20×)	24-720 mm (30x)
Max Aperture	F3.0-6.9	F3.3-6.4
Macro Focus Range	1cm	3cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3.00"	3.00"
Resolution	460k dots	1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder	1,166k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a	0.46x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/2000s
Max Electronic Shutter	n/a	1/16000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	9.30 m (@ ISO 1600)	5.60 m (at Auto ISO)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	7.0 fps	10.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	226g	282g
Dimensions	106 x 69 x 40mm	112 x 64 x 38mm
Battery Life	200 shots	320 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	37
DxO Color Depth	not tested	19.3
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	10.6
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	109
	Report a correction	Report a correction